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INTRODUCTION
The
Downtown Sarasota Mobility Study serves as a complement to
the recently adopted City of Sarasota Downtown Master Plan
2020 (Downtown Master Plan). The Study was sponsored by both
the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the City
of Sarasota. The effort included other involved agencies and
parties to help identify measures to modify, alter, and enhance
the area's transportation network and its governing policies,
as needed to support implementation of the adopted Downtown
Master Plan.
PURPOSE
The
Downtown Sarasota Mobility Study is to serve as a compliment
to the City of Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 (Downtown
Master Plan), identifying measures that the Florida Department
of Transportation (FDOT), City of Sarasota, and other agencies
and parties can undertake to modify, alter, and enhance the
area's transportation network and its governing policies,
as needed to support implementation of the adopted Downtown
Master Plan. In addition to the standard transportation planning
skills, Kimley-Horn & Associates is the consultant that
has been selected to perform the Study due to their experience
in designing pedestrian scale urban transportation projects
and systems (also known as TND or New Urbanism transportation
elements) to assure an adequate understanding of the Downtown
Master Plan.
BACKGROUND
AND PROJECT HISTORY
Public
and private investment in the City's downtown area over the
last 15 years has resulted in low office vacancies, rejuvenation
of the shopping and cultural life and renewed interest in
the Downtown area by the development community.
However,
as with many Florida cities, Sarasota's transportation system
is out of balance due to increased demand and emphasis on
auto-based mobility. Now, initial steps are being taken to
increase walkability and enhance the attractiveness of other
travel modes such as pedestrian, bicycle and transIT .
On
January 22, 2001, the City Commission adopted the Downtown
Master Plan (prepared by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company).
The main objective of this Downtown Master Plan is to lead
Sarasota toward creating a more walkable and livable downtown
area.
STUDY
AREA AND BOUNDARIES
The
primary study area was the limits of the City's Downtown Community
Redevelopment Area (CRA). The secondary study area was expanded
by the Consultant, to be sufficient in size and to adequately
address study objectives, including such issues as; (a) rerouting
of US 41 away from the downtown Bayfront area, (b) diversion
of through traffic to other roadways and modes as a result
of implementing Downtown Master Plan recommendations, and
(c) assessing the impact of the Downtown Master Plan on the
barrier islands, and shall be reviewed with, and approved
by, FDOT Project Manager and the City Engineer.
STUDY
OBJECTIVES
FDOT
and the City have the transportation planning goal of balancing
the usability of all transportation modes for its citizens
and visitors. The Downtown Master Plan made several specific
transportation system improvement recommendations. The impacts
of these recommendations need to be analyzed.
The
primary purpose of the Downtown Sarasota Mobility Study
was to identify courses of action and strategies
that can be implemented to increase mobility within the downtown
area, support implementation of the adopted Downtown Master
Plan, and increase the attractiveness of multimodal travel
choices for area citizens and visitors. The focus of the Study
was on the mobility of persons and goods rather than the mobility
of vehicles.
The
following is a list of specific objectives that provided the
focus for the Study:
- Determine
the role of the State Highway System (SHS) within the Downtown
area; quantify the potential impact of removing the SHS
designation from the portion of US 41 between Fruitville
Road and Washington Boulevard (US 301); determine the volume
of through trips on SHS facilities that travel through Downtown
but are not destined to any Downtown site; identify alternate
facility(s) that may be appropriate alternate routes for
addition to the SHS and designation as US 41; and identify
the appropriate route(s) for linking SR 789, west of existing
US 41, to the SHS in the event that Tamiami Trail (US 41)
is removed from the SHS.
- Quantify
the level of service (LOS) impacts of the adopted Downtown
Master Plan on Downtown streets and intersections; perform
quality of service assessments of pedestrian, bicycle and
transIT travel modes under existing conditions and following
implementation of Downtown Master Plan recommendations;
and identify pedestrian, bicycle and transIT plans, policies,
amenities and concept designs for intersections that need
to be implemented or modified in support of the Downtown
Master Plan recommendations and to further the City's goal
of increased multimodal and intermodal options for area
citizens.
- Identify
roadways located outside of the Downtown area that are impacted
by the new distribution of traffic around and to the Downtown
area and quantify the levels of said impact.
- Identify
modifications to the City's Transportation Concurrency Exception
Area (TCEA) boundaries and policies that may be required
to support the Downtown Master Plan and address transportation
issues identified during the course of the Study.
- Determine
the impact of the adopted Downtown Master Plan on hurricane
response capabilities and emergency vehicle response times
for the Downtown area and the barrier islands.
- Determine
the impact of the adopted Downtown Master Plan on access
to and from the barrier islands.
PROGRESS
TO DATE
All
phases of the Study have been completed. The Downtown Sarasota
Mobility Study was adopted by the City Commission on March
30, 2004. Only two items were not adopted which were the two
lanning of Bayfront Drive and the redesignation of US 41 (Bayfront
Drive)
Click
here to view the Downtown Sarasota Mobility Study Implementation
Handbook
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