Professional Planning and Engineering Consulting Services for NE 36th Street Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Project

The City of Oakland Park is soliciting proposals from qualified planning firms to provide Professional Planning and Engineering Consulting Services - NE 36th Street Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Project. The City intends to select the highest-ranked qualified firm. The project will enhance rail and pedestrian safety, community connectivity, and access to employment, educational, healthcare, and recreational destinations by closing the existing NE 36th Street rail crossing, moving the gates to NE 34th Court, and building a pedestrian overpass bridge. The project is located at NE 36th Street between NE 12th Avenue and State Road 811 North Dixie Highway in Oakland Park, Broward County, Florida. The crossing is identified as USDOT Crossing No. 272541C at FEC milepost 1018.78. The FEC corridor carries freight service, as well as Brightline passenger service, with trains operating at speeds up to 79 miles per hour. The City proposes to close the existing vehicular grade crossing while maintaining east-west access for people walking, bicycling, using mobility devices, or using other lawful micromobility modes. The working concept is a grade-separated pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting the east side of the tracks near NE 12th Avenue with the west side of North Dixie Highway. The final configuration will be established through alternatives analysis, agency coordination, environmental review, public input, and engineering. The project is intended to address the safety risks created by the at-grade crossing and the difficult pedestrian environment at North Dixie Highway, avoid a detour of up to one-third mile after crossing closure, support access to downtown Oakland Park and a planned commuter-rail station, and improve connectivity for surrounding disadvantaged communities.