The Miami River Commission’s (MRC) Economic Development and Commerce (EDC) Working Group convened its regularly scheduled second Tuesday of the month meeting on June 11, 2002, 3 pm, at the Rosenstiel School, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Dean’s Conference Room.  Megan Kelly and Phil Everingham chaired the meeting.  The meeting opened with self-introductions.  The attendance sheets are enclosed.

David Miller, Miami River Commission, provided the EDC with a status report regarding the MRC’s request for a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Miami Intermodal Center.  Miller stated the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) written response to the MRC’s request was reviewed and discussed at the last MRC Executive board meeting.  MRC staff will draft a response letter, and provide it to the EDC during the July meeting.

Dat Huynh, FDOT, Fara Pardina, MRD consulting, and Carlos Cejas, Gannett Fleming, made a presentation regarding the NW 5^th Street Bridge.  Mr. Huynh stated Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Plan is on the fast track, and will be completed by December, 2002.  The bridge was constructed by the City of Miami in 1925, and subsequently turned over to FDOT.  Huynh provided the EDC with the enclosed two pages entitled, “NW 5^th Street Bridge PD&E Study” and “Meeting Agenda”.  Bibeau asked the FDOT and consultants to consider adding the following bullets to the information for future public meetings:

a.      Revise “Brief History – Bridge was hit by a vessel in tow” with “The NW 5th Street Bridge has been struck 10 times in the last 10 years by vessels in tow.

b.      Revise “Brief History – Closed for Repair for eight months” with the total amount of time the bridge was closed for repairs over all the times it was struck

c.      Under “Need for the Project” – Include the fact that the Army Corps of Engineers letter dated 5/13/29 deemed the NW 5^th Street Bridge as an illegal bridge.

d.      Under “Need for the project” – Include the fact that the bridge is askew to the river, requiring vessels to enter the bridge at an angle, and straighten once through the opening

FDOT has contacted property owners in the area, and asked them to complete a survey about the NW 5^th Street Bridge.  The MRC will participate in the upcoming public hearings.  The NW 5^th Street bridge timeline is as follows:  Design – 2003-2006 and Construction – 2006-2007.  The EDC asked the FDOT and consultants to make a presentation regarding the NW 5^th Street Bridge to the full MRC on September 2, 2002.

The next regularly scheduled EDC meeting is the second Tuesday of the month, July 9, 2002, 3 pm, in the Rosenstiel School, 4600 Rickenbacker Casueway.

The meeting was adjourned.