SR 924 West Extension to the HEFT

Transcription

1 SR 924 West Extension to the HEFT Project Concept Report DRAFT Submitted by: HNTB Corporation January 2009 MIAMI-DADE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION - 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SECTION - 2 INTRODUCTION Project Description and Study Area Project Scope and Objectives Program Funding/Sources Project Coordination Interagency Coordination Community Involvement Plan EXISTING CONDITIONS Expressway System Arterial System Existing Traffic and Recent Growth Trends Existing Facility Right-of-Way Bridges Proposed Facility SECTION - 3 PROJECT NEED Project Description and Study Area Project Need SECTION - 4 STUDY APPROACH AND SCHEDULE Roadway Design Criteria Geometric Design Criteria SECTION - 5 ROADWAY EXISTING CONDITIONS Transit System Drainage & Permits General Soils Topography Floodplain Groundwater Wellfield SFWMD Drainage Basins DERM Special Drainage Basins Existing Drainage Conditions Utilities Bridges Planned / Programmed Improvements SECTION - 6 EXISTING AND FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS General Methodology Existing Conditions No-Build and Build Conditions Future Demand and Traffic Revenues SECTION - 7 PROPOSED PROJECT CONCEPTS SR 924 West Extension Alternatives NW 138th Street Corridor Alternatives I-75 Corridor Alternatives Page 1

3 SECTION - 8 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS Social and Cultural Environment Existing Land Use Community Cohesion Social and Economic Impacts The PD&E study efforts should detail the economic benefits of the project to the study area Community Services Archaeological and Historical Visual Impact and Aesthetics NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Natural Areas Wetlands Water Quality Aquatic Preserves, Outstanding Florida Waters, Wild and Scenic Rivers Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Floodplains Wildlife and Habitat Permit Conditions Farmlands Physical Environment Noise Air Quality Contamination SECTION - 9 PROJECT COST AND SCHEDULE Estimate of Probable Construction Cost Planning Level (Pre-PD&E) Schedule SECTION - 10 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Page 2

4 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2-1 Study Area Figure 2-2 Potential Corridors Figure 2-3 Local Expressway System Figure 2-4 Location Map of Traffic Data Figure 2-5 Turning Movement Counts Year Figure 3-1 Miami-Dade County Transportation Planning Area - Northwest Figure 3-2 Miami-Dade County Projected Employment & Population Growth by Planning Area Figure 4-1 Study Approach Figure 4-2 Typical Section 1 for NW 138th Street Alignment Figure 4-3 Typical Section 2 for I-75 Alignment Figure 4-5 Typical Section 3 for NW 138th Street Alignment Figure 5-1 Transit Services in the Study Area Figure 5-2 Existing Utilities Figure 6-1 Annual Revenue and AADT Figure 7-1 NW 138th Street Corridor Alternatives 1& Figure 7-2 NW 138th Street Corridor Alternatives 3& Figure 7-3 I-75 Corridor Alternative Figure 7-4 I-75 Corridor Alternative Figure 8-1 Environmental Study Area Figure 8-2 Existing Land Use Figure 8-3 Land Use Map for Figure 8-4 Natural Areas Figure 8-5 Wetlands Figure 8-6 Floodplains Figure 8-7 Permitted Sites Figure 9-1 Property Owners at NW 170 Street Figure 9-2 Alternative 1 Property Impact Assessment Figure 9-3 Alternative 1 (Underneath) Property Impact Assessment Figure 9-4 Alternative 2 Property Impact Assessment Figure 9-5 Alternative Turnpike Assessment Table Page 3

5 LIST OF TABLES Table 5-1 Utilities within Proposed Alignment Area Table 5-2 TIP-listed improvements on roadways in the vicinity of study area Table 5-3 TIP-listed improvements on SR Table 5-4 LRTP-listed improvements on expressways in the vicinity of study area Table 5-5 LRTP-listed improvements on roadways in the vicinity of study area Table 5-6 Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) Table 6-1 Existing and No-Build LOS Conditions Table 6-2 Build LOS Conditions Table 6-3 Preliminary Annual Toll Revenue Estimates Table 8-1 Evaluation Matrix Table 8-2 General Characteristics by Zip Codes (Year 2000) Table 8-3 Economic Characteristics Table 8-4 State and Federally Listed Species Possibly Found Within Study Area Table 9-1 Preliminary Engineer Construction Cost 9-1 Table 9-2 Preliminary Project Schedule 9-1 Page 4

6 SECTION - 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) is a state sanctioned, locally administered, public agency enabled by the Legislature of the State of Florida and created in 1994 by the Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County (County). MDX is governed by its Board, comprised of 13 volunteer members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and the Governor of the State of Florida. MDX oversees, operates and maintains five expressways: State Road 836 (the Dolphin Expressway), State Road 112 (the Airport Expressway), State Road 874 (Don Shula Expressway), State Road 878 (Snapper Creek Expressway), and State Road 924 (Gratigny Parkway). All MDX projects are exclusively funded through the use of tolls as user fees which in turn are bonded to finance improvements within its system. MDX is dedicated to the enhancement of mobility in Miami-Dade County and committed to bringing more efficient, market-driven, user-friendly management to its expressways. All of MDX's projects are implemented through an active public involvement program to ensure that the community impacted is involved and informed. The planning efforts started during the Fiscal Year 2007/2008 include the preparation of a concept report for the future SR 924 West Extension to the Homestead Extension of the Florida Turnpike (HEFT) from its current western terminus at the SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway). The next steps in the process are the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study, followed by the Design and Construction phase. If funded, construction could begin as early as The proposed project would respond to several local and regional transportation concerns and needs: Only a limited number of roadway and transit options are available for east-west travel in the project area and in the Northwest Miami-Dade County region. Access to the HEFT is mainly via Okeechobee Road, which is currently congested and anticipated to continue to be congested in The NW 138 th Street east-west corridor in the study area is also projected to operate at congested levels in 2035, even with the scheduled widening in Because of limited north-south options, as well the HEFT and I-75 are already constrained and operating above their capacity. These conditions create severe chronic traffic congestion and impair mobility in the study area. Roadway capacity is further exceeded and congestion is exacerbated as a result of rapid population and the establishment of new activity and employment centers that act as trip generators to, from, and through the project area. According to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) projections, the northwest planning area of the County is experiencing the second greatest growth in terms of population (See Figure 3-1). Page 1-1

7 Because of the congested roadway network, travel in the project area is inefficient with increased travel times and unreliable travel conditions. Congestion also limits accessibility to and from major activity and employment centers within the NW 138 th Street corridor. Planned improvements to NW 138 th Street to six lanes in the project study area cannot accommodate future demands to fully optimize local and regional mobility. The benefits of implementing the proposed project and addressing these transportation problems and needs include: The would provide additional connectivity to a limited access north-south facility in the area, thereby improving mobility throughout the area. The project would provide greater accessibility to major activity and employment centers as well as to the rapidly growing residential suburbs to the north. Access to employment centers in Medley and to eastern areas such as the Health District/Civic Center and the Miami Central Business District would be improved by providing access to the area though the SR 924 West Extension to the HEFT. Additional transportation capacity would accommodate future residential demand in the corridor and support local economic development opportunities consistent with regional growth management and land conservation efforts. The environmental impacts of traffic congestion (e.g., mobile source air pollutant emissions, neighborhood and community disruption) would be reduced. Greater opportunities for connectivity and modal interrelationships (connections to transit and planned non-motorized facilities in the area) would be created within the study area. Congestion relief would be provided throughout the surrounding roadway network including NW 138 th Street, Okeechobee Road and I-75. Page 1-2

8 Project Concept Report SECTION - 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Project Description and Study Area The study area (Figure 2-1) is generally bounded by the HEFT mainline on the west, Okeechobee Road on the south, NW 170 th Street on the north and I-75 on the east. NW 138 th Street is a major urban arterial that connects SR 924 (Gratigny Parkway) on the east and Okeechobee Road/ Homestead Extension of the Florida Turnpike (HEFT) on the west. This arterial will be expanded to six lanes to SW 117 th Avenue where it turns south to Okeechobee Road. This intersection is approximately one half mile east of the HEFT interchange. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential of a direct limited access connection between two expressways (HEFT and SR 924). NW 138 th Street is a vital link that provides primary local access to the northwest area of the county. This road provides local access to residents of the area to I-75, SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and the Gratigny Parkway and other points in Miami-Dade County Project Scope and Objectives The intent of this concept report is to evaluate the project need and to ensure that adding a limited access tolled facility is a viable project and should be further evaluated. The conceptual evaluation addresses both existing and future roadway configurations. Environmental factors were analyzed and documented for further study in the PD&E phase. Ultimately, this concept report will serve to develop the PD&E scope of services and to provide the PD&E Consultant with detailed background information about the study area Program Funding/Sources The project PD&E Study is currently funded in the MDX five year ( ) work program under Financial Project Identification The project will be funded with MDX bond sales. Funding requirements will be adjusted to reflect the results of this conceptual analysis. Further requirements will be made as the PD&E study progresses Project Coordination Coordination is vital to the success of any planning effort. The preparation of this concept report is no exception. During its development, preliminary coordination efforts were initiated with the following local and governmental agencies. Florida Turnpike Enterprise Miami-Dade County Florida Department of Transportation City of Hialeah Gardens City of Miami Gardens City of Hialeah South Florida Water Management District Project Concept Report Page 2-1

9 Figure 2-1 Study Area Page 2-2

10 Project Concept Report Interagency Coordination The extension of SR 924 West to the HEFT is included in the adopted 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for Miami-Dade County. This project is listed as Priority IV in the LRTP. During the development of this concept report, the preliminary notification of agencies was started in order to update the existing plans. A kick off meeting with the agencies was held on November 18, The list of attendees is included in Appendix 2. The next step, if funds become available, will be to advance this project to construction in the LRTP Community Involvement Plan Public Information meetings were held on November 18, 2008, during the development of this concept report (see Appendix 2). During the PD&E study, public information workshops, alternatives meetings, and a formal public hearing will be conducted as necessary. 2.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS Expressway System Two major expressways (Figure 2-2) traverse the area from north to south: I-75: I-75 is an 8-lane limited access facility that has two interchanges within the area. On the north, I-75 connects with the HEFT and on the south with NW 138 th Street and SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway). The interchange with the HEFT is a partial interchange with a direct connection from northbound I-75 to the northbound HEFT and a ramp from southbound HEFT to southbound I-75 while the interchange to the south is a system to system connection which includes NW 138 th Street. The existing typical section includes eight 12 foot wide travel lanes (four in each direction) separated by a 164 foot median. The inside median shoulders are eight feet wide while the outside shoulders are 12 feet wide. Homestead Extension of the Florida Turnpike (HEFT): The HEFT is a six lane limited access expressway that has two interchanges within the area. On the north, it connects with I-75 and on the south with Okeechobee Road. The HEFT interchange with Okeechobee is also a partial cloverleaf with ramps in two adjacent quadrants. The existing typical section includes six-lane 12 foot wide travel lanes (three in each direction) separated by a 40 foot median. The inside median shoulders are eight feet wide while the outside shoulders are 10 feet wide. Figure 2-3 illustrates the interconnection among expressway facilities in the study are with the rest of the MDX system. Project Concept Report Page 2-3

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12 Figure 2-2 Potential Corridors Page 2-4

13 Project Concept Report Figure 2-3 Local Expressway System Project Concept Report Page 2-5

14 Project Concept Report 2.3 Arterial System West Okeechobee Road/US Highway 27/SR 25/NW South River Drive: This road is approximately a 19.6-mile north-south paved four-to-six lane principal arterial without curb and gutter design, divided by a flush grass median, that begins at the Miami Dade County Line and terminates at approximately 0.2-mile northwest of SR 5/US 1. The right-of-way within the study limits varies between 72 feet and 126 feet. Okeechobee Road is classified as a rural principal arterial from the County line to just north of NW 116 Way/Hialeah Gardens Boulevard. Within the study area, Okeechobee Road is a six lane with access to major intersections (see Figure 2-1). Within the study area, the posted speed limit on Okeechobee Road changes from 55 MPH to 50 MPH in the vicinity of the HEFT. NW 138 th Street: NW 138 th Street is a major urban arterial, approximately three miles of east-west paved roadway, beginning at Okeechobee Road and ending at Interstate 75. Its roadway cross section varies from four-lanes divided (by a concrete barrier wall or raised grass median) at the west end to two-lanes undivided, and then back to four-lanes divided (by a painted median or raised median) at the east end. The posted speed limit varies from 30 MPH to 45 MPH. No roadway lighting is provided within the aforementioned limits. The intersection of NW 138 th Street and Okeechobee Road is approximately one half mile southeast from the HEFT interchange at Okeechobee Road. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential of a direct tolled limited access connection between two expressways (HEFT and SR 924). NW 138 th Street is a vital link that provides primary access to the local northwest residential, office and business area of the county. This road provides access to residents of the area to I-75 and the Gratigny Parkway and other points in Miami-Dade County. The City of Hialeah has plans to widen this facility to six lanes to SW 117 th Avenue where it turns to Okeechobee Road. The typical section of the new proposed NW 138 th Street consists of 11 foot wide travel lanes separated by a 19 foot median. It will provide turning lanes at the intersections. The remaining segment of N.W. 138 th Street will remain 4 lanes as completed by Miami-Dade Count. Construction of the Hialeah road widening project will start in NW 107 th Avenue: NW 107 th Avenue is approximately a 0.8-mile north-south roadway with paved and unpaved roadway sections that begins at Okeechobee Road and continues for approximately 2,000 feet north of NW 138 th Street before ending at a private property. To the south of NW 138 th Street, NW 107 th Avenue is a four-lane roadway divided by a raised grass median approximately 16 feet wide with curb and gutter design, six foot wide sidewalks on each side of the roadway, and an estimated right-of-way of 72 feet 6-inches wide. The posted speed limit in this section of NW 107 th Avenue is 30 MPH. Project Concept Report Page 2-6

15 Project Concept Report To the north of NW 138 th Street, NW 107 th Avenue varies from a two-lane undivided paved roadway to a two-lane undivided dirt roadway that extends for approximately 2,000 feet, before it ends at a private property. NW 102 nd Avenue: NW 102 nd Avenue is approximately a 0.8-mile north-south paved roadway section that continues for approximately 2,000 feet north of NW 138 th Street, before ending at a private property. There is no current access to NW 102 nd Avenue from NW 170 th Street. To the south of NW 138 th Street, NW 102 nd Avenue is a paved north-south two-lane undivided roadway without curb and gutter design and an approximate 25 feet rightof-way limit. NW 97 th Avenue: NW 97 th Avenue is approximately a 1.8-mile north-south roadway with paved and unpaved roadway sections. To the south of NW 138 th Street, NW 97 th Avenue is a twolane roadway divided by a two-way-left-turn-lane without curb and gutter design. To the north of NW 138 th Street, NW 97 th Avenue varies from a four-lane divided by a raised grass median paved roadway to a two-lane undivided dirt roadway that extends for approximately 1.2-miles, before it ends at NW 170 th Street. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. There is roadway lighting provided on the right-side of the roadway. NW 170 th Street: NW 170 th Street is approximately a 0.6-mile east-west undivided dirt roadway with the foliage encroaching into the roadway. It can be considered a two-lane roadway with a posted speed limit of 15 MPH. To the east of NW 97 th Avenue, NW 170 th Street continues for approximately 500 feet before it ends at Interstate 75. There is a canal running parallel to the roadway on its south side within the 500 feet east section. The approximate right-of-way is 16 feet wide. To the west of NW 97 th Avenue, NW 170 th Street continues for approximately 0.5-miles before ending at a private property. There is also canal provided within the 500 feet west section, but on the north side of the roadway Existing Traffic and Recent Growth Trends In order to identify the current level of traffic within the study area, a traffic data collection effort was performed. The traffic data collection effort consisted of four-hour Turning Movement Counts (TMCS) at several intersections and 72-hour Machine Counts shown in Figure 2-4. The TMC were collected between 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. The machine counts collected for three days, Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday, are included in Appendix 2. These volumes have been balanced and multiplied by the seasonal factor (0.99) obtained from the FDOT Traffic Information (FTI) CD-ROM (Year 2007), Figure 2-5. In addition, historical traffic counts were collected, shown in Figure 2-5, for SR 924, I-75 and the HEFT from the 2007 FTI files CD. The FTI also provided K, D, T, growth factors and PH factors. Project Concept Report Page 2-7

16 NW 102 Ave NW 97 Ave NW 107 Ave (Westland County Club Blvd) I-75 On/Off Ramps N STUDY BOUNDARIES N.T.S. From SR-826 S To I-75 N From I-75 S SR-924/ Gratigny Pkwy To SR-826 S Turnpike (west-signal) Turnpike (east-signal) From SR-826 N I-75 N NW 138 St I-75 S To SR-826 S From SR-826 N From SR-826 S To SR-826 N W 84 St/NW 138 St Graham Dairy Rd LEGEND W. Okeechobee Rd (US 27) Hialeah Gardens Blvd NW 87 Ave SR-826 Turning Movement Counts [TMCs (Year 2008)] 72-hout Automatic Traffic Recorders [ATRs (Year 2008)] FDOT Traffic Count Station (Year 2007) Traffic Data from ATEC (10/14/2008) \\Miaw00\pmwork\JOBS\41450 MDX GEC\TECHPROD\GRAPHICS\924-WEST\Concept Report\Design\924 W Figure Location Map of Traffic Data.cdr MIAMI-DADE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY Figure 2-4 Location Map of Traffic Data Page 2-8

17 AM AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM AM AM AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM NW 102 Ave NW 97 Ave NW 107 Ave (Westland County Club Blvd) LEGEND Turnpike (west-signal) Turnpike (east-signal) 1 2 NW 138 St XXXX (XXXX) = AM (PM) AADT (Year 2008) STUDY BOUNDARIES 5, % (50.8%) 4,932 XX% (XX%) = % AADT Directional Split AM (PM) 40.9% (59.1%) * AADT obtained from the FDOT Traffic CD -ROM (Year 2007) 5, % (53.1%) 5, % (60.5%) W 84 St/NW 138 St Graham Dairy Rd ** Direction not counted and estimated based on adjacent traffic counts 6, % (54.5%) 7, % (60.2%) W. Okeechobee Rd (US 27) # = FDOT Traffic Count Station obtained from the FDOT Traffic CD ROM (Year 2007) ,113 11,933 14,150 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) I-75 On/Off Ramps 9,592 To I-75 N From I-75 S 53.5% (46.5%) 2, % (49.9%) 16,150** 26,458 10,308 13, % (61.2%) 38.5% (61.5%) 7, % (59.3%) 10,947 84,864* 35.1% (64.9%) Hialeah Gardens Blvd Turning Movement Counts (TMCs) 86,000* 9,000* #6075 I-75 S 92,000 I-75 N NW 87 Ave SR-924/ Gratigny Pkwy From SR-826 N 95,000 31,500* # ,500* #6071 From SR-826 S 12,500* # ,500* #6074 To SR-826 S 51,000* # ,000* #2500 2,200* #6072 8,100* #6267 SR-826 To SR-826 S 9,100* #6266 N N.T.S. From SR-826 N From SR-826 S To SR-826 N 2,800* # ,900* 63,300* Okeechobee Rd at TPK On/Off Ramps SB Okeechobee Rd at TPK On/Off Ramps NB NW 138 St at NW 107 Ave NW 138 St at NW 102 Ave NW 138 St at NW 97 Ave NW 138 St at Hialeah Gardens Blvd AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM Note: Traffic peak periods, begin at 7:45 AM and 5:00 PM. \\Miaw00\pmwork\JOBS\41450 MDX GEC\TECHPROD\GRAPHICS\924-WEST\Concept Report\Design\924 W Figure Turning Movement Counts 2008.cdr MIAMI-DADE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY Figure 2-5 Turning Movement Counts Year 2008 Page 2-9

18 The traffic on the NW 138 th Street corridor ranges from 10,000 to 14,600 average annual daily trips. The eastern most segment east of I-75 experiences higher traffic volumes. 2.4 Existing Facility Right-of-Way The existing rights-of-way for NW 138 th Street is 100 feet, for I-75 is 600 feet, and for the HEFT is 600 feet Bridges The facilities in the study area include bridges on I-75 and the HEFT. The bridge names and numbers are listed in Appendix Proposed Facility The proposed facility will be a tolled 4-lane separated facility that will connect the HEFT to the existing SR 924 (Gratigny Expressway). Two corridors with several alternatives were studied. The NW 138 th Street corridor includes four alternatives (See Figure 2-1): 1) Mix elevated ramps with at grade sections 2) Mix elevated sections with at grade sections and bypasses at major intersections 3) Elevated section at the HEFT and existing SR 924 4) Same as number three but with local access The I-75 corridor includes two alternatives (See Figure 2-1): 1) Using the existing I-75 footprint 2) A new facility west of I-75 Both will use the general I-75 alignment. All alternatives will study potential new interchanges with the HEFT at Okeechobee Road and NW 170 th Street. Project Concept Report Page 2-10

19 SECTION - 3 PROJECT NEED 3.1 Project Description and Study Area This Concept Report evaluates the feasibility of creating an extension of SR 924 west from its current terminus at SR 826 and the I-75 interchange, to the Turnpike (HEFT). The connection between both expressways would provide improved access and meet east-west mobility needs for travelers going to and from major origins and destinations in north Miami-Dade County, including the employment centers in the Cities of Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens and the Town of Medley. As part of this Concept Report, a public involvement program was conducted to inform and provide an opportunity to receive input from the neighboring communities in regard to the alternatives proposed. The Proposed extension is located within the area (see Figure 3-1) formed by the Turnpike (HEFT) on the west, Okeechobee Road (US-27) on the southwest, NW 170 th Street on the north and I-75 on the east. The alternatives proposed for discussion include: An extension of SR 924 west along NW 138 th Street to Okeechobee Road with an access to the Turnpike or An extension of SR 924 northwards either on the west right-of-way or in the median of I-75, followed by a west extension either on the north of the canal or on the south right-of-way of NW 170 th Street with an access to the HEFT. Figure 3-1 Miami-Dade County Transportation Planning Area - Northwest 3.2 Project Need According to the U.S Census, this area of Miami-County will experience a substantial growth in population and employment between 2000 and The population will increase by 46% and employment by 33%, as shown in Figure 3-2. In addition to this growth, there are three large proposed developments along NW 97 th Avenue: Beacon Center, Bellagio and Shoma homes. One of the principal impacts of this growth is an increase in traffic congestion along NW 138 th Street and the surrounding area. Current traffic recorded on NW 138 th Street between Okeechobee Road and I-75 ranges from 10,000 to 14,600 average annual trips. The eastern segment carries the highest traffic volumes. New land developments in the area will continue to increase traffic in the study area. This project together with the proposed SR 924 East Extension to I-95 will provide another needed east-west connection from the HEFT to I-95 in the east. There is, at present, no direct connection between SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and the Turnpike. Industrial/business activities in the area, especially in the Town of Medley, that depend on a good roadway and expressway network must negotiate a lengthy Project Concept Report Page 3-1

20 route between both expressways. The detours and the lack of interconnected roadway system have created congested traffic conditions that add substantially more travel time for business owners and commuters alike. This will be made worse by the future growth in the area most of which will include new residential and industrial developments. By providing the extension of SR 924 west to the HEFT, and therefore connecting the four major highways HEFT, SR 924, I-75 and SR 826, mobility for all travelers in the northwest area of Miami-Dade County will be enhanced. This interconnection will reduce travel times and minimize delays by capturing through-traffic that is currently using local roads, many of which are operating at deficient levels of service. These include Okeechobee Road as well as local streets in the urban communities of Hialeah Gardens and Hialeah. This extension to the west, together with the existing SR 924 (Gratigny Expressway) and the proposed SR 924 extension to the east, will provide a needed west to east connection between the HEFT and I-95 that will help the movements of cars and trucks across the northern part of Miami-Dade County. Figure 3-2 Miami-Dade County Projected Employment & Population Growth by Planning Area Project Concept Report Page 3-2

21 SECTION - 4 STUDY APPROACH AND SCHEDULE The Concept Report will determine the feasibility of the planned SR 924 West Extension to the HEFT and whether a full PD&E study is warranted (Figure 4-1). The study task is to identify the purpose and need, what current or future problems the new extension to the HEFT would resolve and identify the potential corridor that would have the least negative impacts to the neighboring community and the surrounding environment. The study will analyze the potential impacts each alternative may have. This study will determine if it is feasible to construct a new limited access toll facility. This study will not necessarily result in only the expansion of the MDX system but rather enhance the overall transportation network for the region. Figure 4-1 Study Approach 4.1 Roadway Design Criteria The design criteria used in the planning and Concept Report conforms to the following guidelines: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (2004) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (2003) Transportation Research Board, Highway Capacity Manual (2000) Florida Department Of Transportation (FDOT), Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction (2007) FDOT, Roadway and Traffic Design Standards (January 2008-English) FDOT, Roadway Plans Preparation Manual (PPM) (January 1, 2008) Project Concept Report Page 4-1

22 4.2 Geometric Design Criteria The proposed project will be designed and constructed in the English system of units. The proposed design speed is 60 mph. The plans and specifications will be prepared in accordance with the latest FDOT Design Standards, Plans Preparation Manual (PPM) and Drainage Manual, Flexible Pavement Design Manual, AASHTO, and all current FDOT memorandums. Three typical sections were evaluated for the SR 924 West Extension. Typical I: Four-lane divided, meeting design criteria for Freeways and Expressways. This section connects the HEFT to SR 924 (Extension of SR 924) and includes 2-12 lanes in each direction with 12 outside shoulders (10 paved), 6 inside shoulders, and a median barrier wall, as shown in Figure 4-2. NW 138 th Street will maintain the proposed six-lane typical cross section. Figure 4-2 Typical Section 1 for NW 138 th Street Alignment Typical II: Four-lane divided, meeting design criteria for Freeways and Expressways. This section applies to all the elevated SR 924 extension along the I-75 corridor. In each direction, this typical section includes 2-12 lanes, 10 outside shoulders with barrier wall, and 8 inside shoulders with a median barrier wall. Two lane sections are proposed to connect this typical section to the existing SR 924 ramps (Figure 4-3). Figure 4-3 Typical Section 2 for I-75 Alignment Project Concept Report Page 4-2

23 This is a two-lane typical section, meeting design criteria for Freeways and Expressways. This typical section depicts the on and off-ramp connections onto the SR 924 existing mainline. This is a 2-lane elevated ramp for both southbound and northbound directions. The sections include lanes, 10 outside shoulder with barrier wall, and 8 inside shoulder with barrier wall (Figure 4-4). Typical III: This typical section applies to those intersections where a bypass is needed because of congested operations due to 2035 future traffic demand on at-grade alternatives along NW 138 th Street. This section includes 2-12 lanes in each direction, 10 foot shoulders on the outside and 8 foot shoulders on the inside, median barrier walls and MSE Figure 4-4 Typical Section 2a for I- 75 Alignment walls at the at-grade separations. This section also includes the two lanes at-grade section on both sides of the elevated section. This section will be 2-12 lanes urban section with curb and gutter on both sides and a 5-foot sidewalk on both sides (Figure 4-5). Figure 4-5 Typical Section 3 for NW 138 th Street Alignment 8 8 Cross Slopes: The proposed cross slope for Typical Section III is a normal crown except for turning roadways where transitions shall be used and the corresponding superelevations shall be determined using FDOT criteria for urban freeways and high speed urban highways (Table 2.9.1, PPM Vol. 1). The maximum number of travel lanes with cross slope in one direction is three lanes. The remaining criteria applies to all typical sections. Project Concept Report Page 4-3

24 Border: Border width shall conform to the new construction criteria and shall be no less than 40' for the mainline segment with design speeds greater than 45mph and 33' for arterials and collectors with design speeds less than 45mph. Border width shall be measured from the edge of travel lane to the right-of-way line and shall conform to Chapter 2, Section 2.5 of the PPM Vol. 1. Grades: The criteria for vertical alignment are influenced by the parameters of the horizontal geometry and shall conform to Chapter 2, Section 2.6 of the PPM Vol. 1. The proposed grades shall meet Base Clearance Water elevation and minimum clearances for structures over structures and roadway over roadway. Grades for the mainline segment shall not exceed 3% and 5% for ramps. Horizontal Clearance: Horizontal clearance requirements may vary, depending on the design speed, type of facility, side slope conditions, traffic volumes, lane type and the feature by which it is being measure. Minimum horizontal clearance shall conform to Chapter 2, Section 2.11 of the PPM Vol. 1. Recoverable terrain for the mainline segment of SR 924 shall be 36' for travel lanes and multilane ramps with a design speed greater than 55 mph. Horizontal Curves: The design of horizontal curves shall be defined by the design speed of the corridor and shall conform to Chapter 2, Section 2.8 of the PPM Vol. 1. Horizontal curves for the mainline section shall meet minimum length of 30V (V=design speed) for highways and may be reduced to 15V as a minimum. Horizontal curves for ramps shall meet a minimum of 15V and shall not be less than 400 ft. Roadside Slopes: Criteria for roadside slope shall be in accordance with Chapter 2, Section 2.4 of the PPM Vol. 1, Table , which typically indicates slope rates of 1:6 for front slopes and 1:4 for back slopes. Shoulder Width: Roadway shoulder width shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 2, Section 2.3 of the PPM Vol. 1. Outside full shoulder width for the mainline section shall be 12', 10'-paved and 8' inside paved shoulder. Outside full shoulder width for 2-lane ramps shall be 12' paved and 8' inside paved shoulder. Superelevation: The maximum superelevation rates used for this segment of SR 924 shall be 10% and shall conform to Chapter 2, Section 2.9 of the PPM Vol. 1, Table 2.9.1, Superelevation rates for Urban Freeways and High Speed Urban Highways. Vertical Clearance: Minimum vertical clearances shall be met in accordance to Chapter 2, Section 2.10 of the PPM Vol. 1. Project Concept Report Page 4-4

25 SECTION - 5 ROADWAY EXISTING CONDITIONS This section relates to the characteristics of structures, drainage, utilities, traffic data for planned and programmed improvements, and existing and future land uses within the study area, hence, Section 2 already addressed the existing expressway system and the study area roadway network. There are no railroads in the study area. Analyses of these considerations will help define the ultimate project location in order to serve the mobility needs of the population. 5.1 Transit System There are no transit services in the area. The closest bus route # 54 runs north on NW 87 th Avenue then west on NW 84 th Street until it reaches NW 97 th Avenue north of I-75 (Figure 5-1). Figure 5-1 Transit Services in the Study Area Route 54 Description: Bus Route 54 has a service area of Barbara Goleman High School (selected trips), McArthur High School (selected trips), City of Hialeah, Westland Mall, Hialeah Metrorail station, Department of Children and Families, Brownsville Metrorail station, Biscayne Boulevard/NE 58 Street. 5.2 Drainage & Permits General The project is located in northwestern Miami-Dade County within the Cities of Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Miami Lakes and Unincorporated Miami-Dade County. The project study area is located within Township 52 South, Range 40 East and Sections 8, 9, 16, 19-22, and Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area Subdivision Map Soils The project study area is mainly located within Lauderhill Muck, Dania Muck, Plantation Muck and udorthents, limestone substratum-urban land complex soil type. All muck Project Concept Report Page 5-1

26 type soils found within project vicinity are classified under hydrologic soil type B/D according to Miami-Dade County Soil Survey. These soils are found to be from moderately fair to poor for drainage. Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area Soils Map Topography In general the project is located within a fairly flat terrain. I-75 mainline average edge of pavement elevation is 11.0 NGVD. NW 138 th Street Corridor proposed project average edge of pavement elevation is 8.0. Wetlands and open lands located to the west of I- 75, to the north and south of NW 138 th Street and to the north and south of NW 170th Street range in elevation from 2.0 to 4.0. For additional existing land topography information refer to Appendix 5 Project Study Area USGS Map Floodplain The project is located within a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100- year floodplain (MAP 12025C0075 J) with an elevation 6 NGVD-29. There are no regulated floodways due to extensive flat topography in Miami-Dade County. The flood plain shown on FEMA map is so extensive in the area that any encroachment upon the floodplain as a result of roadway improvements is considered to be negligible. Therefore, floodplain encroachment mitigation is not a design concern for this project. Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area FEMA Map Groundwater The DERM Average October Groundwater Elevation in the vicinity of the project is 3.5. The DERM Average Yearly Highest Groundwater Level is 4.0. Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area- Groundwater Maps Wellfield The project is located out of Miami-Dade County well-field protected areas. Refer to Appendix 5 for Miami-Dade County Water Control Map and to Exhibit 10 in this appendix for Miami-Dade County Wellfield Protected Areas Map SFWMD Drainage Basins The project is located within the C-6 (Miami Canal), C-8 (Biscayne Canal) and C-7 (Little River Canal) SFWMD Basins. Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area SFWMD Basin Map. The proposed project extension will require coordination and permitting with the SFWMD DERM Special Drainage Basins DERM plan review for cut and fill criteria is required for projects located within areas designated as special drainage basins, where fill restrictions are in effect. DERM has assigned special drainage basins to areas such as the Bird Drive Basin, North Trail Basin, Basin B and Western C-9 Basin in where projects are required to meet cut and fill criteria. Refer to Exhibit 12 in Appendix 5 for DERM Special Drainage Basins. The project is partially located within Basin B. Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area DERM Basin B Boundary Map. The proposed project extension will require coordination and permitting with DERM. Project Concept Report Page 5-2

27 5.2.9 Existing Drainage Conditions The project study area includes storm-water management systems which have been previously permitted by DERM and SFWMD. The segment of I-75 located within the project limits have been previously permitted by SFWMD under General Permits (I-75 west of SR 826 to NW 170 th Street, (I-75/SR 826 Interchange) and ERP Permit S (I-75 from NW 170 th Street to NW 186 th Street). Also, the ongoing City of Hialeah NW 138 th Street Corridor Improvements were recently permitted by SFWMD under ERP permit # P for both drainage and wetland mitigation. This project is also under pending DERM Class III (Graham Dairy Canal relocation) and DERM Class IV (wetland impacts). In addition, some of the open land areas in the vicinity of the project have been recently permitted by SFWMD for future development. Please refer to Exhibit 14 in Appendix 5 for Project Study Area Existing ERP permits. The project study area has been subdivided in eight (8) drainage basins for the purpose of this study. The receiving water bodies within project limits include the Graham Dairy Canal, the NW 87 th Avenue Canal, the NW 97 th Avenue Canal, the Peters Pike Canal and the Golden Glades Canal. All canals are owned and operated by DERM. Refer to Appendix 5 for Project Study Area Drainage Basin Map. 5.3 Utilities Table 5-1 presents a summary of the utility agencies within the proposed alignment area. The proposed project extension will require coordination and permitting with these utilities. Table 5-1 Utilities within Proposed Alignment Area Utility Owner Status Comments AT&T Florida No Response No response Miami Dade Water and Sewer Has Facility Received a cd with water & sewer atlas sheets and as-builts plans Level 3 Communications, LLC Has Facility Received as-build drawings indicating the approximate location of the level 3 communications facilities Florida Power and Light Received as-build drawings to show the approximate locations of Has Facility Company Florida power and light company facilities involved Miami-Dade County Public Works Dep. Clear Clear Traffic Control Devices No Response No Response Comcast Cable Company Has Facility Has active aerial and sub-grade plant within the limits of the project Florida City Gas Clear Clear City of Hialeah Gardens Dept. of Water and Sewer No Response No Response City of Hialeah Dept. of Received a cd with water and sewer atlas plans section 27 & 28 Has Facility Water and Sewer with as-built plans Florida Department of Transportation District VI Clear Clear Town of Miami Lakes No Response No Response Town of Medley Utilities Department 5.4 Bridges Clear Clear The roadway facilities in the study area include several bridges along I-75 and the HEFT. The FDOT Straight Line Diagrams showing their locations are included in Appendix 5. Project Concept Report Page 5-3

28 5.5 Planned / Programmed Improvements Transportation Plans The Miami-Dade County MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) identifies a number of projects that are under development in the study area. The TIP is a staged multi-year program that prioritizes transportation improvement projects for federal, state and local funding. The TIP is also the capital improvements element of the LRTP. Tables 5-2 and 5-3 include improvement information that may impact the SR 924 West Extension to the HEFT project development process. Project or Facility PD&E WIDEN HEFT LANDSCAPING FOR HIALEAH LINEAR PARK Table 5-2 TIP-listed improvements on roadways in the vicinity of study area From FROM SR836 OKEECHOBEE TOLL PLAZA Limits To TO EAST OF NW 57TH AVENUE EXPRESS LANES (HEFT Project Description PD&E/EMO STUDY - ADD LANES (6 TO 12 LANES) LANDSCAPING W OF NW 138 ST NW 170 STREET LANDSCAPING NW 138 Street Okeechobee Road Roadway Improvements NW 138 Street NW 107 Avenue I-75 Widening: 2 to 6 lanes and canal relocation NW 138 Street Bridge NW 62 Avenue (W 8 Avenue) Bridge over Miami River Canal at NW 138 Street Bridge construction NW 138 Street NW 105 Street Widening: 2 to 3 lanes NW 87 Avenue NW 154 Street NW 186 Street Widening: 2 to 4 lanes NW 97 Avenue NW 138 Street NW 154 Street New 4 lanes SR 25/OKEECHOBEE RD US27/OKEECHOBEE ROAD SR 826/PALMETTO EXPY SR 826 AT NW 122 ST. SR 860/MIAMI GARDENS DR SR 93/I-75 SR 93/I-75 AT NW 154 AVENUE (TRAFFIC SIGNAL) TRAFFIC SIGNALS NW 79TH AVENUE KROME AVENUE PD&E/EMO STUDY SR 93/I-75 WEST 21ST COURT GOLDEN GLADES INTRCHN EAST OF WEST 20TH AVE. PD&E/EMO STUDY SR 93/I-75 NW 68 AVENUE RESURFACING SR 826/PALMETTO XWAY FROM MIAMI- DADE/BROWARD LINE BROWARD CO LINE SR 826/PALMETTO EXPY. INTERCHANGE RAMP (MODIFY) RESURFACING PD&E/EMO STUDY W 24 Avenue W 52 Street W 76 Street Widening: 2 to 5 lanes Source: FY TIP - Approved May 22, 2008 Project or Facility SR 924 Communications and Incident Mgmt. /Survey Table 5-3 TIP-listed improvements on SR 924 Limits Project Description From To SR 826 NW 27th Avenue Installation: communication equipment SR 924 Extension to HEFT SR 826 Homestead Extension of Fl Project development SR 924 Infrastructure East of 57th Remove existing toll plaza, roadway Le Jeune Road Modifications for Open Road Avenue reconstruction SR 924 Open Road Tolling Signage SR 826 NW 27th Avenue Installation of Signs for Open Road Tolling SR 924 Toll System Conversion SR 826 NW 27th Avenue Toll System Conversion Source: MPO FY Transportation Improvement Program, May 2007 Project Concept Report Page 5-4

29 The 2035 major update of the LRTP is expected to be approved by the MPO in the fall of The LRTP includes a number of projects and proposed improvements beyond the five year window included in the TIP for SR 924, I-75, HEFT, NW 138 th Street and surrounding roadways, which will have an impact in the area under study. Tables 5-4 and 5-5 show the improvements listed in the 2030 LRTP. Priority Table 5-4 LRTP-listed improvements on expressways in the vicinity of study area Project or Facility From Limits II I-75 INTERCHANGE AT NW 154 ST NEW INTERCHANGE To Project Description III HEFT AT NW 74 ST INTERCHANGE (MAJOR) III HEFT I-75 INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS III I-75 / MIAMI GARDENS DR INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS IV SR HOV I-75 GOLDEN GLADES ONE HOV LANE EACH DIRECTION INTERCHANGE IV HEFT US-27 I-75 WIDEN TO 8 LANES IV HEFT SR 836 US-27 6 TO 8 LANES + 2 AUX LANES IV I-75 SR 826 NW 138 ST IMPLEMENT MASTER PLAN IV SR 924 EASTERN EXPRESSWAY EXTENSION FROM SR 924 TO TERMINUS OF SR OKEECHOBEE RD OKEECHOBEE 924 I-75 NW 138 ST M-D/BROWARD IMPLEMENT MASTER PLAN COUNTY LINE IV* I-75 / DORAL M-D/BROWARD COUNTY LINE PALMETTO METRORAIL STATION PREMIUM TRANSIT M-D/BROWARD I-75 / HEFT SW 8 ST (FIU) PREMIUM TRANSIT COUNTY LINE Source: MPO Miami-Dade Transportation Plan (to the Year 2030), December 2004, Final Draft Note: * Priority IV Unfunded Priority Table 5-5 LRTP-listed improvements on roadways in the vicinity of study area Project or Facility Limits From I NW 87 AVE NW 74 ST OKEECHOBEE RD NEW 4-LANE ROAD To Project Description I NW 138 ST NW 107 AVE NW 97 AVE WIDEN TO 2 TO 5 LANES I NW 107 AVE OKEECHOBEE RD NW 138 ST 2 TO 5 LANES I NW 87 AVE NW 154 ST MIAMI GARDENS CONSTRUCTION OF NW 87 AVE (NW 186 ST) I NW 62 AVE NW 105 ST NW 138 ST 2 TO 3 LANES I NW 138 ST BRIDGE BRIDGE OVER MIAMI RIVER CANAL AT 138 ST II OKEECHOBEE RD IV MIAMI GARDENS DRIVE I-75 NW 57 AVE 4 TO 6 LANES Source: MPO Miami-Dade Transportation Plan (to the Year 2030), December 2004, Final Draft CONSTRUCT GRADE SEPARATED FREE FLOW LANES AT KROME AVE, NW 138 ST, NW 95 ST Project Concept Report Page 5-5

30 Definition of Priority Categories The 2030 MPO LRTP recommended phasing for highway capacity improvements are classified into four priority categories: Priority 1 (Years ) - Priority improvements to be constructed and opened to traffic by the year Includes those projects needed to respond to existing traffic problems. Funds for most of these improvements are generally programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program. Priority 2 (Years ) - Improvements where project development and funding efforts would take place between 2010 and This priority category includes projects required to respond to traffic problems projected for the year 2015 and shortly thereafter. Priority 3 (Years ) - Improvements to be made between the year 2016 and In many cases, project development activities would need to commence in the 2010 and 2015 period, due to the amount of lead-time required to plan and implement a project. The priority category includes responding to problems that will emerge after the year Priority 4 (Years ) - Improvements to be made in the latter part of the 20-year plan period, and includes projects responding to long-range travel needs and roadway improvements constructed through the county. Because of the uncertainties of funding availability and the time required to develop a detailed project, the specific time periods and dates indicated in the above priority listing should be considered only as guidelines for project implementation. The South Florida Regional Planning Council has identified the following Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) under consideration within the study area. MDX has provided comments with respect to the SR 924 Alternatives and impacts due to the proposed development. Therefore, most of the anticipated users will also be local commuters and area residents. These are noted in Table 5-6. Table 5-6 Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) DCA Number Order Project Name Date Submitted to SFRPC Project Type ADA Beacon County Line DRI Source: South Florida Regional Planning Council DRI Database, Updated: 06/20/07 1 ADA Applications for Development Approval 2 NOPC Notification of Proper Change Status Under Review Project Concept Report Page 5-6

31 Project Concept Report SECTION - 6 EXISTING AND FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS As part of the planning process, the conceptual extension of SR 924 west to the Homestead Extension of the Florida s Turnpike (HEFT) and its potential traffic impacts on existing roadway facilities were analyzed. The traffic benefit that may accrue if the extension was to be constructed was also determined. 6.1 General Methodology A level of service (LOS) analysis was performed following standard FDOT and Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodologies. The HCM defines the LOS grading criteria ranging from LOS A to LOS F, with LOS A representing a free-flow condition and LOS F representing failing conditions. The letter grades in between represent the various levels of congestion. LOS E is recognized as the minimum acceptable LOS for a freeway facility within the study area, as defined by Rule Chapter 14-94, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) - Statewide Minimum Level of Service Standards for limited access roadways in urbanized areas. For NW 138 Street, the minimum acceptable LOS is D. Existing (Year 2008), No-Build [without SR 924 extension (Year 2030)] and Build [with SR 924 extension (Year 2030)] traffic conditions were analyzed. All LOS analyses were performed using preliminary planning level traffic forecasting volumes. The main SR 924 extension concept providing direct connection from I-75 to the HEFT was the only extension alternative analyzed. The study area includes I-75 from SR 826 to just north of the I-75 Northbound on-ramp from NW 138 Street, NW 138 Street between I-75 Ramps/Hialeah Gardens Boulevard and Okeechobee Road, and HEFT north and south of the proposed SR 924 extension connection. For the purpose of this traffic analysis, it was assumed that two connection ramps between the proposed SR 924 extension and HEFT will be provided just south of Okeechobee Road from and to the HEFT. The existing conditions analysis was performed on the current roadway network configuration (Year 2008). The No-Build condition adds the following changes to the analyzed roadway network: As planned by City of Hialeah (Year 2015), NW 138 Street is a 6-lane divided roadway with all intersections controlled by traffic signals. HEFT will be widen to 8-lanes (as being studied in current FTE s PD&E). Currently, the I-75 PD&E consultant is studying multiple alternatives for the section of I-75 that we are studying. These alternatives include multiple combinations of managed, reversible and auxiliary lanes. For the purpose of this study we assumed that I-75 between SR 826 and NW 138 Street will have 12-lanes, and 10-lanes north of NW 138 Street. The Build condition only adds the SR 924 West Extension from I-75 to the HEFT with two options: 4-lanes and 6-lanes. Project Concept Report Page 6-1

32 Project Concept Report The year 2030 traffic volumes used in this analysis were obtained as follows: The SR 924 extension traffic volumes (Year 2030) were obtained from the Traffic and Revenues Analysis (2008) report developed by Wilbur Smith Associates for MDX. The NW 138 Street traffic volumes (Year 2030) were developed by applying an average yearly growth rate of 2.45% to existing traffic volumes. This value was determined using the two-way link traffic volumes presented in the Development of Regional Impact Beacon Countyline (2008) report. The growth rate was derived from 2015 and 2030 traffic volumes along the following roadways: HEFT, Okeechobee Road, NW 138 Street, Gratigny Expressway, and I-75 (See Appendix 6). The HEFT and I-75 traffic volumes (Year 2030) were obtained from the I-75 PD&E (2008) study (Table 3-3 and Figure 3-2) developed by Reynolds Smith and Hills, Inc. for FDOT Districts 4 and 6 (See Appendix 6). 6.2 Existing Conditions The LOS analysis for the Existing conditions is presented in Table 6-1. NW 138 Street currently services between 10,000 and 26,500 vehicles per day and operates at LOS D or better, except between NW 102 and 97 Avenues, which operates at LOS E. The HEFT south of I-75 operates at LOS D. I-75 has an AADT of 170, ,000 and operates overcapacity at LOS F. The threshold value for LOS E for I-75 is 144,400, as indicated by FDOT s Quality Level of Service Handbook. Table 6-1 Existing and No-Build LOS Conditions EXISTING (YEAR 2008) NO BUILD (YEAR 2030) ROADWAY FROM TO TRANSITIONING for NW 138 St URBAN for HEFT and I-75 URBAN CROSS SECTION AADT LOS CROSS SECTION AADT LOS 4-LANE East of Okeechobee Rd NW 107 Ave 10,113 DIVIDED C 13,855 C NW 138 Street NW 107 Ave NW 102 Ave NW 102 Ave NW 97 Ave 2-LANE UNDIVIDED 2-LANE UNDIVIDED 11,933 D 16,348 C 6-LANE DIVIDED 14,150 E 19,386 C NW 97 Ave I-75 Ramps/ Hialeah Gardens Blvd 4-LANE DIVIDED HEFT South of Okeechobee Rd 6-LANE 92,000 D 8-LANE 146,200 E I-75 East/west Between I-75 and SR , LANE 192,000 D 8-LANE F I-75 North/south North of NW 138 St 170, LANE 182,000 D 26,458 D 36,247 D 6.3 No-Build and Build Conditions The LOS results for the No-Build and Build conditions are presented in Table 6-2. The proposed SR 924 extension from I-75 to the HEFT is projected to operate at LOS B or better with 2030 traffic, with at least a 4-lane cross-section. Project Concept Report Page 6-2

33 Project Concept Report The City of Hialeah plans to widen NW 138 Street corridor to 6-lanes by 2015, regardless if the SR 924 extension gets built or not. In 2030, the new roadway configuration along NW 138 Street is expected to operate at LOS D or better. The increase in traffic volumes by 2030 will degrade the roadway conditions of the HEFT and I-75. Today, I-75 already operates at LOS F. The Florida s Turnpike plans to widen the HEFT to 8-lanes, within the study limits. With the additional roadway capacity, the HEFT will operate at LOS E in For the purpose of this study, I-75 between SR 826 and NW 138 Street was assumed to be 12-lanes, and 10-lanes north of NW 138 Street. The additional roadway capacity will provide an anticipated LOS D along I-75 in Table 6-2 Build LOS Conditions Year 2030 ROADWAY FROM TO URBAN SR 924/Gratigny Expwy West Ext I-75 Florida's Turnpike SCENARIO Build CROSS SECTION 4-LANE 6-LANE AADT LOS B 30,700 A east of Okeechobee Rd NW 107 Ave 13,855 C NW 138 Street NW 107 Ave NW 102 Ave NW 97 Ave NW 102 Ave NW 97 Ave I-75 Ramps/ Hialeah Gardens Blvd No-Build and Build 6-LANE DIVIDED 16,348 19,386 36,247 C C D HEFT North of proposed SR 924 W Extension Connection and South of Okeechobee Rd 8-LANE 146,200 E I-75 East/west Between I-75 and SR LANE 192,000 D I-75 North/south North of NW 138 St 10-LANE 182,000 D 6.4 Future Demand and Traffic Revenues A traffic and revenue analysis was conducted for the SR 924 West Extension project at a preliminary planning level. The project was modeled using the most current Miami- Dade Metropolitan Plan Organization (MPO) FSUTMS model. This model uses a TRANPLAN platform utilizing interpolated data for 2015 provided by the Miami-Dade MPO and official data for The model was calibrated using traffic counts in the vicinity of several projects to reflect 2007 traffic. The model was adjusted to reflect MDX s recently adopted Open Road Tolling (ORT) policy, including electronic tolling for all proposed facilities. The toll rate revenue estimates developed were revised for consistency with previous traffic projections on the MDX system. Traffic revenues were developed for 2015 and 2030, with the interim year s traffic. From 2015 to 2030, traffic revenues were calculated by interpolation by using these years as base points. From 2031 to 2035, traffic revenues were calculated by applying a yearly growth rate of one percent, reflecting the anticipated traffic growth in the MPO model. Project Concept Report Page 6-3

34 Project Concept Report The traffic revenues for this project, the MDX system (not including SR 924), and the complete MDX system are $128,552,000, $117,280,040, and $245,832,040, respectively. These estimates were developed at a toll rate of $0.25/mile and are summarized in Table 6-3. The estimated Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of 17,000 and 30,700 for 2015 and 2030 along the SR 924 extension, respectively, are shown in Figure 6-1. Figure 6-1 Annual Revenue and AADT Annual Revenue $4.8 Million $15.7 Million HEFT Legend Existing Proposed Weekday Traffic (Thousands) Existing Proposed Hialeah Gardens Year SR 924 Project Revenue* Table 6-3 Preliminary Annual Toll Revenue Estimates MDX System Revenue (due to Project) Total Revenue 2015 $2,960,000 $1,860,000 $4,820, ,200,000 2,110,000 5,310, ,460,000 2,390,000 5,850, ,740,000 2,700,000 6,440, ,050,000 3,060,000 7,110, ,390,000 3,460,000 7,850, ,750,000 3,910,000 8,660, ,140,000 4,420,000 9,560, ,570, ,000 10,560, ,030,000 5,640,000 11,670, ,530,000 6,370,000 12,900, ,862,000 6,656,140 13,518, ,190,000 6,974,300 14,164, ,519,000 7,293,430 14,812, ,592,000 7,364,240 14,956, ,994,000 7,754,180 15,748, ,103,000 7,859,910 15,962, ,213,000 7,966,610 16,179, ,322,000 8,072,340 16,394, ,432,000 8,179,040 16,611, ,505,000 8,249,850 16,754,850 Total $128,552,000 $117,280,040 $245,832,040 Source: WSA MDX Future Projects Study October 10, *Includes more than one toll point. Project Concept Report Page 6-4

35 Project Concept Report SECTION - 7 PROPOSED PROJECT CONCEPTS 7.1 SR 924 West Extension Alternatives State Road 924 is an 8.5-mile east-west divided highway classified as an Urban Limited Access facility connected to the Interstate 75 and the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) in Hialeah and SR 909 (West Dixie Highway) in North Miami. Despite its relatively short length, SR 924 is a major east-west artery in northern Miami-Dade County. The typical section along SR-924 varies from six-lane divided urban section to six-lane divided rural section, with ten-foot inside and outside shoulders. Two possible corridor alternatives were analyzed to connect SR 924 with the HEFT. One follows the existing NW 138 th Street alignment. The other follows the current I-75 northsouth alignment and then the NW 170 th Street alignment NW 138th Street Corridor Alternatives This corridor is currently under development by the City of Hialeah to become a six lane divided road. All the alternatives in this corridor have the option to connect to the HEFT (Figure 7-1) either via Okeechobee Road or a new ramp from and to the HEFT mainline. Sub Alternative 1 will provide direct connections from the west end of the proposed project to the traffic going to the Turnpike southbound and traffic coming from the Turnpike northbound. The following characteristics are common to all alternatives connecting with the HEFT: This sub alternative will require the construction of third level elevated ramps at Okeechobee Road. The proposed improvements will require some right-of-way acquisition on the southwest corner of the intersection of the HEFT and Okeechobee Road. This sub alternative will provide a direct connection from HEFT to future SR 924 Extension without impacting the traffic on Okeechobee Road. Alternative 1: This alternative (Figure 7-1) includes improvements that minimize the impacts to the planned improvements along NW 138 th Street that are currently being constructed by the City of Hialeah. This alternative begins by providing one more additional lane in both directions (eastbound and westbound) from the point of connection of I-75 with SR 924 to Hialeah Gardens Drive. The existing road along NW 138 th Street will continue having the same six-lane divided section that will be constructed by the City of Hialeah. A new interchange with the HEFT will be provided as described in section The following are facts for this alternative: This alternative will have moderate traffic impacts to the proposed City of Hialeah, NW 138 th Street improvements. This alternative could use existing Okeechobee Road ramps to provide the connection to the HEFT if an interchange between the SR 924 Extension and the HEFT is not needed. Project Concept Report Page 7-1

36 Project Concept Report Alternative 2: This alternative (Figure 7-1, top) includes the same additional lanes along I-75 and the new interchange at NW 138 th Street as previously indicated in Alternative 1. From this interchange, the alternative will include a 6-lane divided section along NW 138 th Street separating the local traffic with the SR 924 traffic. This alternative will provide elevated crossings at NW 97 th Ave, NW 102 nd Ave and at NW 107 th Ave. The SR 924 extension can only be accessed at NW 102 nd Ave and at NW 107 th Ave. The following are facts for this alternative: This alternative will require additional right of way at the intersections with a bypass. This alternative will completely modify the proposed City of Hialeah, NW 138 th Street improvements. This alternative will replace the current six-lane divided section on NW 138 th Street at the elevated crossings This alternative provides a direct connection from Okeechobee Road to SR 924 east of SR 826 allowing access from the local traffic. A new interchange with the HEFT will be provided as described in section Alternative 3: This alternative (Figure 7-2) includes the same additional lanes along I-75 and the new interchange at NW 138 th Street as previously indicated in Alternative 1. From this interchange this alternative will connect to new four elevated lanes along the existing NW 138 Street. The existing road along NW 138 th Street will continue having the same six-lane divided section that will be constructed by the City of Hialeah. The proposed elevated section will end west of NW 107 th Avenue matching the current typical section on NW 138 th Street. This local street ends on Okeechobee Road which currently has an interchange with the HEFT. A new interchange with the HEFT will be provided as described in section The following are facts for this alternative: This alternative will not require additional right of way. This alternative will have minor impacts to the proposed City of Hialeah, NW 138 th Street improvements. All the proposed bridge piers will be placed in the proposed median. This alternative will not provide direct access to SR 924 to the residents along NW 138 th Street. This alternative could provide a direct connection from the HEFT to SR 924 east of SR 826 without mixing local traffic with SR 924 through traffic. Alternative 4: This alternative (Figure 7-2) is similar to Alternative 3 with the difference that it provides access to the local neighborhood along NW 138 th Street to the elevated section with on and off ramps at NW 102 nd Avenue. The following are facts for this alternative: This alternative will require additional right of way where the new HEFT ramps will be constructed. This alternative will have minor impacts to the proposed City of Hialeah, NW 138 th Street improvements, except at the locations where the new ramps will be constructed to provide access for the local traffic. Project Concept Report Page 7-2

37 Project Concept Report This alternative will provide direct access to SR 924 to the residents along NW 138 th Street. The point of access is proposed east of NW 102 nd Avenue. This alternative could provide a direct connection from Okeechobee Road to SR 924 east of SR 826 without mixing local traffic with SR 924 through traffic. A new interchange with the HEFT will be provided as described in section I-75 Corridor Alternatives This corridor is currently in the PD&E study phase by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to provide additional lanes, a new interchange with HEFT, and a corridor for future transit improvements. The proposed SR 924 alternatives have been coordinated with FDOT and their consultants and will be consistent with their future improvements. The following are the SR 924 alternatives within this corridor. Alternative 1: This alternative (Figure 7-3) will connect I-75 with the HEFT via NW 170 th Street. This option will provide an independent 4-lane divided section at NW 170 th Street connected to the future interchange at NW 170 th Street and the HEFT (by others). This option will require using portions of the I-75 alignment for purposes of extending SR 924 to the HEFT. Institutional jurisdiction issues regarding the proposed extension within the I- 75 right-of-way would need to be resolved. Since this option does not require additional lanes on I-75 (except for merging) it does not preclude the future improvements current being developed by FDOT. The following are facts for this alternative: This alternative will require additional right of way for all the improvements along NW 170 th Street. This alternative will require coordination with the proposed interchange at NW 170 th Street & HEFT and may need additional ramps to have a complete interchange. This alternative may require ramps to provide access to the local traffic along NW 170 th Street. This alternative allows the construction of the future planned improvements along the I-75 alignment. This alternative includes the NB to WB ramp on the inside of I-75 to reduce the noise impact to the neighborhoods on the east side of I-75. Alternative 2: This alternative (Figure 7-4) will also connect SR 924 with the HEFT via NW 170 th Street. This alternative includes additional lanes along I-75 and a new interchange at NW 138 th Street, as previously indicated on Alternative 1. However, the new four-lane divided section would be running on the west side of the I-75 right-of-way. The following are facts for this alternative: This alternative will require additional right of way for all the improvements along NW 170 th Street and the proposed improvements west of I-75. This alternative will require coordination with the proposed interchange at NW 170 th Street & HEFT and may need additional ramps to have a complete interchange. This alternative may require ramps to provide access to the local traffic along NW 170 th Street. This alternative allows construction of the future planned improvements along I-75. This alternative will provide a connection between the HEFT and SR 924 with minor impact to the current traffic along I-75. Project Concept Report Page 7-3

38 Figure 7-1 NW 138 th Street Corridor Alternatives 1&2 Page 7-4

39 Figure 7-2 NW 138 th Street Corridor Alternatives 3&4 Page 7-5

40 Figure 7-3 I-75 Corridor Alternative 1 Project Concept Report Page 7-6

41 Figure 7-4 I-75 Corridor Alternative 2 Project Concept Report Page 7-7

42 SECTION - 8 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS A planning level assessment of key environmental factors and potential permitting issues was performed as part of this conceptual report. The results of the environmental review are described in the following section. The proposed new expressway connection of SR 924 between the SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and the HEFT has two potential corridors: Corridor 1 along the NW 138 th Street alignment and Corridor 2 along the I-75 and NW 170 th Street alignments (Figure 8-1). A preliminary environmental analysis of existing Geographic Information System (GIS) databases was conducted within a 1,750-foot boundary area centering on both corridors. The GIS data analysis and information review during the desktop analysis was then field verified in accessible areas. The following Table 8-1 summarizes the potential impacts within the two corridors to be evaluated for the proposed extension of SR924 to the west. Criteria Corridors 1 2 Major Wetland Features Minimal High Surface Water Bodies Minimal High Floodplains Minimal Minimal Table 8-1 Evaluation Matrix Comments Few areas of freshwater emergent wetlands were identified along NW 138 th STREET corridor study area. Freshwater forested wetland and emergent wetlands were identified in a considerable portion of NW 170 th STREET corridor study area Lakes and reservoirs identified along 170 th corridor study area. Drainage canals/ditches identified along NW 138 th.street and 170 th corridor study areas. Increase of impervious areas and runoff is expected as consequence of the proposed development. Proposed corridors fall within designated 100-year Flood Zones AE (where Base Floodplain Elevation (BFE) has been determined. To the west terminus of both NW 138 th STREET and NW 170 th Street (at point of connection with HEFT) fall within Flooding zone Q (100-Year where BFE has not been determined) Environmental Wildlife and Habitat Moderate Moderate Historic & Archaeological Recreation Areas & Potential Section 4(f) Properties None None None None Community Impacts Moderate Minimal Contamination High High Noise & Air Pollution Moderate Moderate Visual Criteria Moderate Moderate Impacts anticipated in the natural areas of both NW 138 th Street and NW 170 th Street corridors that include hardwood forests and wetlands. No Historic and Archaeological Sites were identified in the study area. No publicly owned parks, recreational areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, or public and private historical sites have been identified in the study area. Potential Impacts to a public school and businesses within NW 138 th Street corridor study area. Minimal community impact is anticipated to the residential properties in the Miami Lakes located to the east of I-75. A Resource Conservation and recovery Act regulated facility was identified within NW 170 th Street corridor study area and a petroleum contaminated site was identified within NW 138 th Street corridor study area Impacts anticipated due to increase of traffic that would impact mostly the community in the case of NW 138 th Street corridor an the natural environment in the case of NW 170 th Street corridor. The elevated structures would need to take into consideration disruption of the relatively low level vista currently enjoyed by the community. The elevated structure will moderately impact the view that currently benefits the community. Project Concept Report Page 8-1

43 Figure 8-1 Environmental Study Area Project Concept Report Page 8-2

44 8.1 Social and Cultural Environment Existing Land Use The study area is located in the rural area of Miami-Dade County. Current land use in the study area is a mix of commercial, agricultural, residential and natural areas. East of the I-75 corridor, the land use is predominantly made up of recent residential development. West of the I-75 corridor the land is currently undeveloped or used for quarry operations. The southern portion of the study area is commercial in the vicinity of I-75 and residential southwest of I-75. On the southwest side of US 27 (Okeechobee Road), the land use is mostly commercial. Also within the study area there are three major developments; Beacon County, Shoma Homes and Bellagio. The population of the area is predominantly Hispanic with an average age slightly under and an average income approximately equal to the state and national average. Land use within Corridor 1 study area is primarily a mixture of commercial and residential to the southeast, a mix of light industrial, residential and commercial to the south, a blend of agricultural land and industrial to the central north section and west of the corridor. There is an elementary school (Douglas MacArthur) on the northeast section of the corridor and a strip mall to the southeast. There are two nurseries and various trucks/heavy equipment yards on the south central portion of the corridor. A mix of vacant land and rock mining industry are located on the northern central portion. The western terminus of the project is quickly being developed with commercial business. Corridor 1 would traverse the neighborhoods of Miami Lakes, Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens. Land use within Corridor 2 study area is classified as agricultural, pasture land and hardwood forest/wetlands along NW 170th Street. The east side of I-75 is mostly residential. A mix of nurseries, agricultural and hardwood wetlands can be found along the west side of I-75. Corridor 2 would traverse the cities of Miami Lakes and Hialeah. Figure 8-2 illustrates current land use for the study area. Figure 8-3 illustrates year 2025 land use. Community Cohesion Demographic Profile Based on 2000 Demographic data for the zip codes within the study area, the total population was 81,079 living in 24,444 total housing units with a median household income of $40,500, slightly lower than the state and national average household income of $ 46,000 and $ 50,000 respectively. The study area has grown from an undeveloped agricultural area to mixed residential and commercial usage within the last 10 years. Project Concept Report Page 8-3

45 Table 8-2 shows the demographics for the study area at the zip code level compared to state and national averages. The average racial composition of the project area is 85.8% White, 2.6% Black, 1% Asian and 10.6% other. Approximately 88.6% of the residents in the study area are Hispanic (of any race) that comes from different countries and cultures throughout Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Overall, the demographics of the area closely resemble the racial distribution of the state and U.S. with a higher percentage of Hispanics. Development of proposed corridors shall take into account the impacts to the civil rights of minorities and other groups as a result of the proposed action. The project shall be developed in accordance to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Titles VI and VIII of the Civil Rights Acts of Future PD&E public involvement study efforts should accommodate the composition of the community. General Characteristics Table 8-2 General Characteristics by Zip Codes (Year 2000) Zip Code Zip Code Study Area Average Study Area Total Florida National Population 37,725 43, ,072 15,982, ,421,906 Number of Housing Units 10,876 13, ,444 7,302, ,904,641 Median Age Racial Composition Zip Code Zip Code Study Area Average Study Area Total Florida National White 33, % 36,433 84% 34, % 69, % 78% 75.10% Black or African American American Indian or Alaska Native 760 2% 1, % 1, % 2, % 14.60% 12.30% % % % % 0.30% 0.90% Asian 380 1% % % % 1.70% 3.60% Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islands % % 0.20% 0.10% Other 3, % 5, % 4, % 8, % 5.40% 7.90% Hispanic/Latino (of any race) 33, % 37, % 35, % 71, % 16.80% 12.50% Project Concept Report Page 8-4

46 Figure 8-2 Existing Land Use Project Concept Report Page 8-5

47 Figure 8-3 Land Use Map for 2025 Project Concept Report Page 8-6

48 8.1.2 Social and Economic Impacts According to the 2000 census, around 80% of the people living within zip codes and limits drive to work with a minimum daily commute of 30 minutes. Although the proposed extension corridors would most likely benefit travelers with origins and destinations in the cities of Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens and the Town of Medley, the proposed development is intended to reduce travel times and facilitate commute for people in the northwest county area by providing a more direct connection between SR-924, SR-826, Florida s Turnpike and I-75. As mentioned in previous sections, the vicinities of the proposed project area are mostly commercial, light industrial, farmland and residential. The proposed corridors are intended to facilitate the commute for residents and travelers within the study area. The extension would facilitate a much needed connection between SR 826 to the HEFT. Both corridors would allow people living and working in the area direct access to the HEFT, therefore mobility will increase throughout the project study area. Corridor 1 would not require a residential property acquisition but would require a vacant land acquisition at the western section of the corridor. Corridor 2 would require the acquisition of farmland. Table 8-3 shows the number of people employed over the age of 16, per capita income, and families and individuals below the poverty line compared to state and national averages. Average per capita income in the study area is lower than the state and national averages. Occupation within the study area was primarily related to retail sales, office and professional occupation. Individuals living under the poverty level comprise approximately 9.5% of the total area population, compared to 12.2% and 12% for Florida and the United States respectively. General Characteristics In Labor Force (16 years & over) Zip Code Table 8-3 Economic Characteristics Zip Code Study Area Average Study Area Total Florida National 16,868 18, ,705 7,471, ,820,935 Per Capita Income $15,263 $15,134 $15, $21,557 $21,587 Families Below Poverty Level Individuals Below Poverty Level $45,159 $35,762 $40, $45,625 $50, , , ,131 6,620,945 The PD&E study efforts should detail the economic benefits of the project to the study area Community Services Based on South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Land Use and Cover Map and field observation, the study area is mostly residential east of I-75 and mixed residential, commercial and light industrial south of NW 138 th Street, and farmland, agricultural adjacent to NW 170 th Street and also west of I-75. Douglas MacArthur elementary school is located at NW 97 th Ave, Hialeah, FL Three learning centers are located with the proposed project corridor south of Project Concept Report Page 8-7

49 NW 138 th Street: Kids University Preschool, Thumbelina and Happy Face at 3300 W 84 th Street, 3580 W 84 th Street, and NW 97 th Avenue, Hialeah, Fl 33018, respectively. Several worship places are located within the proposed study area. Hialeah Recreational Park is located between NW 138 th Street and NW 107 th Avenue. The nearest police, fire, and hospitals are located outside the projected construction area and consist of Hialeah police, Miami Dade Police, Hialeah Fire, Miami Dade Fire, and Palmetto General Hospital, respectively. None of the proposed corridors would impact the study area negatively Archaeological and Historical There were no archaeological features or historical structures or districts detected within the study area Visual Impact and Aesthetics As defined in the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Manual (Florida Department of Transportation, 1999), the aesthetic quality of a community is composed of visual resources: those physical features that make up the visible landscape. These resources include land, water, vegetation and man-made features (i.e. buildings, roadways, signage, structures, lighting, and utilities). The scenery of the study area to the north is mostly open land while the east and south sections are becoming rapidly urbanized; in particular along the western terminus of the project corridor. To the east and south, the study area consists of mixed residential dwellings and commercial/light industrial strip malls. Residents and businesses of the area are offered a view of open spaces, single and two story buildings. Elevated structures as part of the NW 138 th Street corridor would need to take into consideration the disruption of the relatively low level vista currently enjoyed by the community. There views will be impacted depending on the corridors selected. The impacts will be assessed in more detail during the PD&E study. 8.2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT A preliminary environmental assessment of key concerns and potential permits was performed to identify possible impacts as a consequence of the proposed development. The results of the Environmental Review are presented in the following section Natural Areas The SFWMD Land Use and Cover database listed a number of natural areas within the project area, including: lakes, ponds, wet prairies, Melaleuca, Brazilian Pepper and Australian Pine; as illustrated in Figure 8-4. In the area of Corridor 1, the undeveloped areas include small areas with exotic trees such as Australian pine, Brazilian pepper and Melaleuca. In addition, there are Wet Melaleuca areas and a lake north of NW 138 th Street. The natural areas along Corridor 2 are similar to the areas identified for Corridor 1 and include Melaleuca and wet Project Concept Report Page 8-8

50 Melaleuca areas. Upland shrub and brushland areas were also identified to the north of NW 170 th Street Wetlands Based on United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Wetlands Inventory and field observation, the study area is currently located within a freshwater wetland basin, as shown in Figure 8-5. The database review showed, for Corridor 1, a small area of fresh water emergent wetlands located north of NW 138 th Street. For Corridor 2, a mixture of freshwater emergent wetlands and fresh water forested/shrub wetlands were identified along east and west sides of I-75 and within the areas adjacent to NW 170 th Street. The appropriate regulatory agencies should be contacted prior to any onsite activities to determine any wetland permitting requirements for the preferred corridor. The PD&E study will assess the wetland impacts in detail and propose mitigations where applicable Water Quality Surface water areas within the project corridor consist of mainly man-made features, such as canals, stormwater retention areas and artificial lakes. The surface water features identified within the project area include two drainage system canals: one parallel to NW 170 th Street commonly known as Peter Pike Canal, and a second canal parallel to NW 138 th Street. The Miami Canal runs along Okeechobee Rd in close proximity to the project study area. The desktop review showed freshwater ponds and lakes adjacent to the Corridor 2 corridor, to the east and west of I-75. Considering the close proximity of an existing canal waterway to the proposed roadway expansion, the presence of water dwelling species should be considered. The possible presence of manatees is being researched at this time to ensure that all appropriate precautions are taken. Project Concept Report Page 8-9

51 Figure 8-4 Natural Areas Project Concept Report Page 8-10

52 Figure 8-5 Wetlands Project Concept Report Page 8-11

53 Roadway expansion will increase the overall impervious area along NW 138 th Street and increase the potential for stormwater runoff. In order to address the potential issues of the increased runoff, stormwater treatment design will need to take into consideration a number of factors, including but not limited to, the increased impervious area, the adjacent areas and the ultimate discharge points. All federal, state and local guidelines and regulations need to be adhered to during the design and construction of the stormwater treatment/discharge Aquatic Preserves, Outstanding Florida Waters, Wild and Scenic Rivers There are no Aquatic Preserves, Outstanding Florida Waters or wild and scenic rivers within the project corridor Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) There are no essential fish habitat areas identified in the study area Floodplains The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map identified the entire project area as being located within the 100-year floodplain zone, designated by FEMA as zone A, where the Base Floodplain Elevation (BFE) has been identified. The project area is located within the flood zone A. The area west of the HEFT is located within Zone AE, a 100-year floodplain zone where the BFE has not been determined. The area to the southwest of Okeechobee Road is located within a region that is outside of the 100-year and 500-year flood zones. These floodplains zones are shown in Figure 8-6. Since the project area is located within an established flood zone area, the design for this area would need to include additional drainage accommodations to ensure that the new expansion can address any future flooding concerns along the roadway Wildlife and Habitat A review of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service database and additional state and local databases have identified the following information regarding wildlife and species diversity within the project area. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) database did not list any habitat conservation areas or any preservation areas of concern. However, a black necked stilt bird observation was noted in the database in the area of Okeechobee Road and the HEFT. In addition it is anticipated to find within the study area some of the species listed in Table 8-4 which are published by the FWC and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and classified depending on its designated status. Biodiversity hotspots were observed and found to be linked mostly to the existing lake and pond areas. Any proposed drainage to these areas should take into consideration the potential impacts to wildlife that either live in or utilize these surface water bodies. Project Concept Report Page 8-12

54 Figure 8-6 Floodplains Project Concept Report Page 8-13

55 Table 8-4 State and Federally Listed Species Possibly Found Within Study Area Species Designated Status Common Name Scientific Name FWC USFWS American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis SSC T/SA Eastern Indigo Snake Drymarchon corais couperi T T Limpkin Aramus guarauna SSC -- Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea SSC -- Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor SSC -- White Ibis Eudocimus Albus SSC -- Wood stork Mycteria americana E E Permit Conditions T = Threatened; E = Endangered; SSC = Species of Special Concern Based on the desktop review of the proposed corridors, the following permits are anticipated for roadway expansion in this area: Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) -South Florida Water Management District Right-of-Way Crossing Permit South Florida Water Management District Class II Permit DERM Class III Permit DERM Class IV Wetlands Permit DERM Class V Dewatering Permit DERM Tree Removal Permit - DERM Farmlands The project area does not contain a large number of farmland areas; however, a small nursery was noted along the south side of the existing NW 138 th Street. Also, small nursery/pasture areas were noted near the westernmost portion of NW 138 th Street, near the Turnpike. 8.3 Physical Environment Noise It is anticipated that the roadway expansion will increase the traffic load in the study area. The increased traffic along NW 138 th Street will also result in elevated noise levels that will impact the existing community. The majority of the developed zones within the Corridor 1 are commercial/industrial therefore the noise impacts to those businesses are expected to be only within normal working hours. However, the Hialeah Gardens residential areas to the south of NW 138 th Street would experience a 24-hour noise impact due to the increased traffic. Project Concept Report Page 8-14

56 Noise calculations exceeding acceptable residential levels should be taken into consideration during the PD&E and design phases of the project. Engineering noise controls should be used in areas where the noise levels exceed the acceptable level. Short-term noise impact during construction will be minimized in accordance with the latest edition of the FDOT Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction Air Quality The project is located in an area which is designated in attainment for all of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards under the criteria provided in the Clean Air Act. Therefore the Clean Air Act conformity requirements do not apply to the project Contamination The following GIS databases were reviewed within the study area: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulated facilities. Petroleum contaminated sites listed by FDEP Solid Waste Disposal facilities listed by FDEP A Florida Power and Light (FPL) substation, listed as RCRA facility is located south of NW 170 th Street within Corridor 2 study area. Two RCRA facilities were identified within Corridor 1 study area: one located at 1465 NW 102 nd Avenue and one located at 3200 W 84 th Street. The Miami MacArthur High School, located north of 138 th Street, is listed as a petroleum contaminated site within Corridor 1 study area. Several active and inactive solid waste disposal facilities were identified adjacent to the study area, however only one active construction/demolition debris disposal site, located at NW 112 th Avenue, and one inactive class I landfill, located at 1156 NW 107 th Avenue were identified within Corridor 1 study area. An inactive transfer station is located at 2100 W 76 th Street within Corridor 2 study area. The location of the previously mentioned facilities is shown in Figure 8-7. The PD&E study must complete the required assessment for all applicable corridors. Project Concept Report Page 8-15

57 Figure 8-7 Permitted Sites Project Concept Report Page 8-16

58 SECTION - 9 PROJECT COST AND SCHEDULE 9.1 Estimate of Probable Construction Cost The project cost estimates were prepared and are based upon the conceptual plan sheets shown in Appendix 9. The conceptual project cost estimate should be updated during the PD&E and design evaluation. See Tables 9-1 and 9-2. Corridor Table 9-1 Preliminary Engineer Construction Cost Alternatives Roadway Cost Structural Cost Total Cost NW 138 th Street 1 $14,006,749 $11,760,000 $25,766,749 2 $56,157,280 $30,256,000 $86,413,280 3 $46,202,967 $132,840,000 $179,042,967 4 $51,944,667 $143,760,000 $195,704,667 HEFT Interchange - $31,320,091 $93,529,600 $124,849,691 I-75 (Median) 1 $53,571,040 $148,040,000 $201,611,040 West of I-75 2 $85,473,360 $219,000,000 $304,473,360 Table 9-2 Preliminary Project Schedule Phase Initiation Date Completion Date PD&E July 2009 July 2011 Design August 2011 August 2013 Right of Way December 2009 June 2011 Construction September 2013 September Planning Level (Pre-PD&E) Two different corridors were considered; therefore the right-of-way impacts are totally different. Figure 9-1 shows the potential right-of-way impacts if the I-75 corridor is the preferred corridor. The potential right-of-way impacts of the NW 138 th Street corridor alternatives are shown in Figures 9-2 through 9-5. The properties are listed in Appendix Schedule The PD&E phase is funded and included in MDX s Five-Year Work Program; however, funding for design and construction phases has not been identified. Preliminary discussion within MDX identified year 2012 as the tentative year to begin construction. This project was included in the Year 2030 MPO LRTP. Project Concept Report Page 9-1

59 Figure 9-1 Property Owners at NW 170 Street Page 9-2

60 Figure 9-2 Alternative 1 Property Impact Assessment Page 9-3

61 Figure 9-3 Alternative 1 (Underneath) Property Impact Assessment Page 9-4

62 Figure 9-4 Alternative 2 Property Impact Assessment Page 9-5

63 Figure 9-5 Alternative Turnpike Assessment Table Page 9-6