Ask Miami Lakers what they don’t like about the town and they’ll bring up traffic: the volume of vehicles coming through, signals that seem to be out of sync and drivers who speed or take shortcuts through residential neighborhoods.
Mayor Josh Dieguez and the council receive those complaints in person and on social media.
Two events in January gave the public a chance to share their concerns and hear about upcoming projects.
On Jan. 8, the Greater Miami Expressway held a workshop for its proposed Gratigny Parkway partial interchange with Northwest 67th Avenue: Westbound entrance and exit ramps; a new eastbound entrance ramp and realignment of the Graham Dairy Canal.
The purpose is to ease traffic congestion, provide access to area highways and to accommodate a projected 17% increase in traffic in 25 years, GMX said.
GMX is weighing residents’ feedback from the workshop and may hold a public hearing in April. Construction could begin in 2027.
“I’m concerned that additional traffic on Northwest 67th Avenue will swing onto Lake Patricia Drive when school zone lights are on,” said Patrice Morales. She lives east of the avenue, where residents already complain about speeders.
John and Maria Borges live in Lake Patricia along the canal. The proposed westbound exit ramp would be an estimated 50-feet from their home, greatly affecting the value of their property, he said.
Gisela Soberon also lives north of the canal but west of the avenue.
“I’m concerned about the noise,” said Soberon, a retiree. “With impact windows and doors, [trucks] wake us up now. With more traffic and a closer ramp, it will be even noisier. The present ramp is 100 feet [from our property] and the new one will be closer.”
Vice Mayor Bryan Morera lives nearby and has advised residents to organize and send concerns in writing. GMX’s Public Information Officer Tere Garcia can be reached at tgarcia@gmx-way.com.
During Dieguez’s town hall on Jan. 13, officials shared the status of projects and how issues are resolved.
The town interacts with state and county agencies that have jurisdiction over certain highways and avenues and equipment like traffic lights.
Deputy Town Attorney Lorenzo Cobiella said agreements between Miami Lakes and the county give the town control over speed limits, some speed bumps and other rights on municipal streets.
The county oversees traffic lights, stop signs, crosswalks and speed bumps, too, he said.
Sheriff’s deputies can manage traffic flow and signals along Miami Lakes Drive, in coordination with the county and the town’s Public Works department, Town Manager Edward Pidermann and Lt. Eddy Ulloa said.
Deputies continue to manage traffic on Miami Lakes Drive at Northwest 77th Court.
The lights were temporarily reset during recent construction on the Palmetto Expressway.
Also disrupting the traffic signals are wildlife that have sought refuge in power boxes during cold weather.
“Rodents or lizards or iguanas have come into the control boxes and have fried some of the circuits,” Ulloa said, requiring replacement of damaged parts by the county.
Projects
--Northbound drivers on Northwest 87th Avenue who want to turn west onto Northwest 186th Street to reach Interstate 75 may eventually get a second turn lane. Pidermann said staff is working with the county to get one, even though it’s outside town limits.
--Completed last year was a new pedestrian/bicycle path at Northwest 60th Avenue in Business Park East, which is a split bike lane that connects Miami Lakes Drive to Northwest 138th Street.
--Two safe routes to school projects -- on Miami Lakeway North and South that connect Miami Lakes K-8 Center to Miami Lakes Middle School and Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School, as well as improvements to crosswalk visibility, ramps and sidewalks around Bob Graham Education Center – were completed over the past two years, said Omar Santos, Director of Public Works.
--A state grant will fund designs for a lane from Northwest 154th Street to turn south on Northwest 77th Court.
--Santos said the town was considering a study of the Northwest 154th Street and Palmetto Expressway interchange.
Principal Town Planner Susana Alonso spoke about the town’s efforts to create safer roads for drivers and pedestrians.
Vision Zero, traffic safety consultants, are studying crashes and truck routes.
“We’re working on the transportation master plan … to see where improvements can be made,” Alonso said.
Residents’ Concerns
--A resident asked how the town will manage additional traffic that may happen with the planned 278-unit residential tower at the Miami Lakes Golf Club.
Traffic patterns there will be included in the future study of the Palmetto interchange, Santos said.
--Drivers exiting the northbound Palmetto Expressway are not obeying yield signs at the end of the ramp at Miami Lakes Drive, said one resident who asked that stop signs be installed.
--Miami Lakeway South has a lot of speeders, in the afternoon and especially in the evening, a homeowner said.
Asked about installing traffic calming devices such as circles or speed bumps, Alonso said she has heard these concerns from other residents and will have the Vision Zero consultants look into it.
--A resident asked for speed bumps on Mahogany Court which she said was being used as a short cut. Santos said he will put it on the list of areas that undergo speed and traffic analysis.