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Resolution 174-2001 Commissioners Nora Williams RESOLUTION NO. 174 -2001 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, IN SUPPORT OF THE 50' CONFIGURATION OF THE 18 MILE STRETCH BETWEEN MILE MARKER 106 AND FLORIDA CITY AND AFFIRMING THAT IF, IN THE FUTURE ADDITIONAL LANES ARE DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE FDOT, THE PROJECT MUST GO THROUGH THE FULL PERMITTING AND PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE t:PU~, :to _- 0):,. I FLORIDA: ?,5n:.S:: ~ ~ or"".~ -< '-' fTl ;t:: - " , ." Section 1. The Board does hereby declare its support for: g~../-'- \.0 35 c:;o?: 1) the 50' configuration detailed in the attached materials ~. ~ :i ~ -<C'?...,.. . ....... N ('") 2) the 54' configuration if FDOT should find that an additional no~~b~nd~n~ needed during emergency hurricane evacuation between MM 106 a~d FfO'rid<<itp Section 2. The Board does also express that the current intent of FDOT and Monroe County that this project will never be converted to a three or more lane permanent highway. If, in the future, in the event of unforeseen and compelling circumstances, FDOT determines that this roadway must be altered to produce additional lanes, then it is agreed that this compromise may not simply be reconfigured or changed to produce that result, rather such a project must go through the full permitting and public comment process. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 18th day of April, 2001. ves yes yes ves no BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS /F MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA ~~,e ~()ct- ~ ayor/Chalrperson jdresNW18 (A) 6' 12', 6' 2' 6' 12' Shoulder Lam? Shoulder Shoulder Lane Median n 2' 8' =54' Shoulder RS I I 18 Mile Stretch Compromise Cross-Section of the Roadway with room for additional lane out in time of hurricane evacuation. Note: RS-rumblestrip; outside shoulders are not fully laid with asphalt and are unacceptable for everyday use. The northbound outside shoulder could only be used in time of emergency as a lane of traffic. Points on configuration: · the minimum width that a shoulder CAN be is 4'. Note that these shoulders are only 2' wider than the minimum. FDOT's lead traffic engineer (who flew down from Tallahassee for this meeting) con- siders 6' necessary because of "shy distance," the amount of space required to "recover" from error. I'll use me as an example: if I'm traveling 65 mph on the 18 mile stretch and, and the cell phone (which I dropped down the car seat) rings, I'm gonna weave finding it. A distance of only 4' makes it significantly more likely that I will hit the median, or leave the road (depending upon which side of the road I'm weaving). 6' gives me a fighting chance, so to speak, to both be an idiot and live through it. I don't want to suggest that you try this yourself, but it's pretty easily demonstrated. · The 10' shoulder. HEY, the evacuation side shoulder got BI G- GER!! How'd that happen. Here's why. The road could actually be just 52' wide IF we wanted to have to implement traffic channeliza- tion devices over the entire length of the 18 Mile Stretch-as was proposed in the original compromise. In this scenario, the shoulder itself is wide enough to allow that emergency evacuation without configuration-a significant savings of preparation time and money for the County. In this scenario, the only part of the Stretch that needs such configuration in the case of an emergency evacuation is the bridge itself. We could shave 2' if we were willing to bear the expense (both in labor and materials) of putting down 21.4 miles of traffic channelization devices that would have to be removed before the storm actually hit. Sorry to say it, but I think it's worth the 2' not to have to go through that. And this configuration will be decid- edly less confusing and intimidating than all those miles of delinea- tion devices. · Do the math yourself. If you want the median (and I don't think there is any question that we do, AND you want shoulders that can serve as an evacuation route on one side, and a safe refuge on the other, it is almost impossible to get the road much smaller than this and not compromise on some pretty serious issues. (B) ,.... ~. ,,> 6' 12' Shoulder Lane 6' 2' 6' 12' Shoulder Shoulder Lane Median n 6' = 50' Shoulder RS I 18 Mile Stretch Compromise Cross-Section of the Roadway If extra emergency lane was not needed. Note: Outside shoulders are not fully laid with asphalt and are unacceptable for everyday use. Note that engineers are working to determine if the increased capacity of the 18 Mile Stretch under the new configuration would lessen the problem of merging three lanes of traffic into two at m.m. 106. When that determination is made, the decision whether lane continuity (I.e. the creation of an addi- tional northbound lane between m.m. 106 and Florida City) needs to be ad- dressed will be made. (C) .~. ,,' 7' 12' Shoulder Lane 6' 2' 6' 12' Shoulder Shoulder Lane Median 10' = 55' (inside external barriers) Shoulder n Bridge Cross Section (Normal Operation) Note: bridge will not be built to be able to withstand the weight of additional lanes being added. The Median is necessary because thc median actually begins a mile before the bridge, AND be- cause head-ons are an issue around Jewfish Creek. Note also on this configuration and configuration D that the additional space is seen to be required because of the presence of the external concrete barriers. The way the road is shaped also reflects the need for conform with the highway that comes before and after the bridge so that "jogging" the lanes is not necessary. (D) ..,' 7' Shoulder 12' Lane 6' 2' 3' 12' Shoulder Shoulder Lane Median 10' 3' = 55' (inside ext.barriers) Shoulder n Bridge Cross Section during evacuation This configuration will be established with the use of traffic channelization markers. Note: bridge will not be built to be able to withstand the weight of additional lanes being added. The Median is necessary because the median actually begins a mile before the bridge, AND be- cause head-ons are an issue around Jewfish Creek. Note also on this configuration and configuration C that the additional space is seen to be required because of the presence of the external concrete barriers. The way the road is shaped also reflects the need for conform with the highway that comes before and after the bridge so that "jogging" the lanes is not necessary.