Town of Cutler Bay Celebrates Groundbreaking of Franjo Road Project
Cutler Bay, FL – August 8, 2024 – The Town of Cutler Bay marked a significant milestone today with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Franjo Road Complete Streets Project. This long-awaited project, which has been in the planning and funding stages for over six years, promises to enhance public safety, improve accessibility, and provide more transit options for residents.
The ceremony was attended by several esteemed guests, including members of the Town Council and notable officials such as Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) Chairman Robert Wolfarth, Former Mayor and current CITT 2nd Vice Chair Peggy Bell, Miami-Dade County’s Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Executive Director Aileen Boucle, and representatives from the offices of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins.
Project Overview
Franjo Road, a major arterial roadway within the Town of Cutler Bay, is a county-owned and maintained road. The Complete Streets Project will transform this vital corridor with several key improvements:
- Traffic Circles: New traffic circles at the intersections of Franjo Road with Gulfstream Road and Cutler Ridge Drive.
- Lane Expansion: Expansion from two to three lanes, including a center turn lane and dedicated turn lanes at critical intersections.
- Infrastructure Enhancements: Installation of new street lighting, decorative bus shelters with pull-out bays, and significant drainage improvements.
- Accessibility: Full ADA compliance with new ramps and improved accessibility throughout the corridor.
- Bike Lanes: Dedicated bicycle share lanes to promote safer cycling in the area.
The project, with an estimated construction cost of $16 million, is funded through contributions from various sources, including $8.3 million from Miami-Dade County, $2.2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and $5.5 million from the Town’s Peoples Transportation Plan (PTP). Importantly, this project is being completed without using residents' ad-valorem taxes.
Cutler Bay has set a high bar with award-winning complete streets projects like Caribbean Boulevard and Old Cutler Road, both partially funded by a Joint Participation Agreement (JPA). The Franjo Road Complete Streets Project continues this tradition of excellence, further enhancing our community’s infrastructure and connectivity.
Construction Phases
The construction will be carried out in five phases, beginning with Phase 1 from SW 184th Street to Sterling Drive, which starts this month and is expected to be completed by November 2024. The Town’s Public Works Department has proactively engaged the community, including holding a virtual meeting with over 135 parents from Holy Rosary School and distributing project information door-to-door along the entire Franjo Road corridor.
For more details about the Franjo Road Complete Streets Project, including phase timelines, detours, and other updates, please visit the Franjo Road Project Overview page.
A video featuring remarks from CITT Chairman Robert Wolfarth and Mayor Tim Meerbott, highlighting the project’s connection to other transportation initiatives in the county, is below:
Contact Information
Residents with questions about the project phases, detours, or general inquiries can contact the Town of Cutler Bay Public Works Department at:
Public Works Department
Phone: (305) 234-4262
Email: aquintero@cutlerbay-fl.gov
We, the Town of Cutler Bay, are excited to see this project come to fruition and look forward to the many benefits it will bring to our community.
Click here to download high-quality pictures of the event.
For media inquiries, please email media@cutlerbay-fl.gov.
