Connect 4 Express

and

SR 836 Southwest Extension

Project Development and Environment

(PD&E) Studies

Board Workshop

June 29, 2010

Overview

• MDX vision projects developed

and prioritized by MDX Board

in 2007

• Blue Ribbon Committee

• Both projects included in 2035

Miami Dade MPO Long Range

Plan (October 2009) and in

MDX Work Program for PD&E

study

• PD&E studies comply with

FDOT standards and National

Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) requirements

Planning Tasks Prior to PD&E

• Advance Notification (AN)

and Efficient Transportation

Decision Making (ETDM)

• Provides early coordination

with permitting and

environmental agencies

• Initial public outreach along

project corridors

• Elected officials

• Agencies

• Stakeholders

Class of Action Determination

• Type or Class of Action depends on•Complexity and magnitude of project

•Connections to Interstate System

•Funding requirements

•Determination is a result of•Coordination with FDOT D-6

•Evaluation and consultation with FHWA

• Categories•Categorical Exclusions

•State Environmental Impact Reports

•Environmental Assessment

•Environmental Impact Statements

Components of a PD&E Study

• Environmental• Identification of the study area and corridor definition

• Environmental analysis and assessment of impacts

• Natural/Physical - Social / Economic / Cultural / Historic

• Engineering• Preliminary conceptual engineering design of roadway

• Public Involvement• Coordination with federal, state and local agencies and

governmental entities

• Outreach to elected officials and the public to provide information and an opportunity to express their views

• Focus will vary from project to project

Connect 4 Express

• Critical link that connects four major expressways:• SR 836- Dolphin

Expressway

• SR 112- Airport Expressway

• SR 924- Gratigny Expressway

• SR 826- Palmetto Expressway

Study Area

(Potential) SR 826/Palmetto

SR 924/Gratigny

SR 112/Airport

SR 836/Dolphin

• Proposed 10 mile (with

connection to SR 826) limited

access

• Located between I-95 to the

east and SR 826 to the west

• Several alternatives studied

that generally follows South

Florida Rail Corridor (Tri-rail)

• Potential multi-modal corridor

Project Details

Historical Perspective

• Project originally included in

Miami-Dade County 2025

Long Range Transportation

Plan

• MDX Concept Report

completed in 2002

• Project removed from LRTP

by MPO Board in 2004

• Project included in 2035

MPO LRTP in October 2009

Concept Report (2002) Initial Findings

• Traffic and mobility

• Improve linkages to region’s major

economic and activity centers

• Provide expressway access to

north central Miami-Dade

• Create alternative north-south

expressway between Palmetto and

I-95

• Challenges

• Potential contamination

• High cost of right of way acquisition

• Public acceptance

Potential Project Benefits Identified

• Alternative corridor to fulfill north-south mobility needs in County

• Direct connection between two airports: MIA and Opa-Locka Airport

• Economic development synergy between the airports and the Port of Miami

• Enhanced access and major employment centers

• Reduction of travel time delays and congestion on local area roadway network and Expressways (I-95, Palmetto)

• Industrial land uses from

Miami International Airport

to NW 79th Street

• Residential uses from 79th

Street to NW 103rd Street

• Warehouse uses from NW

103rd Street to NW 135th

Street

• Residential uses

Northeast of Opa-Locka to

SR 826 (Miami Gardens)

Corridor Overview

Corridor Area Major Activity Centers

• St. Thomas University

• Opa-locka Airport

• Downtown Opa-locka

• Miami-Dade Community

College (North Campus)

• Hialeah

• Miami International

Airport

• Metrorail / Tri-Rail

Transfer Station

• Preparation of Advance

Notification letters as part

of the Efficient

Transportation Decision

Making Process

• Allows for environmental

agencies to preliminarily

evaluate and identify

potential issues

Planning Tasks Prior to PD&E

• Obtain a sense of the community regarding MDX

and its intent to proceed with the project

• Briefings to MPO members, district Miami-Dade

County Commissioners & municipalities

• Strategic preliminary outreach plan prepared

• Key area stakeholders & decision makers identified

• 30 targeted advanced meetings were completed

• 5 follow up group presentations:

• City of Miami Gardens staff

• North County Citizens Association

• Opa-Locka Rotary Club

• Brownsville Civic Neighbors Association

• Gladview Community Association

Advanced Public Outreach

• Power Point presentations to the groups

included:

• Information on MDX, ORT and Long Range Vision

Projects in the area and introduction of the Connect 4

Express

• Results of outreach

• Overall positive response

• A common thread among most interviewees related

to an appreciation for the efforts being made by MDX

so early in the process

• Additional outreach as part of the MPO 2035

LRTP process and Public Hearing for adoption

Advanced Public Outreach

PD&E Milestone Schedule

• Project to be advertised October 2010

• PD&E Notice to Proceed to consultant

anticipated Spring 2011

• PD&E Schedule anticipated 36-48 months

• FHWA approval of Location Design

Concept (LDCA) Fall 2015

Anticipated Issues

• Class of Action

• Environmental Assessment

• Environmental Impact Statement

• Environmental

• Contamination (industrial uses/railroad bed)

• Relocation potential

• Environmental Justice

Anticipated Issues

• Engineering• Traffic modeling & operational analysis for

system to system interchanges• SR 836/SR112, SR924/SR826

• Segmentation of corridor based on travel demand

• Phased implementation

• Integration with existing rail operations along SFRTA corridor

• Coordination with Miami-Dade Transit plans

• Tolling

• Cost – mega project• Funding needs beyond toll revenues/Innovative

financing

Anticipated Issues

• Keep continuous coordination w/ local municipalities and district commissioners• Potential controversy may be

raised in the piece from Gratigny to Palmetto

• Creation of a Citizens Community Advisory Committee• Continue early outreach

• Creation of a Technical Project Steering

Committee (MDT, FDOT, SFRTA)

SR 836 Southwest

Extension

• New 15 mile north/south

transportation corridor from the

terminus of SR 836 to

Southwest Kendall

• Goal is to design a cross

section that

• Relieves congestion and

provides valid mobility

option

• Could be used as ultimate

urban boundary to limit

western expansion

• Addresses existing needs as

well as future

Study AreaSR 836 at 137th Ave.

Tu

rnp

ike

SW 136 Street

Kendall Dr.

Bird Road.

15

7th

Ave

Urban Development

Boundary.

Project Overview

• Existing Conditions

• Southwest area has experienced unprecedented

growth over the past 20 years without the

transportation infrastructure to support it

• Turnpike and Palmetto cannot address mobility

needs of local communities

• Traffic flow from residential areas on western portion

of county must move thru limited east west arterial

roads

• Existing demand exceeds capacity

• Creates operational deficiencies and longer commutes

• Negative impact on quality of life

Potential Project Benefits

• Alternative to improve

connectivity and enhance

north south mobility needs

• Expressway connection

between residential

communities and employment

centers to the east

• Congestion relief to

surrounding local area

network

• Congestion relief to the

Turnpike and Palmetto

• Opportunity for multimodal

corridor

Planning Tasks Completed

• Concept Report completed in 2008

• Identified major environmental issues/wetlands

• Western expansion issues from special interest

groups identified

• Completed ETDM planning screen

• Environmental agencies have stated concern with

alignments and others are being developed

• Early coordination with

• South Florida Water Management District

• Miami-Dade Planning Department regarding Urban

Development Boundary Line issues

• FDOT regarding potential use of Krome Avenue

• Potential controversy identified

• Segments outside the Urban Boundary Line

• May traverse environmentally sensitive lands to be

addressed with innovative structures

• Briefings to MPO members and district elected

officials at local & state level

• Presentations to Community Councils 10, 11, 12,

14 & 15

• Outreach to area stakeholders and key decision

makers

• Identified homeowners associations in the study area,

environmental groups and other special interests

Preliminary Strategic Public Outreach

• Presentations as part of MDX vision projects

• Chamber South

• South Dade Economic Development Council

• Kendall Federation of Homeowners Association

• CANT

• Country Walk Homeowners Association

• Lakes of the Meadow

• Results of outreach

• Positive response from residents fighting traffic

• Concerns over further development to the west

• Additional outreach as part of the MPO 2035 LRTP

process and Public Hearing for adoption

Advanced Public Outreach

PD&E Milestone Schedule

• Project anticipated to be advertised

November 2010

• PD&E Notice to Proceed to consultant

Spring 2011

• PD&E Schedule estimated 36-48 months

• FHWA approval of Location Design

Concept (LDCA) Fall 2015

Anticipated Issues

• Class of Action Determination

• Environmental Assessment or higher

• Environmental

• Wetlands

• Comprehensive Everglades Restoration

Program (CERP) lands

• Wildlife and habitat (threatened and

endangered species, biological assessment)

• Urban Boundary Line

• American Indian lands

Anticipated Issues

• Engineering • Drainage impacts to CERP lands

• Interchange access to eastern areas only

• Logical termini on southern end

• Minimize impacts to environmentally sensitive lands

• Elevated versus at grade alternatives (i.e. Krome Avenue limited access)

• Phasing

• Tolling

• Cost – mega project • Funding needs beyond toll revenues/Innovative

financing

Anticipated Issues

• Public Involvement• Keep continuous coordination

with district elected officials

• Work closely with residents and environmental and “Hold the Line” groups

• Bring all parties together for consensus resolution

• Creation of a Citizens Community Advisory Committee

• Creation of a Technical Project Steering

Committee (MDT, FDOT, SFRTA)

Connect 4 Express

and

SR 836 Southwest Extension

Project Development and Environment

(PD&E) Studies

Board Workshop

June 29, 2010