Officials: Ives Dairy Road safety improvements to be completed by this time next year
MIAMI - CBS4 highlighted traffic concerns on Ives Dairy between 441 and I-95 in May. The Department of Transportation and Public Works has since closely studied the area.
"We're trying to identify issues throughout that corridor and try to improve the entire segment," said Miguel Soria, Assistant Director of DTPW.
The county continues its effort to make this stretch of road safer. Still, neighbors share they still don't feel safe in their backyards.
Monday's a stark reminder as to why: A car crashed through the wall early in the morning, leaving a family frightened.
"Fear," exclaimed the homeowner. "Wow. I didn't know what to do. I was shaken."
This mom of two was dropping her kids off at school. She found out through a text message a driver had rammed the wall protecting her home.
"I'm shocked," shared the woman, not wanting to be identified with this story. "I'm as shocked as you are. Very sad. Very unfortunate. The worst part is that this could have been avoided."
The family has since boarded up the hole.
The accident happened just after seven in the morning. This security footage from a neighbor shows a black Cadillac making a left onto San-Simeon Way off Ives Dairy Road. As it hurries, it winds up through a wall, striking a barbeque with multiple propane tanks nearby.
"Should feel safe," she explained. "Pretty sad I have to think twice about where I'm putting my belongings."
She shares that drivers on this roadway are constantly in a rush.
"They forget about safety for seconds, and it creates accidents," she shared.
CBS4 does not know the health status of the person driving the car. We contacted the Miami-Dade Police Department for more information on the accident. As of Monday night, CBS4 has not heard back.
At the big intersection, right near Monday's car crash scene, potential upcoming changes include signal timing, and adding sturdy safety posts on the northbound San Simeon Way while creating a shared left turn lane on the other side.
"So it will be like a double left," said Soria. "Signal itself will be timed or sequenced so it can accommodate those movements."
They're in design and hopeful of completing it within 6-8 months. The focus extends beyond one intersection for this significant roadway. An analysis is ongoing to see how the county can improve all intersections along this stretch.
"The timing is important," shared Soria. "You can slow traffic down throughout the intersection with controlled timing through it."
Soria also says they will increase signage to discourage people from speeding.
By this time next year, the goal is to implement all safety improvements along this stretch of road.
Ives Dairy Road and San Simeon Way Update - 10/17/2022
• The County held a community meeting at the California Club Branch Library on July 21, 2022, to update the community on the progress made to date and presented 2 proposals for modifications to the intersection of Ives Dairy Road and San Simeon Way to improve traffic safety.
• The meeting included the Office of Vice Chairman Gilbert, the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) and the Miami-Dade Police Department.
• At the meeting the members of the community voiced a clear preference for Alternative No. 2. Based on this feedback DTPW proceeded to prepare detailed plans and the project is currently going through the funding allocation process.
• Alternative No. 2 consists of the following modification to the intersection of Ives Dairy Rd. and San Simeon Way, the southbound approach shall consist of one left turn lane, one shared left and thru lane, and a right turn lane. Other improvements consist of increasing the eastbound left turn storage to Northbound San Simeon Way and installing bollards. With this alternative, the two receiving lanes for the northbound traffic remain.
• At the meeting the community also requested an additional signal at the intersection of San Simeon Way and NE 207th Ln. DTPW is moving forward with this project and is currently in the process of funding and design for the proposed signal.
• DTPW also advised the community that they would be conducting a traffic study beginning in September to capture school traffic. The study, which is currently in progress, is to review the feasibility of making additional safety modifications to all the intersections on Ives Dairy Road from I-95 to 441.
