Traffic Route Idea for North Beach Movement

Miami Beach 10/26/03 - Ever since the Collins Avenue corridor from 63rd street to 75th street got narrowed to 2 lanes, this same area of North Beach has been total gridlock.

     So what is planned? Removing the fly-over and routing 1 lane of traffic to 3 lanes 'at street level' for the 63^rd street and Indian Creek corner. Great idea, you foolish planners, now 3 times as many cars can turn from the 63rd street bridge and head north. Imagine Indian Creek after this change takes place.

     What the north end needs are more lanes heading north to keep traffic moving. Problem is few north streets exist.

     First off the Collins route should never have been reduced from 3 lanes to 2. I spoke against this years ago but my arguments were ignored. The street lost a lane and got the infamous knuckles or bump-outs.

     Secondly, if the fly-over does get removed, the bottle-neck on Indian Creek will be a nightmare. The lanes are slow moving now and with the 3 lane turn will be bumper to bumper.

     Harding Avenue cuts off from Indian Creek and is a 2 lane one-way street to the Publix Grocery corner at 69^th street. Then Harding lanes becomes 2-way north to 72nd street with only 1 lane in each direction. What I am suggesting is to continue Harding as a one-way street allowing 2 lanes of traffic to 72nd street.

     Very few cars head South on Harding. I took a picture of this back up on 71st street at rush hour. See the cars backed up all the way beyond Publix south to Indian Creek. All these cars are avoiding Collins and are trying to go North by the Harding route. Yet only one car is heading in the opposite direction. (This is normal not just a fluke).

     This one-way change would not hurt any other routes yet would move rush hour cars. At 72nd street 2 lanes are allowed to turn left on Collins, yet some 4-car parking spaces at the curb parking discourages both lanes to be utilized. A no parking zone from 4 pm to 6 pm in this area would move 2 lanes at the 72nd street and Collins Avenue intersection.

     What's the cost? Only a couple of one-way signs. What's the benefit? Traffic relief to Indian Creek & Harding plus a better traffic circulation. As well the east traffic on 71st would not get bottled up at the Harding-71 intersection. Publix shoppers would need to have turned south a block further west of Harding. No big deal.

     I offered this simple idea to the City months ago but as yet it has not been even reviewed. Is there anyone out there in the City Debate web world that can at least get the City to investigate my thoughts?