This fall, the Town of Miami Lakes hopes to have a sign to welcome visitors at the southern end of Northwest 67th Avenue, near the border with the City of Hialeah.
The custom stucco monument will stand 12 feet wide, 70 inches tall and 2 feet thick, north of the Gratigny Parkway underpass, along the northbound lanes of the avenue.
It was designed by Multiple Media Network, Inc., dba Best Sign Monuments in Gainesville.
The pillars and base will have a faux concrete block pattern that support a white sign. It will feature the town seal and beneath that, the message “Welcome to Miami Lakes” and the town’s motto, “Growing Beautifully.”
The project was approved during the Aug. 8 town council meeting. It is expected to cost up to $23,310 ($16,230, plus $4,960 for installation and $2,119 for any unexpected costs).
In July, Councilman Ray Garcia asked town staff to research costs to assume some of the responsibilities for cleaning beneath the Palmetto Expressway underpass at the northern end of the avenue.
The town asked the Florida Department of Transportation for help and it made “immediate” and “significant improvements” to mold, dirty sidewalks and litter, Town Manager Edward Pidermann said.
FDOT said it will mow grass, pick up trash and clean up the slopes on “an as-needed basis,” Pidermann said.
The town is looking into whether it can afford the costs for pressure washing the columns and walls beneath the expressway.