Transportation improvement plans by Miami-Dade County and FDOT to place an I-75 overpass at N.W. 170 Street bordering Hialeah and northwest Miami Lakes sparked another concern for residents of Miami Lakes – an overpass at Miami Lakes Drive.
In February, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved Chairman Esteban Bovo’s legislation for FDOT to conduct a study to determine if an overpass at N.W. 170 Street is feasible.
Bovo, who represents the area, said traffic relief is needed for residents following a rash of new commercial and residential developments, and opening up the roadway was the only solution to alleviate the traffic bottleneck.
Then, came an announcement that Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is planning to sponsor legislation to open up N.W. 154 Street, a main thoroughfare that continues to generate traffic congestion and would get worse with an I-75 overpass, residents said.
The verbal proposal promoted a Town Hall meeting last month in Miami Lakes, where residents spewed their venom over the possibility of opening up the roadway, especially since the Town and the city of Hialeah have a legally binding inter local agreement to keep the street closed.
The residents feel a little more comfortable with a study to conceivably open up N.W. 170 Street, along with Bovo’s promise to rescind his legislation if the traffic analysis reveals any negative impact to Miami Lakes.
“I filed legislation to open up the bridge and I will file legislation to keep it closed,” Bovo said at the Town Hall meeting.
If FDOT proceeds with an interchange at N.W. 170 Street, Bovo’s legislation includes some restrictions to minimize the traffic impact such trucks are banned from using the bridge, and east bound traffic must turn left or right onto N.W. 87 Avenue instead of cutting through Miami Lakes and PSN.
But an interchange at Miami Lakes Drive was greeted with a different reaction.
“N.W. 154 Street concerns us because it could be a nightmare,” said Miami Lakes resident Maria Kramer.
Bovo said Miami Lakes has the power to keep the interlocal agreement in tact.
“Neither side is looking at opening up it right now,” Bovo said. “But the Town has much of a say in the agreement.”
Miami Lakes’ Mayor, Manny Cid, said an interchange at N.W. 154 Street would not resolve any traffic issues based on the results of an earlier FDOT study.
Bovo, who also chairs the county’s Policy Council Committee, said the group has been working on a series of mobility enhancement projects county wide for the past three years.
He said in most cases, some cities were planned “poorly” making it difficult for them to resolve traffic congestion.
Bovo said the county’s Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit Plan (SMART) and Metropolitan Planning Organization, are collaborating with cities to explore upgrades to improve mobility, and determining the costs and seeking sources of funding for the projects.
The proposed projects come with a hefty price tag of up to $3 billion.
“We already have a plan but need to know how to pay for it,” Bovo said.
Some of the projects for the SMART plan include expanding the Metrorail along State Road 836 from the Miami Intermodal Center to Florida International University; using Metromover from Miami’s Museum Park Station to connect to Miami Beach; and a Metrorail extension along the N.W. 27 Avenue corridor.
Bovo said county officials and MPO are looking at all options to enhance mobility in other areas such as Miami Lakes and Hialeah under the SMART plan, including placing a light rail to run throughout northwest Miami-Dade which would allow residents to connect with buses to take them to their destinations.
“The goal is to take as many cars off the road as we can,” Bovo said.
Bovo said an interchange at N.W. 170 Street was the only solution to alleviate traffic congestion and minimize the impact in the Hialeah area with residential developments by the Lennar Corporation and industrial buildings currently under construction.
“People can’t get out of their houses because of the traffic,” Bovo said. “It takes them 15 to 20 minutes for parents to get their kids to nearby schools.”
Councilmember Nelson Rodriguez, who organized a Traffic Summit in Miami Lakes last year, offered a solution in lieu of opening up N.W. 170 Street and Miami Lakes Drive.
He said before FDOT opens up the bridge, the state agency should open the Palmetto under passes at N.W. 146 Street and at N.W. 160 Street.
“That will allow two additional east/west corridors to relieve traffic on the westside,” he said.