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TRANSPORTATION

South Florida Roads (Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties)

 
Welcome
 

 

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will hold a Community Engagement Meeting regarding proposed improvements to SR 986/SW 72nd Street/Sunset Drive between SW 78th Court and SW 72nd Avenue in Miami-Dade County. These improvements were identified as part of the SR 826/Palmetto Expressway PD&E Study.
 
The meeting will be held on Monday, October 28, 2024
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
in-person at St. Matthew the Apostle Episcopal Church
located at 7410 Sunset Drive
Miami, FL 33143
 
The Community Engagement Meeting is being held to allow interested persons an opportunity to be informed and provide comments about the proposed improvements. The purpose of the project is to provide additional lanes and corridor improvements to accommodate future travel demand while improving overall safety along the project corridor and enhancing mobility for the surrounding community.
 
The PD&E Study documents along with other pertinent information developed by the Department, will be available on the project website after the meeting at www.southflroads.com/826expresssouth.
 
Persons desiring to submit written comments in place of or in addition to oral statements, may do so at the meeting or by sending them to the FDOT Project Manager, Raul Quintela P.E., at the Florida Department of Transportation - District Six - Adam Leigh Cann Building,1000 NW 111 Avenue, Room 6111, Miami, Florida 33172, or via email at Raul.Quintela@dot.state.fl.us.
 
The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by the FDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. § 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022, and executed by the Federal Highway Administration and FDOT.

 

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Cynthia Turcios at 304-470-5225 or at Cynthia.Turcios@dot.state.fl.us at least seven days prior to the meeting.
 

 

 

 

The Final Design phase for this project is partially funded. Construction is not currently funded.

Purpose and Need

The need for this project is to add lanes to the SR 826 corridor to meet future transportation demand, improve travel time reliability and to provide long-term mobility options. Other considerations for the Purpose and Need of this project include safety, system linkage, freight movement and emergency evacuation.

The overall goals and objectives of the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) ­Study are described below:

  • Evaluate corridor improvements that will add lanes to the corridor and interchanges.
  • Evaluate the implementation of potential interchange and intersection improvements that will improve capacity, operations, safety, mobility, and emergency evacuation.
  • Provide relief from existing and projected traffic congestion.
  • Improve the safety of the SR 826 mainline corridor by addressing speed differentials and lane weaving deficiencies between interchanges.
  • Support the optimal operations of the existing roadway network.

Description/Project Summary

FDOT District Six is conducting a PD&E Study for SR 826/Palmetto Expressway from US 1/SR 5/Dixie Highway to NW 25th Street, a distance of approximately eight miles. The PD&E Study is proposing corridor improvements that will add lanes and interchange improvements. The project is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida and is contained within unincorporated Miami-Dade.

The PD&E Study is re-evaluating future potential types of improvements:

  • SR 826 mainline – Add additional lanes and auxiliary lanes along this segment of SR 826 to add capacity to the corridor.
  • Interchange improvements – Modification of existing entrance and exit ramps serving the interchanges within the project limits.
  • Intersection improvements – Widening and turn lane modifications along the cross streets to facilitate the ramp modifications and improve the access and operation of the corridors upstream and downstream from the interchanges.

Project Study Area map

Alternative Analysis

The objective of this PD&E Study is to evaluate alternatives that will address existing and projected operating deficiencies along this section of SR 826. To keep up with the growing traffic demand within the study area, multiple alternatives have been considered, including a No-Build Alternative that maintains the existing roadway configuration and any other planned improvements along the corridor.


The PD&E Study began in 2017 with the project approach of adding Dynamically Priced Express Lanes along this segment of the corridor. In 2020, the study was placed on hold to determine what other alternatives could be considered along this section of SR 826. In January 2021, the study resumed with a new approach. The new project approach is no longer proposing express lanes between US 1 and SR 836. The study is re-evaluating future improvements to the project area by considering the following three alternatives:

  1. Add an additional General Use Lane in each direction.
  2. Add one Bus Lane/High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane in each direction.
  3. Add one Un-tolled Managed Lane (free of charge) in each direction. 

All the alternatives propose to add additional lanes and auxiliary lanes along this segment of SR 826 with interchange improvements at selected locations to enhance connectivity and access in and out of SR 826.
 

FDOT Partners with Public in Study

FDOT developed a public involvement program as part of this PD&E Study. The public involvement process is designed to ensure public input in the development of project alternatives by actively encouraging and facilitating the involvement of the general public, citizens, interested groups, elected and appointed officials, environmental resource agencies, and other stakeholders. Opportunities to comment include communication with project staff and attending public meetings. A Public Kick-Off Meeting was held on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, an Alternatives Public Workshop was held on Thursday, March 7, 2019 and a Public Hearing was held on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the West Dade Regional Library. You can view the meeting materials on the Documents and Publications web page.
 
A second Alternatives Public Workshop was held on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; In-person at the FDOT District Six Auditorium, located at 1000 NW 111th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33172; and simultaneously online using the GoToWebinar platform. 
 
Watch the full video of the meeting by clicking here.
 
FDOT is working on finalizing all the analyses and evaluations of the PD&E Study to select a preferred alternative.  The preferred alternative will be presented at the upcoming Public Hearing in Fall 2024.
   
 

Project At-A-Glance
 
map
Start Date
July 2017

Est. Completion date
January 2025

Construction Cost
$$530 - $800 million

Lengths and Limits
From US 1/SR 5/Dixie Highway to NW 25th Street (Approximately 8 miles)

Project Manager
Raul Quintela, P.E.

Florida Department of Transportation


Consultant Project Manager
Ryan Solis-Rios, P.E., PTOE

The Corradino Group, Inc.

(786) 280-8895

Rsolis-rios@corradino.com