TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Price Boulevard Widening Project: Typical Roadway Cross Section between Sumter Boulevard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Recommended Action
Approve the typical roadway cross section for the Price Boulevard Widening Project between Sumter Boulevard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Background Information
The project team has evaluated various components of the proposed roadway to maximize multi-modal usage of the limited Price Boulevard right-of-way. Price Boulevard is functionally classified as an arterial roadway, the purpose of which is to carry higher volumes of traffic at higher speeds than residential streets and collector roads. The Complete Streets Ordinance, presented to the City Commission at their March 6, 2018 meeting is intended to encourage non-motorized users and complements the City of North Port Unified Land Development Code, which specifies a minimum width of eight (8) feet for sidewalks on both sides of the roadway and a minimum width of five (5) feet for bicycle lanes on both sides of the roadway. Accordingly, the City Commission consensus at their January 9, 2018, meeting was for staff to propose a typical roadway cross section including “expansive” sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
The width of the travel lanes is eleven (11) feet and the center dual left lane width is proposed to be twelve (12) feet. The curb and gutter width along the outside of the roadway on each side is two (2) feet. The width between the back of curb and inside edge of sidewalk (for mailbox posts, sign posts and solid waste containers) is two (2) feet. The remaining space on each side of the roadway to facilitate streetlight poles, power poles, sidewalk and bicycle lane is eighteen (18) feet. The following options were evaluated by staff to accommodate the bicycle lanes, sidewalks and outside area (from back of sidewalk to right-of-way line) within the footprint of the 100’ wide right-of-way:
1. Option 1
Sidewalk width: 8 feet
Bicycle Lane width: 7 feet
Outside Width: 3 feet
Pros:
Ø Complies with the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) regarding sidewalks on arterial roadways.
Ø Sufficiently wide to accommodate both pedestrians and novice bicyclists.
Ø More conducive to use by groups of pedestrians
Ø Same width as existing sidewalk on Price Boulevard and similar to existing sidewalks on
Ø Sumter Boulevard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Ø Exceeds ULDC requirement for bicycle lane width on arterial roadways.
Ø Increases safety for bicyclists as defined by the Florida Department of Transportation
Ø (FDOT) guidelines for bicycle lanes.
Ø Addresses City Commission consensus for expansive sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
Cons:
Ø Minimal width between back of sidewalk and right-of-way line for streetlight poles and power poles and tie back to existing ground.
Ø May require temporary construction easements (TCE) located outside of the 100’ right-of-way.
2. Option 2
Sidewalk Width: 8 feet
Bicycle Lane Width: 6 feet
Outside Width: 4 feet
Pros:
Ø Complies with the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) regarding sidewalks on arterial roadways.
Ø Sufficiently wide to accommodate both pedestrians and novice bicyclists
Ø More conducive to use by groups of pedestrians.
Ø Same width as existing sidewalk on Price Boulevard and similar to existing sidewalks on
Sumter Boulevard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Ø Exceeds ULDC requirement for bicycle lane width on arterial roadways.
Ø Complies with FDOT guidelines for bicycle lanes.
Ø Addresses City Commission consensus for expansive sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
Ø Increased width from back of sidewalk to right-of-way line by one foot compared to Option
1.
Cons:
Ø Reduces safety for bicyclists compared to Option 1.
Ø Reduced width between back of sidewalk and right-of-way line for streetlight poles and power poles and tie back to existing ground.
Ø May require temporary construction easements (TCE) outside of the 100’ right-of-way.
3. Option 3
Sidewalk Width: 8 feet
Bicycle Lane Width: 5 feet
Outside Width: 5 feet
Pros:
Ø Complies with the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) regarding sidewalks on arterial roadways.
Ø Sufficiently wide to accommodate both pedestrians and novice bicyclists.
Ø More conducive to use by groups of pedestrians.
Ø Same width as existing sidewalk on Price Boulevard and similar to existing sidewalks on
Sumter Boulevard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Ø Meets ULDC requirement for bicycle lane width on arterial roadways.
Ø Maximizes width from back of sidewalk to right-of-way line by two feet compared to Option
1 and by one foot compared to Option 2.
Ø More room to tie back to existing ground.
Ø Minimize the need for temporary construction easements (TCE) outside of the 100’ right-of-way.
Cons:
Ø Does not fully address City Commission consensus for expansive sidewalks and bicycle
lanes.
Ø Reduces safety for bicyclists compared to Options 1 and 2.
Upon consideration of the above three options, staff recommends City Commission approval of Option 1 as the typical roadway cross section for the Price Boulevard Widening Project between Sumter Boulevard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
Also attached are the three options with the Type E curbing.
Strategic Plan
Maintained/Upgraded/Expanded City Infrastructure
Financial Impact
Not Applicable
Procurement
Attachments:
1. Three Typical Roadway Cross-Sections
2. Price Blvd Widening-Option 1 Type E
3. Price Blvd Widening-Option 2 Type E
4. Price Blvd Widening-Option 3 Type E
5. PowerPoint Presentation
Prepared by: Benjamin Newman, P.E., Projects Engineer
Department Director: Juliana B. Bellia