Update on FDOT projects

This week is a holiday grab bag of items. Let’s start with a welcome, a quick update on FDOT planned activities, and a reply to the letter in Saturday’s paper on debt.

Welcome

We were sad to see Sylvia Edwards leave last July to become the Finance Director of Sanibel. The City now welcomes our new Finance Director, Dorothy Pendergrass. Dorothy’s experience includes working as the Finance Director for the cities of Deltona, Florida and Monett, Missouri. She also has seven years’ experience as a public auditor. She has a BA in Business Administration and has held a Missouri CPA license for 13 years. Welcome, Dorothy!

Road and Street Projects

Many people are not aware that planning and maintenance responsibility for streets in our town is shared between the City, the County, and the State depending on the particular street. Most streets and alleys are the City’s responsibility. Certain streets, including Buck More Road, Burns Ave, South 9th Street (south of the railroad tracks), South 11th St, and Hunt Brothers Road are the County’s responsibility. The State, through its Department of Transportation (FDOT), is responsible for State Road(SR) 60, SR 17 (Scenic Highway), and US 27.

The FDOT 5 year Capital Improvement Program lists a number of projects in our area:

• SR 60, construction of medians between 11th St and Capps Road: FDOT staff is planning to conduct an open house meeting with the anticipated date to be in early February. The plan for this project is available for review in the Planning and Development office at City Hall.
• SR 60 re-surfacing projects:
• Scenic Highway overpass to 11th Street;
• Peace Creek to US 27
• Scenic Highway: Two sections of Scenic Highway are scheduled for resurfacing:
• Starr Ave. to Waverly Road; and
• Ray Martin Rd. through downtown to Mt. Lake Cutoff Rd.
• Scenic Highway drainage improvements are planned between Seminole and Osceola Aves. City staff is working with FDOT staff on this project.

Planning continues on the intersection at Scenic Highway and Mt. Lake Cutoff Road.

City Commissioners and staff have been involved in several of the FDOT projects (as well as the county projects) to urge those agencies to take action. For example, the construction of the traffic signal at Scenic Highway and Mt. Lake Cutoff Road has been a high priority for the City for years. This project involves funding from both the state and the county, a request for a property donation from the Mountain Lake Corporation to accommodate turn lanes in all directions, and continued monitoring by FDOT staff to determine if that intersection meets all FDOT requirements for a traffic signal.

Other Projects

Recently the City Commission approved an agreement with FDOT to provide an upgrade of the railroad crossing at South 9th Street. This railroad crossing, just south of the Whispering Ridge subdivision, crosses south 9th Street at an unusual angle. The improved crossing will have flashing lights and cross arms and will be installed by the railroad. The City and the railroad will share the annual maintenance for the crossing, with the City’s portion initially capped at $1,573 annually plus future cost adjustments.

A Reply to a letter in Saturday’s paper

A letter in Saturday’s paper again questioned debt figures and information I provided in last week’s column. All of the information provided in that column is accurate and responsive to the earlier letter. The date I used for discussing the City’s principal balance is the first reporting date after I arrived in July, 2001, and all of that debt was in place before my arrival. Again, this and other financial information is available on the City’s website, http://www.cityoflakewales.com/.

Road Improvements

The need for street improvements in our town has been a frequent topic of conversation in the past. With the City Commission’s approval of the recent bond issue and resurfacing project, the County’s resurfacing of Buck Moore Road and Burns Avenue, and the FDOT’s (Florida Department of Transportation) widening of US 27 and work on SR 60 east, this year has seen a welcome and substantial improvement in street conditions. Let’s take a look now at some additional improvements planned for the South 11th St, South 9th Street, and the SR 60 east area.

A New Route Connecting South 11th St to South 9th Street

On 11th street just south of SR 60 a new section of Grove Avenue is being paved. The developer of Whispering Ridge is doing this work as required by the development agreement negotiated with the City. When this section is finished it will provide a new route between South 9th St and South 11th St without having to use SR 60. This improvement has become more important since the County, at the City’s request several years ago, paved South 9th street south of the railroad tracks.

The railroad crossing on South 9th Street is also scheduled for improvement, as the City Commission recently approved an agreement with FDOT in which they will construct a new crossing complete with flashing lights and cross arms that are lowered as a train approaches. The City will be responsible for one-half of the annual maintenance cost of this new equipment.

New Project for SR 60 east of 11th St: Grass Medians

At the November 18 City Commission meeting the Commission will be asked to approve the conceptual plan for constructing a grass median on SR 60, from 11th St east to a section with an existing median near Capps Road. Elimination of the middle turn lane between 11th Street and Capps Road and construction of the median were recommended by an engineering safety study. If approved the $1.5 million project will be funded by highway safety funds and will be scheduled for design in 2009/2010 and construction in 2010/2011. The City would then seek funding for landscaping the median.

The median would limit the ability of motorists to make turns. For example, the conceptual plan would allow turning movements as follows:

• Open Intersections allowing turns in any direction


• 11th St


• 12th St/the driveway just west of the Tractor Supply building


• 14thst/the entrance to the Winn Dixie plaza


• Buck Moore Rd/Hunt Brothers Road


• Lewis Griffin Rd/Evergreen Drive


• Entrance to the Country Club/County Fire Station


• Hibiscus Drive
  
• Limited access to streets and driveways serving the following properties:


• McDonald’s and the Orange Grove Plaza West driveway: right turns only (going in, coming out)


• Tractor Supply East driveway: right turns only


• 13th St, Hamlin St (Perkins and Race Track): right and left turn in, right turn out, no left turn out


• Most of the businesses on the North side of SR 60 from 13th to 14th Street – right turns only


• Walgreen’s driveway: right turns only


• Bank and All-Star Grill plaza driveways east of Buck Moore: right turns only


• Wal-Mart and other businesses’ driveway: right turns only


• Orange Park Blvd: right turns in and out, left turn in, no left turn out


• Tangelo St: right and left turns in, right turn out, no left turn in


• Highland Dr, Shady Oak Ave, Myrtle Ave: right turns only


• Driveways east of Lewis Griffin Road: right turns only

A copy of the conceptual plan for this project is available for review at City Hall during normal business hours. A copy of the plan can also be viewed on the City’s website (http://www.cityoflakewales.com/). All affected businesses listed above are scheduled to be notified and are invited to attend the November 18 Commission meeting, which starts at 6 pm at City Hall. For further information please call City Hall at 678-4182 extension 225.

Assorted Items of Interest

This week let’s look at several topics of interest in our town.

Trail and Sidewalk Planning

There have been questions asked recently about the new trail on the east side of North Wailes Drive. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee recommended the connection between the new Trailway to Spook Hill Elementary School to improve safety for school children. Using asphalt allowed for a wider path at a lower cost than the use of concrete. It also opened up the paved area for easier travel for bicyclists. The east side of the street was chosen since it keeps pedestrians from having to cross a number of streets and provides a much safer path for the elementary school students.

The next phase of this work will include painting in a crosswalk, the installation of signage, and the construction of a concrete sidewalk on school property. Additional sections of sidewalks are planned along the west side of North Wailes Dr. south of the Trailway to make a connection down to Lakeshore Drive.

SR 60 East: Lighting and Medians

City staff approached FDOT several years ago to inquire about their ability to improve street lighting on State Road 60 from 11th St to Buck Moore Road. FDOT completed that work months ago. City staff then approached FDOT about the feasibility of continuing the grass median from 11th St to the east. FDOT staff prepared a conceptual plan that is on display in the lobby of city hall. The City Commission will be asked to endorse their plan, and FDOT staff will then hold an open house to review and explain the plan to affected property owners and interested citizens.

At present this stretch of State Road 60 has an open turn lane. Motorists traveling either east or west can pull into the lane and then turn left. Unfortunately, some drivers also use this lane as an “acceleration” lane. If they want to turn left from a street, say 12th Street for example, but traffic is heavy going in that direction, drivers sometimes pull into the center lane and drive there until traffic opens up and they can move over. This is a very dangerous move.

FDOT has federal safety funds that can be used for this sort of project. The conceptual plan shows that there will be full openings at some intersections, and “directed” turns (which only allow cars to turn a certain direction) at other locations. Landscaping will be provided to enhance this area and make a very nice entryway into town from east SR 60. The median will end west of Capps Road.

Park Planning, Trees

The Parks and Community Appearance Board has been busy. The board recently heard a presentation from an arborist regarding trees in Lake Wailes Park, including the type of trees and their condition. One of the arborist’s recommendations will involve ways to relieve the stress of some large trees caused by mowing grass beneath the trees. These areas may need to be mulched.

City staff is also researching available properties in the northern areas of the city for the building of a city park. It is anticipated that recreation impact fee funds, as well as any available grant funds, would be used for this purpose.

Utility System Improvements Workshop

Every year the City Commission approves a plan that lists the capital improvements that will be needed for the next year. The plan recently adopted contains financing and expenditures for the first phase of work for the wastewater treatment plant. This work includes maintenance work for the plant, which is now twenty years old, as well as other improvements and a small expansion of capacity. There are also plans to extend a water line to connect to the new airport system and go further west on SR 60. It is anticipated that these topics will be discussed at an upcoming City Commission workshop.