Dead Serious: Miami-Dade District 8 Bicycle Safety Meeting | BikeSafe

I am committed to working within our communities to improve safety for every user. 

Bike lanes are just one example.  Bike lanes provide additional space for cars to maneuver safely and not get caught behind bikes.  Bicycles are less exposed to distracted drivers.

The law is clear: With the exception of a few types of high-speed, limited-access roadways (for example an Interstate Highway or the Turnpike), every FDOT travel lane is also a bikeway - no special signs or markings needed. In the state of Florida, the bicycle is considered a legal vehicle and may be operated on the street, unless there is some guidance otherwise, such as marked bicycle lane. The exception is the Mandatory Bike Lane Law: Since 2010, Florida law specifies that if there is a lane marked for bicycle use, then cyclists must ride in that lane except for defined exceptions. 

Bike lanes are therefore win/win. Safer place to ride, and re-opens the road to motorists.

Please see coverage in the Miami Herald: Her husband was hit by a car. Now she's pushing to make streets safer for bicyclists, by Linda Robertson

CLICK HERE to review the Village of Palmetto Bay Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan.

Palmetto Bay Cracks Down on Speeders and Stop Sign violators - its about safety. "CITE": Comprehensive Improvised Traffic Enforcement Initiative

We have worked hard to keep the village safe, one of the main reasons we incorporated Palmetto Bay.

Speeders Beware: Palmetto Bay Has its Limits. Too many residents have reached their limit with drivers who speed and ignore stop signs and we are responsive to the need to maintain safety in our Village.

The announcement is clear: "When it comes to driving in The Village, a heavy foot isn't taken lightly with police."

With traffic an overwhelming concern, a new crackdown is underway in Palmetto Bay called "CITE"; The Comprehensive Improvised Traffic Enforcement Initiative. It targets all areas of the Village, particularly those that are habitually popular with speeders and drivers who ignore stop signs.

Using their own records and residents' input, officials have assigned officers at known trouble spots during both morning and evening rush hours. 

I want to thank a fellow member of the Village Council David Singer - Please review one of my prior blog posts of Tuesday, March 13, 2018, Update on Traffic Enforcement - Major Serralta and team discuss special traffic initiatives for Palmetto Bay

Council Member David Singer and I want to thank the participants of our Traffic Safety Town Hall meeting held March 12, 2018. The council chambers was filled with fellow residents who brought forward their concerns for their neighborhoods.  Our Village Police were on hand taking notes and preparing "pink sheets" which will be used to set up special enforcement details throughout Palmetto Bay.  Your voices were heard loud and clear.  Council Member Singer and I are fully supportive of life-safety and traffic enforcement measures.

Council Member David Singer and I hosted the Town Hall.  We listened. Our Police, administration and the Council have responded through this Comprehensive Improvised Traffic Enforcement Initiative (CITE)

Please drive safe.

REQUESTING A TRAFFIC TRACE: A resident can call in the traffic trace by calling 305 278-4000 during the administrative office hours.  The police will work with you and certain hotspots will be selected for CITE.

The police administrative office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.  Please call 305 278-4000 to make the request. NOTE -There is NO DISPATCHING from that number. It's clerical only.

POLICE CONTACT NUMBERS:

 305-278-4000   General Phone (inquiries, request for services such a requesting a traffic trace):

       9-1-1          Emergency Phone:

 305-476-5423   Non-Emergency Phone:
(305-4-Police)

Update on Traffic Enforcement - Major Serralta and team discuss special traffic initiatives for Palmetto Bay

Council Member David Singer and I want to thank the participants of our Traffic Safety Town Hall meeting held March 12, 2018. The council chambers was filled with fellow residents who brought forward their concerns for their neighborhoods.  Our Village Police were on hand taking notes and preparing "pink sheets" which will be used to set up special enforcement details throughout Palmetto Bay.  Your voices were heard loud and clear.  Council Member Singer and are fully supportive of life-safety and traffic enforcement measures.

This was a first of the kind meeting where we brought multiple neighborhoods and individuals together and discussed an updated Traffic Enforcement Plan. I also want to thank those who could not attend the event, but who reached out to me over the weekend and earlier Monday to discuss their concerns.

Major Serralta discussed staffing and deployment at the current time, including the level of enhanced protection for our area schools, until they can get their police staffing up.  The projected cost to Palmetto Bay is expected to be in the area of $60,000.00 to take us to the end of this school year.

There is more to come on safety initiatives. 

Our next Town Hall meeting will be held in April and will focus on Community Safety and enhanced School Security. This Town Hall Meeting will be jointly sponsored / co-hosted by Mayor Eugene Flinn and Council Member David Singer. Both Do The Right Thing and Crime Stoppers will be participating in our next Town Hall Meeting. Principals of our area schools will be invited to participate and we expect that they (or their designee) will be available to discuss our school safety plans (to the extend that Public disclosure is allowed, we do not expect any privileged information that risks compromising the programs to be released).

Major Serralta is presently updating the traffic enforcement plans.  This plan will be brought before the Village Council for the April Regular Village Council meeting. 

Council Member David Singer and I are serious about the newly unveiled traffic enforcement program. Child safety is our priority – in or out of our schools.

I want to thank both Crime Stoppers and Do The Right Thing (DTRT) for participating and providing general and child/student safety materials for participants.  Both Do The Right Thing and Crime Stoppers will be participating in our next Town Hall Meeting, Community Safety and enhanced School Security that will be jointly sponsored / co-hosted by Mayor Eugene Flinn and Council Member David Singer.

This Traffic Safety Town Hall has been part of the interactive series that Council Member David Singer and I have been holding.  Prior Town Halls include our Traffic Calming Town Hall (Public Services) held on February 13, 2018. This meeting included our Public Services team and focused upon the traffic calming initiates that I have brought forward.

A Public Meeting was held by us regarding Transportation, on, January 24, 2018, to focus on making better use of the Village's existing IBUS routes, including discussion on improvements to transportation in the community. It was from this meeting (and other council members attended the meeting and took notes!) that the Park and Ride and other ideas came forward.

Public Meeting on Strategic Plan - January 10, 2018.  The purpose of this Town Hall Meeting was to gather resident input and feedback prior to the final adoption of the Village's Strategic Plan. Draft copies of the Strategic Plan were made available online as well as at the actual meeting.

Again, thank you all for participating, making your voices heard.  The Operations Commander took down many “pink sheets” that document problem areas and place neighborhoods in the que for the special enforcement.

The local media is taking notice of our efforts!

Fabienne Fleurantin, South Florida Uncovered, provided recent coverage on our efforts, proposals, and plans, as well as balanced reporting as to some of the resistance to public transportation in the article: Preliminary plan for Palmetto Bay I-Bus extension includes routes to FIU and MDC

Educational Advisory Committee (EAC) - updates on school school security and transportation initiatives

School safety was the big topic of the Education Advisory Committee (EAC) meeting held on Tuesday, March 6, 2018. Other important issues discussed included school transportation and a legislative update from Tallahassee. I am proud to be the liaison to this committee.

Palmetto Bay Policing Unit Major Gady Serralta presented on Palmetto Bay’s collaborative efforts on security in and surrounding our schools. Major Serralta disclosed that the enhanced security to MDCPS may reach $60,000.00 in overtime - through the remainder of this school year. I expect to bring forward budget adjustments to facilitate keeping students safe within our area.

As Mayor, I provided updates to the EAC members and guests on both village meetings on security and transportation efforts and meetings I have held with school board leaders.

Transportation is also being discussed - both on proposals I am facilitating regarding of ongoing meetings with Miami-Dade County Schools in an attempt to use our IBus to relieve school traffic as well as updating on (presently available and approved by MDCPS) car pooling initiatives - how I am working with our County Commissioner to identify potential users and encourage a dramatic increase in car pooling to schools.  Council Member David Singer appeared and privately discussed his own ideas for school transportation with District Representative. I understand that there will be a roll out for discuss in the very near future . 

Council Member David Singer and I have been hard at work holding several Town Hall Meetings on transportation (along with an upcoming traffic Safety Town Hall set for Monday, March 12, 2018).  Many ideas have arisen through the interactive discussions occurring at these town halls.

Village police officers were honored for their "life-saving actions" following the driveway shooting of an off-duty Doral officer

Palmetto Bay Officers honored for their life saving actions at the March 5, 2018, regular village council meeting.

Mayor Eugene Flinn was joined by Councilman David Singer, Village Manager Ed Silva, Village Attorney Dexter Lehtinen and Police Commander Gady Serralta in recognizing the Palmetto Bay officers.

See coverage on Palmetto Bay Patch: Palmetto Bay Police Officers Honored For 'Life-Saving Actions', by Paul Scicchitano, Patch Staff | Mar 6, 2018 

 

Council Member David Singer and I support our police! Together we recognized our Village Police for their hard work and heroics. 

Ofc Alex Castillo has 13 years with our Village! Ofc Astrid Rodriguez recently returned for her second tour with the Palmetto Bay Policing Unit.

Traffic Safety Town Hall - impact of WAZE on our Palmetto Bay Community

Please attend and be part of the discussion relating to traffic safety in Palmetto Bay. We expect to be rolling our new OT/ZERO tolerance traffic safety initiatives. I am co-hosting this meeting with Council Member David Singer.  The meeting will be held Monday, March 12, 2018, beginning at 7:00 PM (CLICK HERE to view the official village notice). Please accept our invitation to participate. 

Our Village Police Commander, Major Gadyaces Serralta, provided an interesting update at the March regular village council meeting (March 5, 2018) in discussing an area of special traffic enforcement. Major Serralta noted that most of an area's offenders were driving with a WAZE app open.  I am posting here an article that makes more than a few "interesting points" about WAZE:

Even though the app makes the route quicker for the user, that’s only in relation to other drivers not using the app, not to their previous drives. Now, because everyone is using the app, everyone’s drive-times are longer compared to the past. “These algorithms are not meant to improve traffic, they’re meant to steer motorists to their fastest path,” he says. “They will give hundreds of people the shortest paths, but they won’t compute for the consequences of those shortest paths.”

See: For the Good of Society — and Traffic! — Delete Your Map App, by Rick Paulas, NYMag.com, December 11, 2017

This is recommended reading about something that our Palmetto Bay residents are severely impacted by, noting that:

All that extra traffic down previously empty streets has created an odd situation in which cities are constantly playing defense against the algorithms.

“Typically, the city or county, depending on their laws, doesn’t have a way to fight this,” says Bayen, “other than by doing infrastructure upgrades.”

(CLICK HERE) To view the grid report of how many traffic citations (527) were issued in Palmetto Bay during the month of January 2018.  We maintain monthly reports online.

We continue to work for solutions and we continue to address ongoing issues.  The areas of concern shift from one area to anther, as Mayor Serralta advises: "The Village Policing Unit takes traffic enforcement very seriously however we do not always know where the violations have shifted to.  Our village administration/Law Enforcement does depend on our residents and elected officials to let us know if they feel there is an area that we need to address or in some cases re-address."

So please join us and provide an update to us and our police on your area(s) of concern.

Thank you,

Eugene Flinn, Mayor

Another successful "Coffee With A Cop" at Panera in Palmetto Bay

In honor of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day - L.E.A.D, (Jan 9, 2018), I Thank all the hardworking men and women who serve to keep us safe. Thank you for your commitment to strengthening our communities and protecting our residents. 

Many residents and officers of all rank participated. It was my pleasure to spend time with newly elected PBA President Steadman Stahl and our Village Police Commander, Major Gady Serralta.  Palmetto Bay initial Vice Mayor, Hon. Linda Robinson ("VM 1") joined us as well.  

There was no agenda, as advertised - just coffee and Panera treats bringing residents and our local Law Enforcement together at Panera on 136/US1.  Coffee and conversation together during the "Coffee with a Cop" event held on Tuesday, January 9, 2018.

Pre- Hurricane Irma - Palmetto Bay Police / Public Services teaming up to clear streets Tornado Watch announced

I am proud of Team Palmetto Bay. They were hard at work trying to keep our streets passable in the early stages of the storm - for any last-minute evacuees as well as for our first responders.  The efforts were called off at approximately 12:30 PM due to announcement of a Tornado Watch.

Despite the fact that Hurricane Irma hours away from South Florida; the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch in nine counties: Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, as well as Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee and mainland Monroe. Residents remaining in the watch area should watch for tornadoes until midnight.

Tornadoes are a common result of the whirling winds hurricanes bring ashore.

Team Palmetto Bay is now off the road due to the tornado watch - but our policing unit remains safely deployed throughout the Village keeping us safe.  

We have no single position specialists in Palmetto Bay - we are "Government lite" and benefit from a team of dedicated, cross trained, multiple talent, team members.  I was pleased to be out of the house, from behind the shutters and working off the built up energy clearing the roads with MDPD/Village Police Commander, Major Serralta, Village Manager Ed Silva and public works, helping to clear the roads.

 

POD - Miami-Dade County Marine Patrol - patrolling C100 within Palmetto Bay

Thank you to our Village Manager Ed Silva; who continues to work for solutions and to be responsive.  I want to publically thank manager Silva and Palmetto Bay Village Police Commander Major Serralta for positive action moving forward on the concerns of many residents in regard to police patrols for the C100 canal.

Friday, 1/20/2107 - County Marine Patrol was seen working the C100 canal within Palmetto Bay.  This is good news.  Our village commander has obtained at least some enforcement on our canals.  I see this as excellent progress. 

 

I thank Major Serralta & Manager Silva for working this out.  Here is a photo of our COUNTY Marine Patrol at work within Palmetto Bay municipal boundaries.  Violators beware.  

Feel free to distribute.   

 

Very truly yours,

 

Eugene Flinn, Mayor,

Palmetto Bay

POD New speed trailer - LPR (license plate reader capable) coming to Palmetto Bay

Photo of the day.

This is a new delivery police equipment budged for this current fiscal year (2016-17).  Village Police Commander Serralta is inside checking out a new tool to help calm our traffic issues.

This unit comes equipped with a license plate reader and is solar-powered. It will be fully operation soon and will be coming to a street near you.

I am pleased that our Police Commander focuses on traffic enforcement - a priority issue in Palmetto Bay.

Serious business, though many have taken a humorous look at this photo and mentioned that we looked behind the curtain and found the secret to the LPR (License Plate Reader) speed trailer. It's an officer hidden inside with binoculars and a note pad.

Obviously, this trailer will be deployed throughout the village as another tool to limit cut through speeders in our village. 

Eugene Flinn, Mayor
Village of Palmetto Bay.

Welcome aboard Major - and thank you for the strong stand in addressing Palmetto Bay's Traffic woes.

I am so pleased with our new Village Police Commander, Gadyaces Serralta.  There is a must read article published online - Miami Herald, as well as in the Sunday, December 13, 2015, Neighbors section, page 4SE.

Read the Miami Herald article (while it remains available online), December 11, 2015, New police commander settled in, battles roaring traffic, by Monique O. Madan.

He has been hard at work with our Village Policing Unit tackling more than just a perp or two, he is fully onboard with one of my biggest missions – or as Major Serralta is quoted: “Our traffic enforcement initiative, where we target areas in Palmetto Bay that have a high rate of complaints — places with countless traffic violations,” said. “It’s been really busy.”

Busy is what we need to put a dent in this situation.  We can praise or grouse monthly on the crime stats each month, but traffic affects us all whenever schools are in session. 

This is a multidisciplinary approach, including public works which is hard at work in-house as well as collaboratively with Miami-Dade County on projects such as signage as well as permanent and temporary traffic calming devices.

The article goes on to reveal that; During his off time, the police commander enjoys doing charity work. Recently he participated and volunteered at a few 5K walk-a-thons and a massive fundraiser that goes toward feeding Miami’s hungry children. 

“I encourage officers to give up their time as well; we are public servants,” he said.

Recent 5Ks included the Reason to Run 5K, held in Palmetto Bay, that he and his unit volunteered to assist. He also assisted the Village council in the Veterans Day event held at post #133 in Palmetto Bay (pictured above left).

Serralta also enjoys hiking. His favorite is the Appalachian Trail – Personally, I would enjoy getting our new Major out on a bicycle.

Thank you Village Police Commander Serralta.  Welcome aboard.  Thank you for addressing what is presently our #1 concern – traffic.   

Eugene Flinn