Coral Gables Public Works crews started installing traffic calming improvements on the 5000 block of Alhambra Circle on Tuesday after meeting with neighborhood residents that morning to hear their concerns about speeding and safety.

Mayor Vince Lago announced the project on X, saying the improvements "will help slow traffic and make this area safer for everyone in the neighborhood." His post showed construction already underway on the block.

The city has not specified what type of devices are being installed, such as speed cushions, raised crosswalks or signage.

Project follows years of citywide traffic calming push

The Alhambra Circle project is the latest in a traffic calming program that has installed more than 145 devices since 2022, according to Deputy City Manager Joe Gomez, who described the program's scope at a public presentation. The city has received roughly 250 traffic calming requests in that time.

Gomez said the program was established after Coral Gables entered into an interlocal agreement with Miami-Dade County about a decade ago.

Traffic calming with resident engagement and speed studies is a stated priority in Lago's 2025-2027 Strategic Priorities Plan, which the City Commission adopted in October. The city's five-year capital plan, presented in June, included $400,000 in state appropriations earmarked for traffic calming.

Corridor already under construction, bike lane debate

The 5000 block project comes after the city issued a construction advisory in April for overnight milling and resurfacing on Alhambra Circle from Ponce de Leon Boulevard to Le Jeune Road, with traffic redirected during work hours from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to the city's official account.

Alhambra Circle has also been at the center of mobility debates. Public Works Director Hermes Diaz told the City Commission in October that previous efforts to install bike lanes on parts of the corridor faced opposition from adjacent property owners concerned about parking and traffic impacts. One bike lane segment south of U.S. 1 on South Alhambra, advanced by resident petition, was expected to move forward this year, Diaz said.

The city has not released a completion timeline for the 5000 block improvements or announced a public comment period tied to the project. Residents with traffic concerns can contact Public Works through the city's traffic calming request process.