Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 02-14-12 cra — reading text

Walkable Areas the CRA Through the Installation of Pedestrian -Frie Featui Ensure Adequate Bicycle Facilitl the 6 Ensure Adequate and Accessible" 6rkisn CRA The transportation S sf ithin t, Fort Walton CRA is functional, but can be congested and unsafe at times. Mai e " such a iracle Strip Parkway ( U.S. Highway 98), Eglin Parkw, . Road' and" - ay ( State Road 89) carry a capacity of up to 33, 500 a' : a. us ' traffic), 38, 000 AADT, and 15, 000 AADT, respectively. E,: Duet e already bw na h City, and the CRA specifically, most road widening pro increase ca pa throu' dditional lanes on major roadways are not feasible. Therefore,' , 1& important to us on'transportation improvements that can improve mobility in the CRA, s enhanced' destrian facilities, bikeways, and other congestion management and traffi ' l "s tee ni s. Providing multimodal transportation options in the CRA is increasingly impo "` -: in o Y to support the denser, mixed -use development pattern planned for the CRA. When traffic volumes approach or exceed capacity during peak hours or seasons, the resulting congestion reduces mobility. Congestion management can include roadway design practices such as limiting the number of driveways on arterials, installing needed turning lanes, intersection improvements, rerouting through- traffic, and traffic signal synchronization. Other congestion management strategies include ways to actually reduce capacity by encouraging other modes of City of Fort Walton Beach February 2012 Packet Pg. 34 -  F-7 .1. a 2012 Community Redevelopment Plan transportation including transit service, walking, and bicycling. Traffic calming principally involves managing vehicle speed, modifying drivers' behaviors, and reducing traffic volume in order to increase the safety level for all modes of travel. The most common practices for traffic calming include installing speed tables, medians, street trees, pavement treatments, signage, and diverters. G. 1oti.. R,. ndumv Anal. veie SR 85 ( Eglin Parkway) Undivided 6 -lane major arterial Median provements, continuous surrounded by primarily stree a. improved sidewalks, sidewalks, underground commercial land uses, including wi Uptown Station t improved pedestrian rossin it continuous curb cuts, proved at circulation an crossings; US 98 ( Miracle Strip 4- lane divided major si trial Improved p Rom forced speed n oks Bridge Parkway) carrying through tr. Pensacola to Panama `' ow ovements; wid nd improved speed limit, new stree .= stdetiralks west of Brooks Street; downtown; tree -lined medians treetscaping west of Brooks Street pved sidewalks, additional SR 189 ( Beal Parkway) Undivided 41 ^ nor arterial Pe ' crossings Brooks Street 2 -lane ` local" w S tscaping and/ or underground no lines south side; additional raised y ume traffic; s nly; low sptlls, existin pedestrian crossings; well -marked rais destrian croSngs parking, additional lighting Hollywood Boulevard Und '` ed" 2- lane': ?3̀ minor Improved sidewalks ( wider ici a and sidewalks, continuous sidewalks), landscape, street paled ^': principally stree[ scape/ in the light reconfiguration for marked bike lanes indus " ixcd use retail district and possibly 4 -lanes or landscaped medians with turn lanes, marked s+ pedestrian crossings First Street, S mreet, 9ny ` local" roads in the CRA Some of the local streets could be Third Street, Too tree[, a set up fairly grid -like, improved through strectscaping, wider Bass Avenue, Shell <; providing alternate routes through landscaping, sidewalks, Barbeson Avenue, C" the main part of the CRA. sidewalks, continuous sidewalks, and Drive, Alder Avgme, pedestrian friendly crossings and Chicago Avenue, McGriff intersections Street, Waller Martin Road, Windham Avenue, Tupelo Avenue Lowery Place, Buck Drive, and Hughes Street Fort Walton Beach February Packet Pg. 35  7. 1. a 2012 Community Redevelopment Plan 1. Install speed tables on local roads to reduce vehicle speeds. According to the Florida Department of Transportation ( FDOT), speed tables promote smooth flow of traffic at slow speeds, less than 25 miles per hour, and are reasonable on local residential streets. Speed humps have the potential for traffic calming and can be applied for roads with two lanes. Speed humps are recommended on Brooks Street to reduce speeds. Additional signage and striping to identify speed humps and high levels of pedestrian activity are also recommended. for hedges to create a 2. Install " buffers" along the ROW, such as landscaping, lighting , visual and physical separation of traffic and pedestrian,, ivity. Buffers should be incorporated with on- street parking and bicycle lanes. t$ eecmmended for buffers S' include Miracle Strip Parkway and Eglin Parkway whe> aping currently exists. Low hedges may be incorporated into Hollywo $ OUlevazd` "' ovements. Require sidewalks to be set back from the street, when poss., , cad of at th' kb. 3. Educate the public. Successful congestion n in part, Ang people aware of the available choices for transportation`. choose trave" ffiptions other than the car, especially a car with one person, trips on the road will be reduced. Therefore, it is important. o provide in where possible, support to neighborhoods and businesses rega . new t iects in the CRA and the benefits of multimodal transportation .... e Organization ( TPO) process 4. Continue to actively participate in the I to prioritize needed pr ' , , the CRA. Insert graphics of Public: sportation h alle ra is congestion, improve air quality, and is much more eco '?;: for residents visito .; an single- occupancy motor vehicle travel. Okaloosa County Service cu y provides three bus routes within the Fort Walton Beach CRA. There are "" Ximately bus stops in the CRA, each with a pickup frequency of approximately . I' / z hon Ideally, a transit sto Id be located every '/ a mile so