27th Ave. streetscape project discussed at meeting

Phase one of the SW 27 Avenue construction project was discussed at a community meeting at City Hall Monday night. The first phase, costing $1.1 million, goes along SW 27 Avenue from S. Bayshore Drive to Tigertail Avenue and SW 28 Terrace to US1. The project consists of reconstructing the existing two lane roadway into three lanes including raised landscaped medians, bicycle lanes, on street parking, sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Also continuous storm drains, new traffic signals, pavement markings and signage.

Decorative roadway lighting will also be installed, too. Phase one will not include the rotary, which is at Day and Tigertail Avenues, that's part of Phase two.

Last night, there were concerns from neighbors about the traffic flow at Day Avenue. A berm will be built to discourage drivers from turning into Day and going west. The traffic flow will actually be changed from it's current one way west direction to a one way east direction, so that it will not be allowed.


Phase one is anticipated to start on January 3, 2011 and is projected to take nine months to complete. Phase two will continue from Tigertail Avenue (including the traffic circle) to SW 28th Terrace. This phase is anticipated to start by November of 2011 and is estimated to take twelve months to complete. Funding for the project was provided by the Charter County Transit Surtax, specifically listed in the People's Transportation Plan as one of the Board requested improvement projects.

When asked about Slice 'n Ice's future, the County representatives present said they could not talk about that because they are still in negotiations, but it appears as if the front part of the building is in the right of way and will be affected. Some think the whole structure will have to go.


One person was insistant on asking FPL to be responsible for burying power lines, but the cost would have to be shouldered by the City or residents to the tune of $4 to $5 million per mile, and maybe even more since it would affect others who use the lines like Bell South and cable companies. FPL is not responsible for buring the lines, they are only responsible to providing power, as cheaply as possibly.

One good thing about the project is that they plan on keeping two lanes of traffic open at all times during construction. They plan on starting at 7 am and ending at 6 pm, Monday through Friday. They were told in no uncertain terms by Michelle Niemeyer, Village Council member (the only VC member present), that 7 am was too early, and legally, they would have to start after 8 am.

So it appears that right after the New Year starts, so will phase one of the 27th Avenue streetscape transformation.