Title
A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Coral Gables, Florida, supporting the delegation of authority to district offices of the Department of Transportation to adjust and implement alternative procedures and design standards to mitigate traffic impacts and promote safe and convenient travel for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists, urging other counties and municipalities to support the limited delegation of authority to the FDOT District Office in order to better respond to local needs; authorizing the City Clerk to forward this Resolution to the FDOT Secretary; and providing for an effective date.
City Manager's Recommendation
That the City Commission approve the Resoltuion.
Brief History
The City of Coral Gables has been closely working with neighboring municipalities and Miami-Dade County to support local needs to mitigate traffic impacts and promote safe and convenient travel for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. Coral Gables City Manager met with the City Manager of the City of South Miami to discuss proposed resolution to urge the Florida Department of Transportation to authorize its district offices to modify current FDOT design and management standards for crosswalks, traffic lane widths and medians where necessary to make US-1 Pedestrian Friendly.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has jurisdiction over all state roads and maintains traffic control devices and roadway standards associated with the regulation of traffic pursuant to the Florida Uniform Traffic Control Law (Chapter 316, F.S.) and the FDOT Roadway Design Office develops and provides procedures and standards for the design, construction and maintenance of all public streets and highways, including pedestrian crosswalks and traffic lane widths medians which are uniformly applied throughout the State of Florida.
Under Florida law (section 316.0745, F.S.), the FDOT is required to adopt a uniform system of traffic control devices for streets and highways and the County and local governments, along with the FDOT, all share the same responsibility to find ways for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclist to coexist conveniently and safely.
The aggressive driving conditions which typically occur along the section of US1 that divides the City of Coral Gables often conflict with bicycle and pedestrian activity, thereby leading to unsafe conditions and in order to safely and efficiently guide people across wide and busy state roads, and to accommodate a large number of pedestrians, including pedestrians with disabilities to integrate adequate traffic control devices to safely and efficiently guide people across wide and busy state roads, the offices of the FDOT necessitate to provide certain flexibility when designing and implementing traffic control devices and roadway standards.
The Miami-Dade Metrorail transports large numbers of school children on a daily basis that cross US1 in order to travel to the downtown area and the City of Coral Gables believes that the median widths are insufficient to safely accommodate the numbers of children attempting to cross US1 during peak hours and that it is critical for the FDOT to work closely with the City of Coral Gables to design, develop and manage options that respond to the city’s specific needs and consequently raise the quality and civility of our shared public spaces and further enhance pedestrian safety and make Coral Gables a more walkable city.
The City of Coral Gables recognizes the need to develop, implement, and manage a data-driven comprehensive traffic safety program aimed at saving lives, preventing injuries, and reducing related cost-associated with traffic crashes and the resulting benefits from a design standard aimed at traffic calming and pedestrian safety along US Highway 1.
In light of recent traffic fatalities involving children attempting to cross US1, the City of Coral Gables urges the FDOT to authorize its district offices to modify current FDOT design and management standards for crosswalks, traffic lane widths and medians where necessary, to fit the specific needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, children, adults and seniors in particular communities the City of Coral Gables desires to promote safe and convenient travel by the public across US1.
This request is in addition to the Overpass Project still seeking all necessary approvals.