Sarasota Connectivity
THECITYALLIANCE is affliated with the Assignment Downtown Council, the coalition of residents, property owners, businesses, professionals, merchants, cultural, civic,and arts groups for a vibrant, sustainable City of Sarasota.Roundabouts w Raised Centers are Better
The new modern roundabouts at Pineapple Ave & Palm Ave on Ringling Blvd in downtown Sarasota is a welcome demo of how multimodal “road dieting” (a four-lane roadway gives up two lanes to bikers, safer walker crossing, more parking, and pleasing landscaping to improve the area’s quality of life while maintaining smoother, safer traffic flow.
Better yet would be raised roundabout centers like at nearby Five Points in downtown Sarasota, improving both safety and aesthetics. Safer when an entering driver’s field of view is constrained by the raised center to focus attention directly left to yield to vehicles inside the roundabout, without being distracted or confused by what’s happening elsewhere in the roundabout.
By tracking Carmel’s accident counts (Carmel, IN, is the USA city with the most roundabouts … now more than 60 … and with 10+ years of roundabout experience) responded to noticing that roundabouts with raised centers landscaped high enough to constrain entry driver’s view to the left had the fewest accidents. Carmel has been raising the centers of its roundabouts.
Landscaped raised centers on Ringling Blvd would marry better with the context of their quality surroundings: Northern Trust and M&I, Church of the Redeemer, the Palm residential high rises, the nearby Five Points roundabout, with downtown close by… while improving safer mobility.
~ rounding off…. Rod Warner http://us41momentum.wordpress.com
County Commissioner responds to Jacaranda Roundabout User
From: Christine Robinson, Sarasota County Commissioner
To: John Holic ; dfsems1@verizon.net
Cc: Alan Bullock ; Edward Lavallee ; Carolyn Mason ; Joseph Barbetta ; Jon Thaxton ; Nora Patterson ; Randall Reid
Subject:RE: roundabout on venice and jacaranda
Ms. Schmitt,
Thank you for writing and offering your concerns. The roundabout has been in place since June. It was put in place as part of a developer’s agreement at a failing intersection. The alternative to this roundabout would have been a very ugly intersection similar in the very large size and scope to Cattleman and Bee Ridge Road or Stickney Point and 41. After several public input sessions and consultation with our municipal neighbors, this roundabout was approved as a safer and more attractive alternative at our gateway to Venice instead of an oversized intersection.
We have many who have strong feelings both ways on the roundabout. I live very close to the Jacaranda roundabout and use it often without a problem. Below is some further information from the county website about roundabouts.
You can also find additional videos and information at:
http://www.scgov.net/PublicWorks/Roundabouts/default.asp
Why Build Roundabouts?
Roundabouts offer a sensible solution to safety and capacity problems at some intersections. Here’s a list of some of the benefits associated with modern roundabouts:
Safety
According to the Federal Highway Administration, installing a roundabout may result in:
A 76 percent reduction in injury-accidents
A 90 percent reduction in fatalities
75 percent fewer “conflict points” compared to standard intersections (see diagram below)
A reduction in pedestrian injuries
Conflict Point Diagram
[signalized 32 conflict points compared to 8 roundabout conflict points]
Less delay: Roundabouts are designed to handle traffic more efficiently than signalized intersections. With traffic constantly moving and vehicles entering the intersection at lower speeds, more vehicles are able to move through the intersection at any given time.
An Improved Environment: With more vehicles able to move through the intersection at any given time, there will be fewer vehicles idling for shorter periods of time. Because idling vehicles cause the most air pollution, roundabouts result in reduced air pollution.
Why do roundabouts have such a good safety record?
1. Conflicts are reduced. With fewer conflict points, roundabouts eliminate the potential for hazardous conflicts, such as right angle and left-turn head-on crashes.
2. Speeds are reduced and are more consistent. Low speeds driven in roundabouts allow drivers more time to react to potential conflicts, thus helping to improve the safety of roundabouts. Since most drivers travel at similar speeds through roundabouts, crash severity is reduced compared to traditional intersections.
3. Pedestrians cross one direction of traffic at a time. Pedestrians need only cross one direction of traffic at a time at each roundabout approach, as compared with signalized intersections
Best Regards,
Christine
Christine Robinson
Sarasota County Commission Chair
Sarasota County Government
1660 Ringling Blvd
Sarasota, Florida 34236
941-861-5727
Assisted by Kim Backus
kbackus@scgov.net
All e-mail sent and received is subject to the public records laws of the State of Florida
From: John Holic [jholic@ci.venice.fl.us]
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 8:20 AM
To: dfsems1@verizon.net
Cc: Alan Bullock; Edward Lavallee; Carolyn Mason; Christine Robinson; Joseph Barbetta; Jon Thaxton; Nora Patterson
Subject: Re: roundabout on venice and jacaranda
Dear Ms. Schmitt,
Thank you for your comments. The roundabout you are referring to is not in Venice City limits and thus the City has no control over it. I am copying the Sarasota County Commissioners in on this e-mail so that they are aware of your concerns.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
John Holic
Mayor, City of Venice
>>> “Dan & Eileen” 02/07/12 5:50 AM >>>
Hi – I just got back from a trip down to visit my parents and had my first encounter with your city?s new Roundabout on Venice Ave and Jacaranda. Seriously, what were you guys thinking with that ridiculous roadway fiasco??? The majority of the residents there are elderly and very much intimidated by this structure. While I went through it several times, I must say every time was an experience. I cannot understand why this exists?is it to keep traffic moving? Well, that isn?t working as there is such hesitation with most drivers. As mayor, I would think the safety of your community should be your number on concern and that this would supercede any study on traffic behavior. I do not see this as filling that goal as you can see the concern most have upon entering the circle. It is really a mistake and should be rectified before some tragic accident occurs. You owe it to your consituants to provide a safe environment and traffic stoplights provide that?.not roundabouts. My parents go out of their way to avoid this corner and that is just a waste of energy. What a mistake.
Eileen Schmitt
US 41 Bayfront Corridor 10th/14th Roundabouts in progress
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has begun the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study of the US41 corridor with roundabouts at 10th and 14th in Sarasota.
The study is part of an overall plan to enhance mobility within downtown Sarasota. Improvements under consideration from a previous design concept include: roundabouts with islands for pedestrian refuge on US 41 at the intersections of 10th and 14th Street, enhanced pedestrian walkways, enhanced bicycle and transit facilities, enhanced landscaping, a speed limit reduction, and narrower travel lanes. The goal of the study is to improve and enhance accessibility for multiple modes of transportation.
The Project Development and Environment Study is scheduled for completion by May 2012. The design phase of the project is not currently programmed in the adopted FDOT 5-Year Work Program. The intersection improvements along US 41 at 10th and 14th Streets are identified as a financially feasible project within the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and is consistent with the Sarasota City Plan 2030 (effectively the City of Sarasota’s Comprehensive Plan) and the Downtown Master Plan in that it contributes to implementing objectives to strengthen connectivity between the bayfront and downtown.
FDOT will conduct a public involvement program that includes federal, regional, and local agencies, local elected and appointed officials, property owners, interested parties and local media. Newsletters will be mailed at key times during the study process to provide updates on the project’s progress. Two workshops and a public hearing will be conducted during the PD&E Study. You will be notified in advance of any public information workshops or hearings. FDOT staff is available to provide project briefings upon request.
Please contact Nicole Harris, Project Manager, at (863) 519-2373 if you have any questions or need additional information.
For detail click FDOT US41 Sarasota website
District Secretary
District One
Florida Department of Transportation
(863) 519-2201, Fax (863) 534-7265
The DOT describes Modern Roundabouts – the State of Washington DOT !
A superior look at modern roundabouts by watching WSDOT’s five-part video series, click each title:
* Roundabouts: What they are and what they are not.
* Roundabouts: How do I drive a roundabout?
* Roundabouts: Pedestrians and cyclists
* Roundabouts: Safety benefits
* Roundabouts: What does this mean for me?
Multimodal? Whazzat?
Given the regional Sarasota Manatee geographic location connecting traditional downtowns, beaches, and centers of education, cultural, and social activity, the “US 41 Multimodal Emphasis Corridor” has been identified as a “financially feasible” option in the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan being considered by elected officials both Manatee and Sarasota counties. This US 41 corridor extends from Palmetto to the Charlotte County line.
The MPO Board hired the Renaissance Planning Group’s Whit Blanton to gather, through a long a process of public and staff input, the “financially feasible” roadway choices for the region. That exercise includes an option for the MPO board to focus forward on the US 41 Corridor as “multimodal.”
Whit provides the following description of “multimodal:” “Multimodal” means to apply the latest advances in “complete street” and “context sensitive” roadway design. Applied, those designs can improve safety and accessibility that balances the competing needs of all users of the roadway, to resolve “conflict of use.”
The Multimodal Emphasis Corridor segments could include landscaped medians, lane modifications (narrower or fewer lanes), better signage, pavement markings, intersection modifications (modern roundabouts or monitored traffic signals continuously adjusted to demand), wider sidewalks and bike lanes, on-street parking, transit facilities, curb extensions, and other measures. The multimodal mobility features fit the character and right-of-way constraints for each segment. Specifics for each of 10 corridor segments would be determined in consultation with the Florida Dept of Transportation, local government jurisdictions along the corridor, local businesses and property owners, as well as the public.
Possible Multimodal US41 Corridor Improvements:
Roadway
- Roadway reconstruction to reduce long-term maintenance liabilities.
- Improved operational and traffic flow through intersections and roundabouts that both slow traffic and facilitate its flow.
- Roadway improvements which support multi-occupant vehicle use.
- Roadway-related (functional efficiency/safety) improvements.
- Signal coordination optimization based on current traffic flow patterns.
Pedestrian
- Complete segments of missing sidewalks to provide direct and continuous connections between destinations and to transit.
- Adding enhanced pedestrian crossings at strategic locations.
- Installation of pedestrian signals and crossing countdown heads.
Bicycle
- Complete missing bicycle trails and bicycle lanes to provide direct and continuous connections.
- Safe connections at high volume locations by under/overpasses.
- Provide bicycle route signage.
Transit
- Construct enhancements at key transit stops to include, at a minimum, transit signs and pavement platforms. At higher demand transit stops, shelters, benches and trash receptacles.
- Operational system efficiency such as ITS/ up-to-the-minute technology, bus bypass lanes, bus signal prioritization.
All to say, whether on wheels or on foot, whether destination beyond or across the street, a multimodal corridor considers the mobility needs of all users for smooth, safe, traffic flow that preserves or improves travel time by creating a roadway setting that’s context sensitive, attractive, functioning, and sustainable – where driver and walker enjoy the route to where they are going.
For Sarasota, US41 “Bayfront Connectivity” (4 lanes retained) resulted from a thorough process of public input via charrettes, with city planners and consultant direction, to reach Sarasota City’s adopted US 41 corridor plan that anticipates 6 roundabouts along about 2 miles of the Bayfront. North Trail is beginning the same planning process. Similarly, Bradenton just completed a Downtown Mobility study that included all users: local and through drivers and walkers/runners.
Perhaps Venice is due for that kind of a major re-think, re-purpose of the US41VeniceBypass.
~ Rod Warner, Connectivity Chair, THECITYALLIANCE
Honore Ave Roundabouts Open !
Map of Honore Ave Roundabout Locations
Colonial Oaks, Camus, & Sawgrass (at Fruitville School) are open, others on their way as Honore Ave extension construction continues between Bee Ridge Rd and Fruitville Rd.
Five Points Roundabout
New roundabout at Five Points, downtown Sarasota, which opened ahead of schedule, should provide much easier crossing opportunities for pedestrians, according to the Downtown Sarasota Alliance, as the roundabout has pedestrian islands on each of its legs. Photo by Norman Schimmel, Pelican Press, August 19, 2010.
FIVE POINTS ROUNDABOUT REALITY
Letter to the Editor, Herald Tribune, Sunday, August 15
> What a joy to navigate our handsome new roundabout at Five Points in downtown Sarasota!
No more unsightly traffic lights dangling in the breeze — and no more waiting for them to turn green!
It’s been seven-and-a-half years since my letter advocating this project appeared in these columns; amazingly, it took only about five weeks to pull off this splendid job. Thanks to all parties involved are certainly very much in order.
Hopefully, most of the public will share my enthusiasm and get on the roundabout bandwagon. There are so many other intersections also crying out to become circularized. This is the kind of infrastructure improvement our country needs, as it not only improves traffic flow, safety and aesthetics, but also saves electric power and maintenance expense.
Ernest R. Kretzmer
Lido Key
REACTIONS TO FIVE POINTS ROUNDABOUT
I drove thru the new roundabout last night at 5:00pm. Fantastic. Very smooth and no “tension”.
The downtown “crowd” was there watching from the curb, so I stopped and watched for about 30 min. Traffic just smoothly flowed thru with no backup. Once time there was actually three cars “backed up” coming in from upper main (westbound), but it cleared out in less than 10 seconds!!!
The combination of the roundabout and the bricks, changes the “scale”. The road now belongs as much to the pedestrian as to the car. It’s about a 50/50 relationship, where before the car was clearly dominate. We’ve experienced the same “phenomena” on Golden Gate Point, with the curvy road and bricks. The pedestrian now feels on an equal footing with the auto.
The pedestrian is clearly feels less threatened, with the auto moving slower. The driver is also less frustrated. While the driver is actually moving slower (safer) he is in constant motion as opposed to stop and go. The experience is clearly better.
Congrats to everyone that made this happen.
BTW – we made the channel 13 news on the opening of the roundabout last night! Very positive comments. Kelly Ring’s closing comment, “Sarasota is so beautiful”. 
>Brent A. Parker | A.I.A. | Leed-AP
Architect – President
Parker Walter Group, Inc.
www.pwg.net
>>>>>
What a joy……..to see my longstanding dream become “roundabout reality” and to navigate this
handsome roundabout with the greatest of ease. No more unsightly traffic lights dangling in the
breese while we wait and wait for them to turn green! I do hope the City will add some additional
signage, maybe 200 ft before each entry, preferably pictorial showing the other 4 entries with street names.
Another, nearby, “five-pointer”, cries out for similar,.but less costly conversion: Cocoanut, 2nd, and Pineapple.
Lots of space there, low traffic, and long signal cycle. Take a look at it………very compelling!
Anyway, today was a red-letter day for us roundabout revolutionaries; so I sent a joyful letter to the H-T Editor.
Thanks to all who helped push this so successfully.
>Ernie Kretzmer
Lido Key
>>>>
I drove around the Five Points roundabout early this morning. Also got out and walked around a few times in each direction. Cool!
Unfortunately there were few pedestrians or motorists, so I could not observe it in action. However, it’s feels very easy to navigate from either perspective. The crosswalks are very short and I expect cars will drive thru very slowly.
I look forward to seeing it in action with lots of crowds.
> Chris Gallagher
Jonathan Parks Architect
www.jpa-architect.com
>>>>
I just drove around the Five points roundabout in pouring rain.
It worked like a charm.
>Eileen Hampshire
Art to Walk on
>>>>>
I agree !!! I think I was the first to go through when they moved the barricades !!!
> Bruce E. Franklin, President
Land Resource Strategies
>>>>
I drove through the roundabout twice the first day it was open. What a difference! No tension, no stress, just a smooth gentle ride through the heart of our downtown!
Now, on to Five Points Park! Let’s make downtown work and be the exciting place Sarasota promises, but sometimes doesn’t deliver.
> Ken Shelin
>>>>
It’s gorgeous!
>John Moran
Five Points Roundabout !
Observer photo of Five Points Roundabout
Date: August 13, 2010
by: Robin Roy | City Editor YourObserver.com
While traffic can now move through the roundabout, workers still are putting the finishing touches on it.
Cars began moving cautiously around the Five Points roundabout nearly a month ahead of schedule.
The intersection was not scheduled to open until Sept. 3, but contractor Jon F. Swift Inc. completed the work Aug. 11, and traffic is now moving around the circle. Work began July 5.
“We’ve been cautiously optimistic throughout the project that they would finish ahead of schedule,” said Mary Ellen Maurer, the city’s project supervisor. “The weather cooperated and the crews worked hard to get done early.”
Jon F. Swift has now completed two consecutive downtown projects ahead of schedule.
The 1300 block of Main Street was expected to close for the entire month of June, while the company installed an underground waterline, but the work only took 11 days.
Although the Five Points intersection is open, the project is not yet complete. Details such as road surfacing and landscaping aren’t scheduled to be completed until November.
The next downtown project, which will begin immediately, will see intersection improvements at Main Street and Palm Avenue, but there will be no road closures during business hours for that construction.
Contact Robin Roy at rroy@yourobserver.com.
