Galvanizing Gridlock: Residents Unite to Take Back the Streets
President's Column: Density is Not a Dirty Word
Volunteer Spotlight on Mac Seligman: On the Beat for Brickell
Brickell Medians
Concert Series
Hampton Inn Upgrades

Galvanizing Gridlock: Residents Unite to Take Back the Streets

While traffic has long been a major issue for BHA, in the past several months traffic trauma has taken on a new dimension. The most frequent complaint used to be speeding vehicles on residential Brickell Avenue.

Now the boom in development in the Brickell corridor and surrounding areas has given birth to a new source of angst: extensive tie-ups caused by construction activity. At the same time, the growth has fostered an undercurrent of worry about what all the new development - and the people that will make use of the new properties - means for the future of the neighborhood and surrounding business district.

Trucks and related vehicles of mass construction ­ added to poorly timed traffic signals, a too-low Brickell Bridge that must be frequently raised to accommodate vessels on the Miami River, and a huge volume of incoming Downtown workers concentrated in the Monday-Friday work week hours ­ have led to outcry from Brickell's residential and business communities.

The first part of the problem is short-term: how do those currently in the area work, live and otherwise coexist with construction activity while the new projects are being built? And the second part begs an important question about what's to come: how will we support all these new buildings and people living and working in the area?

"Adequate roads, sewers, water, schoolswe don't have these," Bristol Tower resident Melvin Frankel said. "Where are people going to move? We have to speak up and take action."

BHA Spearheads Action
BHA directors were in unanimous agreement last November that something had to be done. They began by passing a resolution to present to the City of Miami Commission and appointing Judge John Gale, BHA director representing Villa Regina, to head the BHA Traffic Committee.

In trying to unravel the complaints surrounding the new construction activity, it became apparent that many problems emanated from the lack of coordinated responsibility, authority and enforcement when it comes to new development. By County charter, all transportation issues are managed by Miami-Dade ­ everything from controlling the traffic lights to master planning for the future. Yet the permits for construction are granted by the municipalities (in our case City of Miami) where the new development will occur. And then when developers' construction crews tie up and block streets, we look to our police force to come on the scene and make them behave.

Clearly, a holistic approach was needed, especially since some 20 new development projects have been reported in process, each permitted in its own right and on independent timetables, without a look at the big picture of all projects scrambling to get built and without addressing the infrastructure needs they create.

City Agrees, Builds Community Coalition
Commissioner Johnny Winton sponsored the presentation of BHA's resolution (see opposite page) to City of Miami Commissioners at their January meeting. By the time of this meeting, BHA had circulated its proposed resolution to other community groups and citizens who were feeling the same frustrations and wanting corrective action. Several businesses, associations and homeowner groups joined forces with BHA in asking that the City take the lead in resolving the daily hassles and address what would be done to accommodate the continuing growth in the area. Commissioners took the resolution very seriously, passed it unanimously, and instructed City staffers to make recommendations on how to address both the short- and long-term problems.

At the same time Swire Properties, developer for much of Brickell Key and a strong participant in the community, initiated an innovative way to convey to Miami-Dade County traffic controllers just how bad the situation was getting, especially for drivers leaving Brickell Key when the Brickell Bridge was up.

Stories of drivers waiting 30 minutes to get off the island were becoming everyday tales of woe, and Swire executives could look out of their Brickell Key office windows and see traffic backed up and at a standstill throughout the day. So, at the company's own expense, Swire set up a camera to take photos whenever the roadway is in gridlock, then automatically transmit the pictures to Miami-Dade Traffic Control.

"When it's tied up, it takes a shot," Daniel Ponce of the Brickell Key Master Association explained. "Then Robert Williams at Miami-Dade Traffic Control researches what caused the tie up and reports back."

Swire's creative approach and other community-generated suggestions have lead to solutions for some relief. Concerned parties have come together in a series of town hall-styled meetings focusing exclusively on traffic concerns in the Brickell business and residential districts. At the second meeting in late February, 95 people were in attendance to hear from Commissioner Johnny Winton, City of Miami Police, traffic specialists from both the City and County and others about what steps are being taken to coordinate construction crews and resolve longer term traffic issues.

A great deal of the improvements made in the past several weeks have been spearheaded by NET Commander Frank Fernandez who has taken on the congestion challenge and has worked doggedly to coordinate with all the involved entities. Officers actively directing traffic and controlling construction obstructions, ticketing delivery vehicles and others illegally parked, and circulating flyers with alternative routes for motorists are among the tactics put in place.

"Our solutions aren't for five or 10 years; they're for now," Commander Fernandez said.

The Crux of the Congestion
Much attention has revolved around the Southeast Eighth Street and Brickell Avenue intersection, the launch location of "a multiphase improvement plan," as described by the City's traffic expert, Clark Turner. The traffic signal timing at that intersection was changed from a brief nine seconds to 36 seconds for westbound Eighth Street drivers, which many residents applauded as a huge improvement. And when the improved timing isn't keeping cars moving, Commander Fernandez's police officers can often be found directing traffic at the intersection, overriding the lights to keep traffic flowing.

Another logical improvement was made working with County traffic controllers on signal synchronization with the Brickell Bridge. Now when the bridge is up, the traffic lights on Brickell Avenue remain red rather than changing back and forth to green in their usual cycle. The green lights encouraged drivers to try to go when they couldn't, and instead cars ended up blocking the intersections making it impossible for anyone to move, even those not attempting to cross the raised bridge.

A plan is in the works to establish a "don't block the box" campaign to enforce what seems to be a forgotten traffic rule of drivers not blocking intersections when waiting to get through. It will be launched in the coming few weeks at the Brickell Avenue and Eighth and Seventh Street intersections.

Variable message signs in the area will advise drivers of the rule, lines will be painted in the intersection representing "the box," and violators will receive a moving violation and $87 fine for the first offense, Commander Fernandez said. The program is modeled after New York City's, which has been effective in keeping intersections clear with a $250 fine for Big Apple blockers. Taxicab drivers even observe the rule.

Why One Way?
It appears that an idea that has been kicked around for while will come to fruition as another component in the solution mix for the congestion. Traffic planners, and even the casual observer, can't help but imagine that it would be better if Eighth Street was two way, at least from Brickell to Miami Avenue, to provide drivers with northerly alternatives to the Brickell Bridge.

Plans are in the works to acquire the dedication of property on Eighth Street for those two blocks so that a westbound lane can be added to the three one-way eastbound lanes already there. When that happens, which Mr. Turner anticipates within the coming 12 months, drivers coming from Brickell Key, Brickell Bay Drive or Brickell Avenue can head west and use the much higher Miami Avenue Bridge to drive north instead of the Brickell Bridge, which currently gets more than four times the amount of vehicles crossing it daily as compared to the Miami Avenue Bridge. With the change to a two-way Eighth Street, drivers will no longer have to make the additional jog to Seventh Street to go west.

Tunnel Vision Keeps Surfacing
Of course, if the Brickell Bridge never had to be raised for vessels on the water, or if it had been constructed higher when it was renovated and reopened in December 1995, or if it had been converted to a tunnel, most of the traffic tie-ups in the Brickell area would be eliminated. Traffic specialists are working with the Coast Guard to try to reduce the number of bridge openings, especially for pleasure craft. The Coast Guard has had an ongoing effort to educate and remind recreational boaters that all antennas, Bimini tops and outriggers that can be lowered should be to permit passage under bridges.

Curfews on bridge openings during the morning and afternoon rush hours are already in place and some residents have suggested adding a lunch hour curfew as well. Most don't realize however, that the Miami River is the state's fourth largest port, so further restrictions on the already challenging waterway would have severe economic consequences for the cargo industry on the working Miami River.

So, the notion of a tunnel under the bridge seems logical, albeit costly. Slated but unfunded in the County's 20-year master plan, the tunnel would be located on the west side of the Metrorail line that goes over the river. The tunnel entrance on the north side would be just south of First Street and it would come out around Seventh or Eighth Street.

Other longer-term changes under consideration include making Eighth Street two way all the way to 27th Avenue. The stretch from 27th Avenue to Biscayne Bay is the only part of the Tamiami Trail all the way to Naples that isn't two way, Mr. Turner said.

Traffic specialists are also examining the Dupont Plaza area at the Second Avenue and Second Street intersection where all must pass through, creating a bottleneck with no alternatives. Plans are underway to make the stretch of Miami Avenue just north of the River two-way so that drivers don't have to circle around several blocks of Downtown to continue their northern routes.

A Change in Thinking
All the transportation issues can be solved, Mr. Turner believes, if the collective "we" of Miami-Dade change our thinking from "small town to big city." Plus, the solutions and technology exist in other parts of the country and world, so it isn't a matter of having to invent anything new, just copy effective models already in place in other cities, he said.
"You aren't a big city until you start thinking like a big city," Mr. Turner said. Examples of small town thinking?

"The private automobile is the only means of transportation for any trip, no matter how small. Public transportation doesn't exist," he said.
"Walking is for tree huggers and fitness freaks; public transit is for poor people, the elderly and other losers" and "pedestrians compete for street space so they should quit walking and get into cars," Mr. Turner offered in his tongue-in-cheek, self-described "sermon."

Big city thinking, on the other hand, includes different concepts: "Automobiles live in garages and come out on weekends; walking, buses, trains and taxicabs are the normal and desirable ways to get around; and traffic congestion is a way of life, but who cares except the obstinate people who insist on using cars," Mr. Turner said.

Big cities, of course, have been good at providing a variety of transportation options for a long time, having the advantage of being developed during the transportation boom. Sunbelt cities like ours never had mass transit like northeastern big cities; we grew up during the automobile boom.

"Miami has to stop thinking small town and act as if we are big. We have to take a serious look at the real, hidden public subsidy of the automobile when looking at the costs of mass transit and we can't let elected officials get away with continuing to think small town," Mr. Turner said.

President's Column by T. Sinclair (Tory) Jacobs:
Density is Not a Dirty Word

In January, BHA presented a resolution to Miami's City Commission concerning Brickell Neighborhood traffic, construction and development. We asked the Commission to:

• Take a holistic approach to approving development projects rather than just consider each individual project, without recognizing the cumulative impact of all the proposed projects.
• Approve only development that can be supported by infrastructure that would be in place when the development comes on line.
• Regulate and coordinate construction and the work of all entities digging up streets and sidewalks, disrupting traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, to minimize the disruption.
• Provide incentives for development with FAR bonuses where development is needed or wanted, not where the infrastructure is lacking to support it.

BHA's intent is to raise the Commission and Administration's awareness of the adverse impact on the quality of life in the Brickell Neighborhood emanating from the City's current management of construction and development and its concurrent escalating traffic congestion.

In a letter from Lucia A. Dougherty, Esq. to Commissioner Johnny Winton, she discusses the practicalities of implementing a program to reduce density. (The Commissioner asked Ms. Dougherty for an opinion on the matter since she is a former City Attorney and knowledgeable on the issues from both the City's and developers' perspectives.) We all should read this letter to understand the hurdles involved.

Here is Ms. Dougherty's penultimate paragraph, which I paraphrase:
Obviously, the best solution for the City, the development community and the Brickell Neighborhood residents would be to provide infrastructure improvements sufficient to support the desires of those wanting to build and to live and to work in the Brickell Neighborhood.

We are all in accord on this. A happy, but perhaps elusive solution.

Now, back to density. Many think of density as the enemy. Yes, increasing density will force changes in our lifestyle. However, increased density will make mass transit affordable and get people out of their cars onto the sidewalks, generating retail and entertainment to serve us all.

As Miami metamorphoses into a world-class metropolis, we must be ever zealous in the protection of our neighborhoods. And we must recognize that mixed-use development will more and more be our neighbor.

Around the Neighborhood
Brickell Medians Complete
The new irrigation system and landscaping for the Brickell Avenue medians from 15th to 25th Roads is complete. Brickell Homeowners will continue to communicate with the City of Miami Department of Public Works and Director Albert Dominguez on matters relating to the medians' maintenance.

Church Offers Melodic Respite
The First Presbyterian Church at 609 Brickell Avenue has launched a concert series open to the public from 12 noon to 1 p.m. every Friday. Named "Lunchtime Oasis," the series features a variety of music described "as a medium for social, personal and spiritual renewal."

April Concert Series

• April 5: New World Symphony Chamber Ensemble
• April 12: Egal Kless, World Class Violinist
• April 19: Mantra, Cutting-Edge Jazz, Pop, Ballads & Rock
• April 26: New World Symphony Chamber Ensemble

Hampton Inn Upgrades Complete
The Hampton Inn at 2500 Brickell Avenue has completed its half-million-dollar renovation with improvements inside and out. The exterior got new paint, new landscaping, a resurfaced driveway, new awnings and patio furniture. On the inside of the 69-room hotel, common areas were improved and all the guest rooms were refurbished. Each room also got a new refrigerator, microwave and T-1 line access.

Convenient for Brickell area residents who find themselves with an overflow of house guests, Hampton Inn, located at the edge of residential Brickell, is a common choice. The Hampton Inn has been a BHA Associate Member for many years.

Volunteer Spotlight on Mac Seligman: On the Beat for Brickell

To Mac Seligman, graffiti is a plague. And he's not the type to sit back and let it fester. Pride of country, pride of American citizenship and pride of community are things Mr. Seligman, a native of Russia, holds dear and to him, graffiti is an unwelcome intrusion on all of them.

That outlook has been a pivotal element in his efforts as part of the Brickell Homeowners Association to free the Brickell area of graffiti.
Mr. Seligman has worked persistently and with the fervor that made him a success in the world of business, marketing and tourism to not only alert City of Miami officials to the graffiti menace, but to make sure their interest in keeping Brickell clean doesn't wane.

So effective is his non-stop, no-graffiti campaign, the City of Miami has singled him out for a Community Service award. It was presented to him by Miami Police Chief Raul Martinez and NET Commander Frank Fernandez at a town meeting of Brickell and Miami Roads residents March 19th.
Mac Seligman takes the honor in stride. It goes with a philosophy espoused by one of his college professors that he still lives by that "people's level of civilization can be measured by their maintenance of things and compliance with laws."

A resident of the Brickell area since 1971, Mr. Seligman has long been a familiar figure in the civic and business life of City of Miami, particularly in the area of tourism.

He was chairman and CEO of Creative Resources, Inc., a marketing communications agency that specialized in the travel industry, handling airlines, countries and resorts. In the 1980s, the firm was one of the largest in the United States in that field.

Mr. Seligman started his career as a news photographer. He expanded his interests and became a newspaper journalist in New York and eventually owned the Port au Prince Times in Haiti.

When he returned to the states he joined the Hertz Corporation and was in charge of stimulating business for the United States from Latin America. Eventually, he settled in Miami in the Brickell Townhouse and still is connected with tourism as Associate Publisher and U.S. Editor of AvNews, a monthly magazine geared to Latin American and Caribbean aviation and tourism.

Mr. Seligman walks five miles every morning. He charts his route so that while getting his exercise he can also take note of any graffiti, political signs, work-at-home signs and other such material that is defacing the Brickell area.

"If I see graffiti, I report it, he said. "I'm a royal pain and annoy a lot of people but the Brickell area used to be covered with graffiti and now there is very little. The city and the building managers follow up and clean it up."

Mr. Seligman is the Brickell Townhouse representative to the BHA Board of Directors, holds the office of Secretary and serves as chair of the Association's Security Committee. He said Coral Gables and Miami Beach maintain vigilance and swift enforcement regarding graffiti. Metrorail, he added, also is prompt in cleaning up defacement.

Meanwhile Mr. Seligman keeps the same eagle eye out for graffiti on Brickell that he did when he served with the U.S. Army Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II.

"The City of Miami and Brickell Avenue are beautiful places," he said. "It's a dream for anybody to live here. But you've got to maintain things to keep it that way."