Plantation council narrows options for Midtown bike lanes; staff to design protected bike lane with landscaping and further review

Plantation city staff and a consultant briefed the City Council on three design alternatives for bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Southwest Sixth Street and Southwest 70th Avenue in the Midtown district. After discussion with staff, departments and Midtown advisory board members, the council signaled a preference for a protected-bike alternative that repurposes the outside travel lane, adds a roundabout at Sixth and 70th and increases pedestrian and landscaping amenities.

The city engineer, Samira Shalan, and consultant Winston Lucky of Keith & Associates presented three concepts: (1) a low-cost shared-lane ("sharrow") approach with minimal changes and no roundabout; (2) repurposing the outside lane to provide a dedicated buffered bike lane with physical delineation and an optional roundabout; and (3) a more extensive reconstruction that would widen a shared-use path, add landscaping and require greater drainage and utility work (highest projected cost, about $6 million). The consultant's evaluation matrix rated alternative 2 highest overall because it balances safety, cost and right-of-way impacts.

Councilmember Reinstein urged a protected, physical barrier between vehicles and cyclists. "To me, it has to have the delineators," Reinstein said, citing concerns about distracted drivers and cyclist safety. Several council members also emphasized landscaping and the need to keep pedestrian connections attractive and usable for residents, visitors and small businesses.

Debate focused on the trade-offs between different physical separators. Some council members favored low-profile raised devices often called "zebras" or "zipper" elements; others favored larger removable delineators. Councilmember Anderson and others flagged maintenance and safety risks if devices are frequently struck by cars or become road debris. Mayor Sotto read reporting about similar plastic barriers (often called "armadillos") that had been removed in other local projects and asked staff to evaluate safety data for barrier types.

Staff said the proposed Option 2 would avoid major right-of-way acquisition while providing improved traffic calming and pedestrian crossings (rapid flashing beacons). The city reported it had engaged fire, police, public works and Midtown stakeholders in preliminary review; staff also acknowledged some fire access constraints and said design would ensure a continuous 16-foot fire lane where needed.

Council reached consensus to move the preferred concept into design (the repurposed outside-lane with protected bikeway and roundabout at Sixth & 70th), with direction to: compare barrier types (delineators vs. low-profile profiles), refine landscaping and drainage design, and coordinate with public-safety departments for emergency access. Staff will return with a design-level scope and cost estimate for council review.

Why it matters: the project fills a missing multimodal connection between Pine Island Road and University Drive while advancing the Midtown master plan goals for walkability and transit orientation. The choice of physical protection, landscaping and intersection design will shape safety and placemaking in a rapidly redeveloping district.

What comes next: design-level engineering, further review of barrier safety and maintenance options, and a public outreach phase before council approves final plans and funding.