M E M O R A N D U M
To: Honorable Mayor and Town Council
From: Rafael G. Casals, Town Manager
Date: January 17, 2018
Re: Adoption of the Town of Cutler Bay Traffic Calming Master Plan
REQUEST
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A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A TRAFFIC CALMING MASTER PLAN; PROVIDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Town of Cutler Bay (the “Town”) proposes to adopt the Traffic Calming Master Plan (the “Master Plan”), which includes conceptual traffic calming recommendations for Town owned and maintained roadways to improve mobility through the Town. The ultimate goal of the Master Plan is to develop and implement a plan of action identifying particular locations which present speeding/traffic volume problems, determining whether and where traffic calming measures are needed and developing suggestions as to what type of traffic calming measures are recommended for that particular street location in order to reduce any identified speeding and/or traffic volume problem for that particular street. Adoption of the Master Plan aligns with Goal No. 6.2 of the Town’s adopted 2014-19 Strategic Plan- to optimize the smooth flow of traffic through the Town by minimizing traffic congestion and maximizing the capacity of the Town’s roadways.
On May 18, 2016, the Town Council adopted Resolution No. 16-30, authorizing Marlin Engineering, Inc. (the “Consultant”) to develop the Town’s Master Plan. The Master Plan planning process included working with residents, staff and elected officials to develop consensus on a vision to guide transportation projects and policy. The Master Plan aims to incorporate reported residents’ concerns related to growing transportation needs. In the process, the Consultant documented existing conditions, by collecting new traffic data.
The following tasks were completed to develop the Master Plan:
Ø Public Involvement
Ø Traffic Data Collection
Ø Data Analysis
Ø Conceptual Design
Ø Recommendations
There is an art and science to transportation planning. To gain consensus and implement projects the community must agree to, and want, what is being planned. The Master Plan placed great effort into both the art (finding out what is wanted), and the science (finding out what is needed). The Town focused on public involvement throughout this project by hosting several meetings to gain a better understanding of the community’s needs and wants.
Public Involvement:
Multiple efforts were undertaken to engage the public, explain the project’s scope of services, existing conditions, data collection, and system utilization. Public Involvement meetings were held to present background findings and analyses, gather residents’ feedback, gain consensus around the study’s results, and provide recommendations. These meetings were held in open forum and small group settings.
Public outreach efforts for these meetings included meeting notices posted on/in:
• The Town’s Website;
• The Town Hall’s Bulletin Board;
• The Cutler Bay Newspaper in October 2016, November 2016, and May 2017;
• Email notification via the Town’s email list; and
• Announcement on the Town’s Electronic Message Boards.
During these meetings, information was presented on background findings and analyses to date, with a discussion and solicitation of feedback from the public on areas of concern for further investigation as well as potential projects for implementation. Meetings with people in small groups were also undertaken. An initial Kick-Off Public Involvement Meeting was conducted on September 8, 2016 to collect critical components in evaluating the Town’s traffic concerns. Meetings were also held within each of the three zones within the Town.
Multiple Public Involvement Meetings, which were all open to the general public, were held to engage residents between September 2016 and May 2017.
The Town’s Public Involvement meetings were held on the following dates:
Date Meeting/Location
September 8, 2016 Kick-Off Public Involvement Meeting
Town Hall
September 28, 2016 Public Involvement Meeting (Zone 1)
Cutler Ridge Park
October 26, 2016 Public Involvement Meeting (Zone 2)
Whispering Pines Elementary
November 10, 2016 Public Involvement Meeting (Zone 3)
Cutler Bay Senior High School
May 23, 2017 Final Workshop
Town Hall
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Mayor and Town Council approve the attached Resolution adopting the Master Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
Ø Attachment “A” - Public Involvement Meeting Flyer