Cutler Bay officials report large soil cleanup at Legacy Park; traffic-calming roundabouts proposed

Emma Jones, owner’s representative from Stantec, told the Town of Cutler Bay council on Oct. 15 that contractors have removed most of the contaminated material from the 16-acre Legacy Park site and that permitting and the next construction phase are underway.

"We are complete with all of the soil exports. So in total, we took out 126,393 tons of contaminated soil, which is 5,393 truckloads," Jones said. She added the project has "imported 79% of the clean soil, which is approximately 7,196 truckloads." Jones said remaining soil imports and compaction will occur after additional testing around proposed underground utility trenches and irrigation pits.

The town manager said the project team is finalizing GMP 2 (the guaranteed maximum price for the vertical build) and expects bidding, pricing and value engineering to conclude by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. Jones said permit documents have been submitted and are under review and that the project team will hold a job/career fair for local trades expected to bid on work.

Council members pressed staff about a graphic showing proposed roundabouts and lane reductions on Route 212 alongside the park. Jones described a concept to reduce a four-lane segment to two lanes around the park to slow traffic and add parking. Council member Ramirez asked whether the plan would reduce lanes east of the eastern roundabout; staff said the town is coordinating with county reviewers to design the lane transitions and that county comments could change the proposed eastern roundabout. The town manager said a county meeting is scheduled Oct. 24 with division heads to discuss the corridor redesign.

Council members and staff emphasized the traffic proposal is part of a broader traffic-calming master plan and that some intersections (near schools) would not be reduced. Jones and staff said options under consideration include reduced lanes, increased medians or a dedicated bike lane.

Why it matters: the remediation numbers show the scale and cost of preparing the site for park construction; proposed off-site roadway changes would affect local traffic patterns and require county approval. The council did not take a formal vote on the Route 212 concept; staff described it as a proposal under study and subject to county review.

Ending: Town staff said final soil testing and county coordination are near-term steps; the council did not set a date for final roadway decisions but expects ongoing design work and permit reviews to continue into the winter.