|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Village of Palmetto Bay hosted a webinar meeting on Feb. 24 for residents concerned about the county proposed bridge extending SW 87th Avenue from SW 164th Street to 163rd Terrace over the C-100 canal.
The controversial bridge project has been an on and off thing for years, and had been fought successfully by former District 8 County Commissioner (now Mayor) Daniella Levine Cava.
But when Levine Cava was elected county mayor, Danielle Cohen Higgins was appointed to become the new District 8 commissioner, and shortly after being sworn in she rapidly put the bridge project, now called the connectivity project, back on the agenda without public notice and was able to get it passed by the full county commission, to bring it before the Transportation Planning Organization — the TPO — for a vote.
She then asked Mayor Karyn Cunningham of Palmetto Bay and Mayor Tim Meerbott of Cutler Bay to each send four delegates to participate in a “Community Connectivity Committee.”
Problems with the way the CCC meetings were conducted led to Mayor Cunningham withdrawing from the CCC, and village manager Nick Marano was given the job of creating a task force to meet and discuss the project. With the task force members— Marcelo Zinn, Carmen Baker, Joseph Miorelli and Alan Farquharson — Nick Marano, village attorney John Dellagloria and village clerk gathered in Village Hall Council Chambers on Feb. 24 to discuss the issue.
Residents were able to voice their opinions via a webinar internet session or by emails sent in earlier. While many were opposed to the bridge, saying it would create traffic problems in their neighborhoods and lower the resale value of their homes, some — mostly those in District 3 — were in favor of the bridge, saying it would reduce driving time and increase accessibility to their area.
Some of those opposing it pointed out that the bridge would only extend 87th Avenue a short distance because of other dead-ends and that a number of bridges would be required. Since it is designated a county road, ultimately Palmetto Bay may have no say in what happens.
Another task force meeting was scheduled for the following week, with several steps needed before legal action might be sought by the village.
