M-DCPS New Investments in our Great City of Doral

 It has been a great satisfaction to hear the Miami- Dade County Public Schools Superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, talking about the investments that would take place in Doral regarding schools infrastructure, set to be done in a short term and serve better our different grades students

Present at the meeting were  the Associate Superintendent, Iraida Mendez Cartaya, and the Chief Facilities Officer, Mr. Jaime Torrens, with whom we boarded important topics such as: school enrollment, installed capacities of the different educational facilities in Doral.

 The first news offered to us was the construction of a new K-8 facility, which could possibly be ready for 2015, in a landfilled located in the West part of Ronald Reagan High School. Such construction responds to the need of ease out the grades K-8 in our city, in which we have a high student population.

 With the goal to have a better quality education and security to our students in high school, the second good news presented to us was related to Doral Middle School, located in 5505 NW 112th avenue. It will be converted to a Senior High School, with the capacity of hosting 627 students. The estimate inversion it’s in the order of $3,000,000; in which equipment and school materials are not included.

In regards to improvements:

•          New digital technology in the classrooms
•          Infrastructure remodeling
•          Better electric systems
•          Substitution of doors and windows

The advantage is that Doral Middle School was built under a “high school structure design” and  today the necessary changes can be made, so that it could work as such.

 Other investments mentioned by Superintendent Carvalho are directed towards Doral Middle School (John I. Smith).  The drainage system is currently being designed, reparation or substitution of the air conditioning system; internal sound and classrooms with digital technology. The budget for this project is: $272,429

 For the Eugenia B. Thomas K-8 a new area for the playground has being designed; replacement of the internal audio system; repair and external painting; internal painting; digital technology for the new classrooms. The budget for this is amounted around $324,651.

And for John I. Smith improvements have been proposed in the surface of the children playground; improvements in the air conditioning system; painting and implementation of new digital technology in the classrooms. Budget: $509,724

 This is the latest information to share with all the parents and residents of our city in regards to education and there are good news. We know your worries for the increasing in the school enrollment and the need in Doral to comply with the new educational installations. I also take this opportunity to remind you of the construction of the Charter School in Downtown Doral, complex that is currently being developed.

We truly thank Miami-Dade County Public Schools, an institution that's being led by Superintendent Alberto Carballo, who has definitely planned to increase the quality of educational programs and offer high quality schools to our students.

Topic of annexations in Doral is back to the table

It’s of important concern for me to resume the topic of the annexations of three very important areas inside the Doral boundaries, today under the administration of the Miami-Dade County. These are defined as Sections 6, 15 and 16, they have been for us a thorough review and since some time ago, our City Council has taken some actions in the achievement of a sole objective and such areas to become part of our City.

Allow me to make a description of each section, understanding that our city grows daily with new residents, which need to be informed of these important developments.

Section 6

A square mile, built by its northern with NW 106th St. South, 90th St of the NW. East, of 107th Ave. From the NW and West from the Florida Turnpike.

From the infrastructure point of view, section 6 represents an attractive for the city; we will have an area of plain development given to the office range, industries and commerce that have been established there.

These characteristics, could possibly allow new incomes to the city that can be around $900,000 coming from taxes. This axis that additionally has plots of residential land that are not yet developed, summarizes Doral as another attractive for new inversions within the zone, by which the city is in capacity of addressing, and it could even suit up to the interests of our residents as entrepreneurs in the zone, the meaning of this is, that we’ll continue planning its growth over the base of our needs according to the established rules by the Miami-Dade in planning, zoning and construction matters.

We would also assume commitments with the maintenance of streets (10 miles) that will be incorporated of the annexation of Section 6 and other services such as Public Safety and Parks.

Definitely, for being surrounded by developments I would assure that the residents will want more service businesses, recreational and sport areas, with the goal of creating a sense of belonging in the Northern part of the city with that area and the sole shopping center in the Flagler Station, in which, as a matter of fact; operates two formation and studies center that bring attention to our children of Doral.

Section 15

Comprise .87 squared miles, in which boundaries are the following: North: NW 74th St., South: NW 58th St, East: SR 826 and West: NW 87th Avenue.  Today, in an industrial zone otherwise constituted we are sure that with the industrials installed there we could plan services to the worker and entrepreneurial sector that it’s found there.

We have no doubt that this zone hosts Doral, so for us it is needed to bring the attention and grow based on this axe in which it also represents new incomes, that would be reinvested in maintenance of 16.8 miles of highways, sidewalk constructions, green areas. In addition, we would emphasize the transportation services and even more in public safety matters that could be imply through the joint efforts and strategies that benefit the industrial force in the zone.

With the Miami-Dade County, we will establish agreements with the arrangements to understand all of the other areas and services that require the participation of both entities.

In relation to the revenues, it would be around $1,300,000 a quantity that could be reinvested in the zone.

Section 16

North: NW 74th St; South: NW 58th St; East: NW 87th Ave; West: NW 97th Ave. of the NW. It’s the old garbage landfill. An area that by its use throughout the years, today it could be and area that oxygenates our city to the service of specially our youth and athletes.

This field could be used for the practice of mountain bike and soccer courts, serving our youth and would be better used by our community. As a matter of fact, 97th Ave in which will be open very soon is soon all the way to 74th Ave., is one of the investments that will not only help the mobility within the area, but we’ll also plan other services that would go in hand with this great park that is being considered in the heart of the city.

Our Actions

As mentioned in the beginning of this note, our City Council has not thrown out the possibility of achieving these annexations. Since I was elected as Mayor of the City of Doral, three possible resolutions have been raised to the Miami-Dade County. They have accepted it and we know that we have taken these three applications for its respective reviews/analysis.

About this matter, we have been working thanks to the efforts that of League of the Cities and its chair Cindy Lennar, Mayor of the Pinecrest Village. We have exchanged opinions with our neighbor townships, especially with the City of Medley, which also shows interest in the topic due to that some of the mentioned areas also touch this city.

We continue to work in this matter. We have no doubt that the annexation of these three important sections, are extremely essential to our city.

Solution to Our City’s Traffic

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Understanding our responsibility in the transit matter and transportation, we have recently created a workshop with the participation of some residents that have drawn near with the ideas of planning together what's corresponding to this matter. 

What’s our aim? To ease up the traffic inside of Doral and plan towards this great city that grows in an unstoppable way; to expand our transportation’s system security and trust; to preserve the quality of life in Doral; to be of support to the connectivity systems that demands the internal growth; to better off, preserve, and keep the transportation system by which we rely in and promote our economical growth understanding this service’s importance

Doral has become the main source of employment. 68,594 workers travel through our city daily. The workforce consists of 18,765, being that 15,000 of them drive through to get to their jobs location the rest work in the city, according to the US Census number 

From thence the overcrowding as for example in 41^st ST/NW 36^th S, NW 25^th ST, and 87^th Ave between NW 12^th ST and NW 36^th ST. Approximately around 100,000 people that transit through the city between workers and residents, that make their lives in the daily schedule, being a number that doubles out the quantity of the Doral residents.

As far as the lines of communication paths, it is important to explain that Doral relies with 204 road miles, some managed by the State of Florida, others by the county, the City and Private, meaning that we should team up concerning this service together with other jurisdictions. This system is constitutionalized by the Florida Turnpike (SR 821), the Palmetto Express way (SR 826), and the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836), these routes are near the Palmetto Metrorail Station, The City of Doral Trolley Service. In addition, the bike-paths and adjacent paths to the Miami International Airport

Our Plan: Bike-paths and pedestrians

We currently count with 8.8 completed miles (4.0 built miles and 4.3 shared miles with the side of the road, 0.5 miles in maintenance). It has also been planned 24.2 miles for the bike routes. We have previously mentioned the possibilities of installing a bike station.

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In the matter of pedestrian transit, we want to place ourselves at the same level of the big cities. We continue working through an agenda  - and needs – the installation of the public transportation stops protection; we will build new sidewalks, and will give maintenance to those that require it, so the we will be able to guarantee the pedestrias safety.

Transportation

The vehicle is the conveyance of greater circulation (93.3% of workers use it); 8.4 share it to go to the workplace.

The public transportation use is relatively low in comparison to the national tendency, of the State and County. Regarding bike riding, walking and other mediums of mobilization 0.8 of the workers embrace this alternative. 

Our Plan

The project as far as the lines of communication, involve the development of new included accesses with the already existing ones. The following has been planned:

•  Integration and roadrunner study of the NW 36^th/ NW 41^st

•  Expansion of 109^th Avenue with NW 41 ST. Achieve the connection of these two important paths. ( Today the conversation with the property owners of the branch that concerns us, for their integration)

•  The enlargement of NW 9^th Avenue

•  The Construction of NW 104^th Avenue

•  The Extension of NW 117^th Ave

•  Studies in the matter of Security and intersections

•  Routes for the truck traffic

•  Compliment the streets and avenues services

•  Walk paths inside the city parks 

As far as the bike and pedestrians transit, we focus on:

       Pedestrian Level:

•      A better pedestrian service in the intersection (streaked pedestrian, stepping signals)

•      Compliance Rules of sidewalk use

•      Pedestrian isles

•      Sidewalk construction

•      Connections to the Miami International Mall

•      Crossing to the middle of the street

        Regarding the bike-paths

•       Signaling the Intersection

•       Completion of the bike path system

•       Positioning racks and cabinets for cyclists

•       Bike renting program

•       Resting areas in cyclists pathways

•       Miami International Mall Connections

•       Security programs  designed as far as bike transit 

Five important areas of development

•  Project One: Divided in five stages, the integration of NW 36^th/41 ST with 114^, 112, 107, 102, and 97 avenues. Amount to be invested: $ 5,126,200. Road corridor.   

•  Project Two: the South corridor of 87^th avenue with 36^th ST, 25^th ST and 12^th ST with 87^th avenue. Three stages for the amount of $4,361,500

•  Project Three: NW 107^th Avenue and its integration for a vial corridor towards the south with NW 33^rd St, NW 25th ST, and 12^th St. three stages for the total amount of: 3,508,000.

•  Project Four: NW 107^th Avenue and its integration towards the north with NW 74^th ST and 58^th ST. Amount to be invested: 2,653,700

•  Project Five: The road corridor towards NW 58^th ST. For the amount of $650,000 in four stages.

This workshop will also allow us to have a vision of what our residents need and towards where shall we direct our actions, with the purpose of offering a better quality of life.

We are aware that Doral keeps growing and we want to ensure that developments are carried out in an organized manner.

Participate in next meetings: we want to know your opinion!