Friend of Transit Miami Alex Adams sent me this letter he sent to local Commissioners regarding installing bike lanes on Sunset from Cocoplum to the Doc Thomas House.
This evening I came home from work and jumped on my bike to measure Sunset Drive between Yumuri Street and Cocoplum Circle. Tape measure in hand I wanted to give a definitive response to Commissioner Gimenez on how a bicycle facility could be added to this County roadway. This road is currently being repaved and this is what I found.
Sunset Drive between Yumuri and Cocoplum is 99% residential single family neighborhood. The only commercial development is the first block on the north side at Yumuri. The speed limit is 35 mph however many cars are traveling over the posted speed. The width of the two lanes is typically 24′ of pavement with various added shoulders. I measured at Yumuri Dr, School House Road, Maynada, Erwin Rd, Granada St. lanes currently vary from 10′ 6″ to 12′ 6″.
Suggestions to make this street bicycle and neighborhood friendly:
1. reduce the speed limit to 30 mph and enforce. This is a residential arterial street.
2. reduce the travel lanes to 10 feet. This street does not have high truck demand and infrequent MDT buses. The residents would benefit more from the traffic calming and reduced speeds.
3. add 2′ of asphalt on each side generally to allow a 4′ dedicated bicycle lane. There are no trees or other obstructions.Lastly at the eastern end of Sunset Elementary School on the south side of Sunset Drive the sidewalk ends at the school property line. This leaves students no way to enter the school from the east and leaves a dead end sidewalk for pedestrians. Either a pedestrian crosswalk should be located at Mentone Street or the southern sidewalk should be extended to the next signalized intersection Maynada Road 2 blocks east. As a side note it is interesting that this school has 2 crossing guards to press the crosswalk signal at School House Road and none at this end of the school where there is no crosswalks. The crossing guards literally press the ped button, while many Miami-Dade schools have no signalized intersections, no crossing guards. I would suggest moving one crossing guard to the corner of Maynada and extend the sidewalk along the southern side of Sunset Drive.
Thanks for sending this Alex. I would add that long term fixes for Sunset Drive should include pedestrian friendly intersection improvements throughout, including a complete redesign of Cocoplum circle (which right now is a pure de mango).
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