As a resident of Coconut Grove for 34 years and currently residing on SW 27th Ave, the reality of the SW 27th Ave “Road Improvement” project hit home last week. This project has raised some interesting questions.
The first question concerns how FPL has handled the night time construction. Since FPL has been given the unannounced right by the City or County to close SW 27th Ave from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am every night we assume that this is the reason they move a fleet of vehicles every night on to SW 27th Ave. The average fleet consist of three power company bucket trucks, two dump trucks, a small earth mover, a utility truck pulling a generator with flood lights, a truck with barricades, one police car, one HUGE truck crane and from four to five 40ft flat bed tractor trailer trucks. This has been rolling on to SW 27th Ave every night. But the main question is why FPL has been able to do the work as they have. They do not start on one end and continue up or down SW 27th Ave which would only disturb the residents in one area for one night. No, FPL has chosen to do one pole in one area, one pole in another area and the third pole in another area of SW 27th Ave each night. This guarantees that all the residents of SW 27th Ave can be disturbed every night as FPL continues to put in more concrete poles especially since the entire fleet of vehicles only seem to be able move in reverse with the warning sound of BEEP. BEEP, BEEP going constantly.
Another question is why the Arborists from FPL have been allowed for the last two years to brutally “Trim” the tress on SW 27th Ave. For many years prior, FPL would trim the trees regularly to keep their power lines clear but in the last two years FPL has used the brutal “V” cut on the trees. It seems that this brutal cut could allow the County to override any appeal by Grove TreeWatch to have these trees saved since the argument will be that they now have the Coconut Grove BID created theory of the “Grove Plague” You do not see this brutal cut on SW 17th Ave, SW 22nd Ave, Tigertail, South Bayshore or on Main Highway. Why on SW 27th Ave?
The most important reason for the “Road Improvement” project was to put in sidewalks which have been desperately needed on SW 27th Ave forever. So the question is why is it that the only section of SW 27th Ave. between Tigertail and South Bayshore that did NOT have a sidewalk before the “Road Improvement” project started still does NOT have a sidewalk. The County had this section of road torn up and closed for months upon months and did not put in a sidewalk on the only part of this road that was without a sidewalk before the “Road Improvement” started. Where else on SW 27th Ave is the County planning on NOT installing sidewalks?
The “Road Improvement” project also calls for curbs on SW 27th Ave and Bike lanes which raise 2 more interesting questions.
The curbs being put in would required new drain pipes but there currently is no drainage problem on SW 27th Ave. SW 27th Ave was built correctly with a slight rise in the center allowing for the rain to naturally roll off in to the areas surrounding the road. There was no major flooding on this road after Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Wilma. If the County wants curbs on this road they can be put in as they are doing on SW 32nd Ave north of US 1 without tearing up the whole road. There are no curbs on SW 17th Ave, SW 22nd Ave, Tigertail, South Bayshore or on Main Highway. Why on SW 27th Ave?
Why is it necessary to put Bike Lanes in on SW 27th Ave? The City of Miami has already created a wonderful Bike Route on Mary St which is just 1 block west of SW 27th Ave. Mary St is signed allowing Bikes to use the full lane. This Bike Route can be started at Coconut Ave on SW 27th Ave with a Pedestrian Crosswalk light similar to the one at Fresh Market installed where Mary crosses Bird Road. The Bike Route could also be extended to the East Grove also at Coconut Ave. Is it smart for anyone to ride a Bike in a 3ft wide lane on SW 27th Ave that will be crossed by buses and cars constantly? There were no Bike lanes put in when the section of SW 27th Ave on the north side of US 1 was improved. No Bike lanes were put in on Grand Ave when this section was (supposedly) improved so why on this section of SW 27th Ave?
There are an incredible amount of Old Growth trees that sustain a canopy that are also going to be removed in this project. Should we listen to the Arborists or anyone else who uses the line “We can not be greedy? In 40 years due to the replanting we will have a better canopy than we do today’. Remember that no one, let me repeat, no one, can guarantee that in 5 years the County or someone else could not come back and than say that more improvements need to be made and since the new trees are only 5 years old they do not need to be preserve and in 40 years from that date we will have a canopy. Stop the destruction of the canopy and STOP IT TODAY.
The final question is why have we accepted this Road Plan? Please remember that the county has owned the vast majority of the right of way on SW 27th Ave FOREVER and has done nothing to improve this road. When pushed on the issue of improving SW 27th Ave, mostly by the Coconut Grove Village Council, the County pulled off their shelf
“Kendall Road Plan 101”. A road that could say Welcome to The Shoppes of Kendall or Welcome to Kendall Townhouses Phase III. This road says nothing about coming in to a historic, vibrant, unique community. The County is taking the easy way out. Not the best way and certainly not the least expensive way, just the easiest way which is to rip everything out and start over again. This is not the solution. We need to plant not cut, we need to improve not destroy, we need to landscape the road not tear up the road and believe it or not we need the County to save money not waste money.
We need a road that says Welcome to Coconut Grove. You can get that special, wonderful Grove feeling when you enter the Grove on SW 17th Ave, SW 22nd Ave, Tigertail, South Bayshore and on Main Highway.
So I guess the only real question to answer is why NOT SW 27th Ave?
Douglas English
Coconut Grove
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