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CLEARWATER BEACH ENTRYWAY ROUNDABOUT CHARRETTE - DRAFT , , AFT CLEARWATER BEACH ENTRYWAY ROUNDABOUT CHARRETTE CLEARWATER, FLORIDA JULY 2000 r ., ' € v,c s?# ` , ¢? ` e f 3-r tit 'a V.:?.-:. i�j s + :fit S 5• 2:,,,',::::.::,, k. '''L i, dt ! „', �a' ��.FS' zsYa � �� Y �� � �rt ,, '� } a '�^''` �,; Yom' k- `�. F l,a,i4ae# gtds 31! 2+E' `? .l fk 3'S y l .2{ T g� � f Ff ' ae"„_ v 43�. 4 Wit- i e 'J .� "so: 's az tax '�x w '; - ,:�: a�` Cad \ ' k ,-„:-,-,7,-.,,,,,,,,,,,-4,,,,,,--t.,-,--------,* -,.,-- .-‘: . .h 4 2 ..v ' Sn s kT $ .} ak a,+ City of Clearwater Public Works Administration COPIES TO: COMMISSION S E P — 6 PRESS CLERK / ATTORNEY Project Leadership: Public Works Administration Mahshid Arasteh,P.E.,Public Works Administrator Mike Quillen,P.E.,City Engineer Glen Bahnick,Project Manager Ken Sides P.E.,Traffic Calming Engineer Michele Smith,Staff Assistant II Sarah Gilkerson,CAD Technician Torn Mahoney,Engineering CAD/GIS Manager Walkable Communities, Inc. Dan Burden, Director Sue Newberry,Documentation Rodel Software, Ltd. R. Barry Crown, P.E. Alternative Street Design, Inc. Michael Wallwork,P.E. Clear-water Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 2 Special Foreord by Dan Burden Director of Walkable Communities All of America is learning new methods,skills and _.x t ±. process to face the uncertainty and dread of growth and change. The Clearwater Beach Entryway r ' Charrette is a real test of these new-styles of breaking < =` ' t down walls and barriers,evolving friendship and trust , while solving problems.What follows is a moment of reflection for me,the team leader,at the end of the week long event. "Perhaps the most fun time of the charrette for Sue Newberry and me was our work in the war room— where we assembled the many citizen and stakeholder drawings,charts and ideas,compressed them into a usable form,expanded them into a matrix and began to assimilate them into solutions,the Power Point presen- Dan Burden and Sue Newberry conduct a walking audit during the Clearwater Entryway Charrette tation and the written report. "It was here that Barry Crown and Michael Wallwork, own abilities,each listening in order to learn products of two different continents, each 20-year and adapt,was priceless.You would have veterans designing roundabouts in complex settings,at loved to have been there...a church first appeared to be in conflict on several key non- mouse...listening in. I was there,and it was negotiable issues. golden. "I have watched Michael mature over the years. Barry "I reserved my opinion of Barry Crown until I was an unknown. What unfolded were hours and came to know him better. He is a winner in hours of pleasant chatter,banter,checking out details in every category. A simple,apparently non- the field,applying turning templates,drawing, judgmental,inquiring man with white crew cut calculating....but mostly discussion,laughter,wrinkled hair and elegant insight.Barry is a keen brows,even more crazed expressions and finally happy observer of people,drivers and things...he sees faces. The interactions between these two strongly the bigger picture. He is open and capable of English and Auzzie accents,their weird words of understanding and making simple and solvable expression their cunning use of their languages, what is originally complex...and a real teacher. engineering backgrounds,observations....their wit and I think he too,learned a lot from this event. wisdom.... could be the subject of a great book or And possibly he came to understand the role of movie. This is not an exaggeration. public process in a country gone amuck with too little spine,vision,focused value,leader- "In the end both Michael and Barry learned much from ship,and way,way too much listening to fear each other. What they came up with was a positive, evoked NIMBYism. happy,workable solution to the most complex,beautiful, powerful roundabout in our nation. "In the end this roundabout,an innocent byproduct of a complex,overly controlled, "But the joy of being in that room listening to two poorly communicated,rushed and poorly grown men achieve added learning and insight,often understood birthing,comes out stronger, joking with one another,testing,being tested,smiling prouder and more stately than any possible with awareness and recognition,each confident with his original design. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 3 "It is my hope and belief that the City of Clearwater now "The roundabout became and is the lighting rod understands that this earlier appearing ordinary engineering of change. The Clearwater Beach entryway and task is rich in its complexity.More so,that they now roundabout is the most beautiful lightning rod in understand that the great majority who drive it daily with America. With minor changes the refinement of ease are mixed together with people who are discovering it this rod will soon stand strong and be identified for the first time,and with those others who enter with by many as an American icon and classic of a white knuckles after having shunned it for months out of town facing and embracing its future. fear of change. "With giant optimism,I believe this charrette, "I believe they have also come to know that there are unique in its tools and application,will help even complex issues and needs...blending up to 6000 pedestri- the most fearful and distrustful citizen to realize ans on a peak spring break day with up to 60,000 motor- that they,as the roundabout,must change". ists,many pulsing into this relatively little place when TV programs end,or a storm rolls in,closing the beach,some of them intoxicated,some with a car full of friends,some loaded with testosterone...that tiny ripples in such a little place are all far more than any other style of intersection can handle. "I also believe that Clearwater now understands,perhaps =; e ;;, for the first time,not to tamper with conceptual or modi- fied expert driven design...to not cut and paste,choosing ; : *� those elements that appear most politically correct,or accept alterations from a landscape architect, architect, or -V .. engineering firm that had no prior knowledge of building .. even a simple roundabout(each of whom were too proud, too naive or too arrogant to search, go back or ask....or undertake a fountain of great complexity without more knowledge or study. Above, stakeholders take part in a walking audit, sharing their insights and concerns with Barry Crown, Michael In the end what makes a highly complex roundabout or Wallwork, Dan Burden and Sue Newberry. intersection of any sort work is a very close and patient detailing of many things that fit together. One tiny change Below, West Palm Beach, Florida stakeholders followed their heart, embracing a kids place in their central plaza. In time, makes for a big, almost cataclysmic difference. added process, healing of wounds and positive optimism of Clearwater now understands this relationship,this symbio- the future may allow this or a similar vision of place making sis better. in Clearwater, Florida. How fast wounds heal depends on how well steps into the future are measured and taken. "If Clearwater wanted a simple retreat to its past...which many of its beach citizens who came in a frantic fury to rave really wanted...it can't have it. ff ! "What is being faced by Clearwater is its future. Growth is . � a certainty. Clearwater Beach traffic had gotten way out 4 = '"` of hand.Life for the walking public was uncomfortable at - = kk best. Away from the beach there was no public space, no Y personality, no character. Life at the beach had grown dysfunctional. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 4 INTRODUCTION S . l ! ; . In December, 1999,a two-lane modern roundabout was , l w opened at the entrance toClearwater Beach. The round- [14; ` " '; ,4. about was designed as a spectacular entry to a favorite ,, rs° w beach area for thousands of visitors and residents. Land- a I ._ 1 1 scaped medians and planting strips surround a fountain that shoots up to 40 feet high. Most residents agree the roundabout brought beauty,reduced traffic delays, and a new level of pedestrian friendliness to the entryway. + Traffic into the beach area increased approximately 30% during the first 6 months of the roundabout's operation. . Clearwater Beach roundabout welcomes visitors and Although the roundabout didn't necessarily increase toust residents with a dramatic water fountain. visits,it may have met the pent up needs of people who may have previously avoided the beach because of severe traffic congestion. The downtown area of Clearwater offers few attractions for those seeking entertainment and restaurants, so the beach area is also a primary nightime destination for residents and visitors alike. Beach busi- nesses report increases of ten to twenty percent this "This beautiful entryway season. roundabout makes a statement In a sense,the roundabout is a victim of its own success. to those arriving that this is a It relieved traffic congestion,but invited more people into place of quality and pride. " an area which has limited parking. It appears that some of Dan Burden, Walkable Communities,Inc. the vehicles circulating on the roundabout are drivers searching for parking. The roundabout also changed the face of the community for those who have lived here for many years. Although most agree the roundabout area is aesthetically pleasing and pedestrian friendly,many are '. concerned that it is a trigger for high-rise development and 1 a loss of the place they love. They are concerned about the natural environment and an erosion of their life styles as the popularity of this beautiful beach area increases. � . t Safety has been a legitimate concern for all who use the 2� ' , "a .,.: , , ' ' is : :_,.. __ , roundabout. The number of roundabout crashes is unac- . -, -ceptable. Some initial modifications made at the recom-mendation of Barry Crown reduced crash rates, but Y •, _ . _citizens felt their concerns had not been heard. '''T ' __The City of Clearwater responded by sponsoring a .- i m-._ charrette from July 27 through July 31,2000,to offer all _,,� a a residents an opportunity to discuss concerns associated —"� ',` x +'' with the newly opened beach entryway roundabout and .:.0 ,r •:_ voice their suggestions for improvements. This report i t> 2`. . y } summarizes the processes and the outcomes of the charrette. Many residents have voiced their concerns about roundabout safety and costs in letters to the editor and telephone calls, and electronic mail to city leaders and staff. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 5 What is a charrette? Today public process is taking on new life.Lethargy and Trust in government is "bogged down"government,hateful,angry citizen outcries and NIMBYism are reduced. Specialists and elected restored when citizens are leaders are learning the importance of gaining a working involved in the process. " vision and a community consensus. Dan Burden, Walkable Communities,Inc. The process leading to shared vision is the modern day charrette. Don't let the French word (charrette means "little cart")put you off.Call it a series of workshops, walks and visioning if you like. In this process people learn to see and embrace the future by listening and trying to understand new ideas. Effective public process is the happiest,least intimidating, way to bring about change people seek. People with good hearts,common sense,commitment and drive are learning to promote this improved process. Shouting matches at public hearings will continue,but many will be replaced by a process that preceeds the screaming -- that process is • allowed to be fun.Welcome to the charrette. =p Six Ste p Process Step 1: Focus groups were conducted on July 27,2000. Commissioner Hart listens as citizens explain their concerns Representatives of police and fire services, the Chamber and suggestions for refinement of the roundabout. of Commerce,the City Marina,and traffic engineering shared their experiences regarding the impact of the roundabout. Step 2:A public meeting was held at 6 p.m.on July 27, 2000. About 250 people attended to voice their concerns and express ideas for improving the roundabout intersec- tion. }etif OV Step 3:On Friday,July 28,2000,the design consultants conducted field inspections and consolidated the public input to begin conceptual designs. 4 f Step 4: A `roundabout walkabout' was conducted one Saturday,,Jul 29. This gave residents and elected officials an opportunity to see the pedestrian environment from 16 ` y different perspectives. Step 5: Over the weekend,consultants continued work on Design sessions allow citizens to share concerns and ideas. It the conceptual designs,reports,and presentations. is through interactive process that community consensus is reached. Step 6:A public meeting was conducted on Monday,July 31,to present the solutions developed with the public input. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 6 • FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS ry On Thursday,July 27,2000,the following representatives of various groups and agencies met at different times to voice their issues regarding the roundabout: Gary Johnson,Public Services Director Mike Quillen P.E.,City Engineer }; William Morris,Harbormaster Jerry Worsham,Fire Deputy Chief Lt. Steven Burch,Traffic Section Commander .,. Tracey Bruch,Parking Facilities Manager Jerry Worsham and Lt. Steven Burch discuss the impacts of Hoyt Hamilton, Clearwater Chamber of Commerce the roundabout in the beach area. Discussions were consolidated under primary topic areas. Roadway Comments Focus r ou PP artici P participants stated that traffic flows have Congestion improved since the roundabout The former intersection was completely nonfunctional opened. during peak seasons. There was a lot of red light running and serious crashes, as opposed to the non-injury crashes occurring now. During Spring Break it had been necesary to man five intersections 8 hours a day, 7 days a week and hire 18 Police Aides. Now only three are needed. Driver Behavior There was a lot of speeding and red light running before the roundabout installation. Some drivers speed in the roundabout(police estimate speeds between 15 and 20 " � mph in the roundabout). One observer stated it is obvious + .'' iC• that slowing down is the key to navigating the roundabout, and that even slow speeds are a vast improvement over -� the delays before the roundabout was constructed. The * recently added painted markings do little to change driver --. behavior. Travel Time Before the roundabout was installed,traffic backed up on the Causeway and through the downtown area to Green- wood during peak season. Now nothing backs up past the Emergency responders need a quick travel route. bridge. The`spring break'trip time from City Hall to the marina has been reduced during busy times from 1-1/2 hours to ten or twenty minutes. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 7 Eastern exit from the marina It is hard for drivers to see oncoming traffic because of the landscaping at this site. Drivers run the stop sign and pull forward onto the crosswalk in order to see the oncoming traffic. Roundabout exit from the marina The radius is too tight,causing the bigger trucks to break the bollards. Signs direct trucks to the eastern entry,which , helps.Food delivery isn't a problem because some of the trucks enter in advance of the roundabout(off Coronado) ' i j al and they deliver early in the day,before the traffic is heavy. Drivers exiting here need to know they have to exit >. �,y g � - across both lanes to get into the inside lane. _ Causeway Drivers accelerate when they exit the roundabout onto Causeway. It is posted at 30 m.p.h., and there seems to be s a sense of relief from the congestion that encourages high speeds. It is more of a problem in the evenings,when The exit onto Causeway Blvd. has been the site of numerous traffic is lighter and some drivers are impaired by alcohol. crashes. Recent changes in the pavement markings have reduced crashes. Fortunately, low speed collisions do not A gap in the median would help emergency vehicles. produce the severe injury crashes that often occur at signalized intersections. East Shore Signs encourage trucks to turn on East Short instead of going through the roundabout. East Shore is often used by locals to access north shore beaches. Alley between Poinsettia and Mandalay The property owner stated there are only about two trucks a month using this access,and that although it is tight,they can get in and out when necessary. There is an alternative route for bigger trucks,so no modification is really needed. $i Coronado t.P1 Drivers going past this entrance are in conflict with right turning drivers from the inside lane. >d x, . Other Streets A one-way system on the south end of the beach was trill L suggested by one participant who felt this would also '' a . provide an opportunity for wider sidewalks. Pedestrians This area of the beach has always attracted many Participants generally felt the roundabout had created a pedestrians, but focus group participants felt it is easier to more pedestrian friendly environment. No one was aware cross streets now. The lack of a crosswalk at Causeway creates a longer walk than in the past. Many people cross at the of any injury crashes with pedestrians or bicyclists. Driv- Causeway even though it is not marked as a crosswalk ers are yielding well to pedestrians in crosswalks. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 8 Sidewalks There is no way to get to the sidewalk from the marina parking lot. This forces people into the middle of the road. The sidewalk along the Pier 60 parking lot is wonderful for pedestrians. (There was no sidewalk before the round- about.) It is a much longer walk now to access restaurants on the Pedestrians add life, comfort, north side of Causeway from the marina,but it is a much safer walk because of the designated crosswalks. There and interest to public spaces. are more people in wheelchairs visible now than in the Michael Wallwork,P.E. past,and more requests for adapted facilities and equip- ment. No blind people have been observed by those questioned. 4 .,< Crosswalks °' � � e- 46t. People are crossing Causeway Blvd. near the western y„i marina parking lot exit. There were pedestrian fatalities }tip` ? , at this spot before the roundabout was installed. Pedestri- ans seem more likely to step into traffic now,perhaps because it now feels more like a pedestrian friendly i _ environment. The Mandalay crosswalk is too close to the roundabout, so traffic queues back up. The Coronado crosswalk seems fine,but it may also be a little too close to the roundabout. (Note: One participant said the opposite: move the Coronado crosswalk closer to the roundabout where The bicyclist at the end of Mandalay has elected to ride in the vehicle speed would be lower)._South Gulf View needs a traffic lanes rather than on the sidewalk. A bicyclist in the pedestrian crossing. travel lanes follows the same rules as a motorist. Bicyclists It appears that most bicyclists are using the sidewalks. One bicyclist hit a bollard. The bollards create some -fit s conflicts between various sidewalk users. r - fr' _ �, .3 . ' Parking There is about the same amount of parking available now �► ' !+s. x , "'� as there was before the roundabout. Parking is saturated �J« during spring break and during July. Monday through k, �` Wednesday it is not as bad. Some of the hotels sell their ' " %/A- c 'e ' extra parking spaces. Turf parking was created on the � north side of Causeway for use during special events. • The Pier 60 parking lot is the first lot seen as a driver The Pier 60 parking lot created traffic backup issues even before the roundabout was constructed. Traffic flow at the enters the beach area, and entering the lot creates traffic parking lot has been helped by police traffic control,but a back-ups from time to time. When the lot is full,vehicles more long term solution is needed. tned to queue into the through lanes whic creates delays and traffic back-ups into the roundabout. The police have Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 9 provided an officer to help with traffic since the round- about opened,but they cannot continue to offer that I,! service.Consideration is being given to Barry Crown's recommendation to eliminate the cashiering system and link Pier 60 with its neighboring parking lot and install master meter pay stations. Trucks sometimes park in the middle lane because the businesses have no parking and limited access. Buses unload passengers near the Show Queen,but must then leave the immediate area to find parking. There are often groups of 50–60 people milling around waiting for the buses to return and pick them up. Bicycle parking was added with the roundabout improve- ments and is being used People use their bicycles for transportation. Retailers Shopkeepers have reported to city staff and to the Cham- "` ber of Commerce that it is easier for people to access their businesses now than before the roundabout was installed. The beach is very popular,and business enjoyed steady growth of 10-20%per year even during the construction period. Activity at the beach never slowed down following the six-week spring break period,possibly because of the favorable beach weather. Some focus group participants said they travel through the 1 roundabout up to ten times per day running business errands One retailer wrote to the newspaper that business had and find it much more convenient and safe than the previous suffered due to the roundabout,but most retailers are intersections. pleased with the increased traffic flow since the round- about was installed. Most Chamber of Commerce mem- bers are pleased with the aesthetics of the roundabout and feel it creates a good first impression for visitors. Fountain Focus group participants said the fountain has been a controversial issue in the community. It has experienced a = • number of failures in early operations,including a flooding of the electrical vault. Although these failures are the responsibility of the contractor,many citizens are con- cerned that maintenance costs are already exorbitant. The --- — – city has allowed$230,000 for parks and recreation mainte- nance, which does not include electrical and water costs. It takes 705,420 thousand gallons of water to fill the The fountain has required numerous repairs since it opened fountain when it is empty. Although the connection is and has been dry frequently. Water waste and costs are an available to use reclaimed water,there may be some public issue with residents. resistance to that idea based on fears the water could contaminate people. There have been some complaints regarding vehicles getting sprayed by the water. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. I0 The fountain walls limit the view motorists trying to enter roundabout have of the oncoming traffic. The police department felt this makes it hard for some drivers to decide whether they have an adequate gap to enter the , '. ;� .P" traffic flow. They may be waiting unnecessarily long to t enter the traffic. One participant pointed out that buildings ‘ .` ! also block views from drivers. The police department felt u the fountain walls create some driver anxiety when in the – inside lanes and that the fountain itself distract drivers. There is also a concern because visitors are attracted to the fountain and sometimes walk into the traffic to take photos. Other Comments The height of the outside fountain wall creates driver visibility • Something needs to be done with the parking lot issues and makes some drivers shy away from the wall. area near Crabby Bill's. • Tenants in the area of the roundabout have noticed a reduction in traffic noise. A large, diverse audience was essential to ensure that citizens had an opportunity to mix with their neighbors and share viewpoints on the pros and PUBLIC MEETING cons of the roundabout. The high level of public interest in the roundabout prompted about 275 people to attend the Thursday evening meeting. Upon entering,participants were invited to place a red dot on a map of the roundabout at a site they felt was the biggest problem area. The majority of dots were , . a„ Fik placed at the entrance to Coronado. Mahshid Arasteh, 44:4-4"0,441•1'"t'-:),*'‘ :4 , •Public Works Administrator,opened the meeting and ;;. introduced Commissioner Hart,who welcomed citizens .• X' and thanked them for participating. He assured them the process would give everyone an opportunity to be heard. • ` v, `.4 '14PMainteg Dan Burden of Walkable Communities,Inc., served as facilitator. He began by talking about the importance of methods when bringing about change,and explained that the audience would be invited to express their questions, 14;- opinions,and ideas regarding the roundabout in a variety of ways. This method allows public input in a format that guides the final design process and strengthens community support for outcomes. Dan asked how many people thought the traffic was going the right speed. A little over half the room raised their hands. He then asked how Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, lnc. II • many thought speeds were too high,and slightly less than half the rooms raised their hand. When he asked how many thought speeds were too low,a few people raised their hands. The audience then participated in a series of activities that encouraged them to express their views succinctly. Visioning Activity Any solution must take into consideration what the commu- nity envisions for its future. The vision of the community must be defined and reflected in every project if it is to become reality. Citizens were invited to write a statement on how they want the Clearwater Beach area to be in 1 twenty years. These citizens captured the essence of community vision for many: "A beautiful, safe entry to an alive and exciting beach community with restaurants, stores, and activities." Input from the public meeting was reviewed by consultants and city staff All concerns were categorized and all [The beach entry is] "peaceful, green, smooth flowing suggestions were considered. traffic, litter free; minimal traffic noise (horns); excel- lent, clear, tasteful signage; safe pathways for pedes- trians. " "To be a friendly environment to both citizens and residents without a lot of in-fighting between citizens. The community needs to work together as one to accomplish this." Values Activity Next, the audience was asked to write words expressing key values for Clearwater Beach in the area of the roundabout on five separate sticky notes, and to attach F them to the wall. Attendance was so good it is impossible *` to count and categorize every comment,but the most often _ repeated values include the following categories in ranked 4 order: • Safety for pedestrians and vehicles • Friendly for families,pedestrians,residents,and tourists. • Beauty(clean,natural, landscaping,beaches. ) Citizens sort their value notes into categories. This process helps people see how their values compare to those of their • Smooth traffic flow;slow speeds neighbors. Community awareness of shared visions and • Parking values creates a climate of collaboration and cooperation. • Simple,user friendly,functional • Calm,peaceful,quiet • Entertainment,fun,activities • Mass transit Clearwater Roundabout Chartette Walkable Communities, Inc. 12 Presentation The audience viewed a presentation describing the design elements of roundabouts. Photos of the roundabout area were shown. What elements are good? 4 When asked what aspects of the roundabout are worth keeping,the audience offered the following: `' •• Beauty • Metering signal _ • Fountain • Crosswalks • Pedestrian friendliness Y • Landscaping • Improved traffic flow North bound traffic stopping for pedestrians in this Mandalay crosswalk create traffic backup into the roundabout. • Entrances and exits • View • Flowers • Speeds • Roundabout Concerns and Issues The public was then invited to tell about their concerns and issues,which were listed and posted on the walls. Each participant then received adhesive dots to fasten on their . seven top priority concerns. Concerns, which were frequently offered in terms of solutions,are listed in ranked ik4• ''•• �•�i Ram s A i�• order: # ',• •. _• r r- *. • Wider lanes • Remove Roundabout • Pedestrian crossings too close to roundabout ts- r *'44 ••' • co s q • .- (traffic backs up) 'k �.� • • Fountain blocks view • Too many unsightly signs • Increase radius • Increase roundabout radius When all concerns were listed,participants selected their top • Improve access and egress for north beach seven issues. The audience was very inclined toward offering residents their concerns as solutions, which indicates they have given a • Additional causeway to north beach lot of thought to how the roundabout could be. • Provide alternative mode of access to beach • Redesign Mandalay to bypass roundabout • Make marina entrance one way • Paint instructions on pavement Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Col-munities, Inc. 13 • Eliminate parking backup • Express lane off of Coronado • Decrease water on roadway • Better lighting • Change radii on corners • Speed too fast in roundabout • Automatic right turn at Mandalay • Easy for tourists to understand • More education • Pedestrian crosswalk markings ` • Instructions on radio Design Session Citizens gathered at tables to discuss the issues and make suggestions for resolving problems. Participants divided themselves among ten tables to discuss the problems in more detail and to sketch their ideas for solutions. In summary,the following suggestions were 9 made: • Divert traffic to Poinsettia on a bypass t4 s °� • Add third lane on roundabout for right turns only ; • Mandatory right to Coronado;middle lane either, inside lane through ti. .tot • Minimize the number of access points:eliminate '` marina parking access • Eliminate Poinsettia and East Shore accesses • Create exit on Coronado to replace existing marina exit onto roundabout • Keep two way marina entrance/exit • Provide alternate access for north beach to exit Citizens presented the problems and solutions developed at • Move Poinsettia entrance their tables. Notes from the presentations and drawings on 1 • Barrier to force right turn into Mandalay o maps were used by the consultants to develop g y m modifications. • Reduce fountain size and use space to widen traffic lanes - .: ..,.. #--.4 , , .. • Build roundabout bypass(George Kelly's diagram) .;„ 1..— , _ �- AW . • Eliminate sharp corners [on raised medians] ,t-,. Y ` ',,,G1 . ' .r. • Reduce median width on Coronado and the at ` '�' r s. Causeway -� -,q °'?/ , Tat • Reduce radius at Mandalay r_ -- • Move crosswalks further from intersection .�LL .v� • Spread signs out `� �-'�rt ° • Fountain too big and too high x`` • Install Smart Lights which only operate when you x ' ` need them(Like East Shore) _ "4�;, r ' I • More traffic enforcement °�` • Don't use police for traffic control on weekends , s , • Widen lanes This table of people did not reach consensus on the fountain, • Bus curbs to drop off people who are working but were able w agree on other points. Lively debates at the • Solve criss-cross traffic problems tables show participants that this is not a staff versus resident issue. It is a community wide issue, with differing opinions, • Tear down fountain and return to the old intersec- suggestions, and levels of support. tion design Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 14 Closing Remarks Dan closed the meeting by inviting those who hadn't yet had an opportunity to speak to voice their concerns.The following points were made: • There has not been much discussion about the media publicity outside the city. The instruc- tions ublicized saying to stay in the outside P Y Y lane are contrary to the markings in the round- about. • Public wants to know what the ongoing ex- pense is, including costs to repair damage to the curbs and pillars (bollards) • We have so much traffic out there; maybe we have a device that is not adequate to handle that much traffic. It needs to be intuitive. We haven't implemented similar roundabouts in the Barry Crown and Michael Wallwork read remarks written on United States. maps during the design table sessions. • One gentleman said he is very happy with the roundabout as it is. Could it be better, yes. It is very superior to what was there before. He has !� traveled that area over 30 years. When there were traffic lights there you couldn't go to the beach on Sunday unless you allowed an hour. Today he can get from his home to north beach in 15 minutes. The only problem is when he leaves the roundabout and enters Mandalay � y the crosswalk is too close to the roundabout. Eliminate crosswalks and install overhead pedestrian crosswalks that invite good photog- raphy. • At the Hilton, the crosswalk is at a bus stop. When the bus is stopped there, it is impossible to see pedestrians crossing Mandalay. • On weekends she feels like a prisoner. People trying to parallel park on Mandalay create traffic backup. Staff and consultants reviewed input from citizens, listing all • Overall, the roundabout is a beautiful addition issues and discussing each suggestion made. to our beach. It creates a place for people to see something beautiful in our community. The problem is a lot of locals that live in the Coun- tryside area don't want to fight the roundabout traffic, which is a loss of business for retailers. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 15 • We are focusing on the roundabout tonight, but we also need to address the feeder roads along the beach and the causeway. We need to think about one-way streets and parking. • In my ten years as an architect I worked on 500 major retail centers. We always had a qualified traffic engineer. Traffic engineering is more of a science than an artistic endeavor. We should have proposals from qualified traffic engineers on how to redesign this because I'm not a qualified engineer. Dan introduced Barry Crown and Michael Wallwork and explained that the input received tonight would be consid- ered and condensed so the concerns expressed can be addressed during the Monday evening meeting. Dan explained there is enough information now to work toward solutions and that the public will have an additional opportu- - nity to comment on Monday. Every step along the way 3T. �;`' a ` � will be measured to be sure the desired results are being l obtained. E WALKING AUDIT Television crews joined citizens on the walking audit to record comments and watch traffic circulate. Citizen comments were Approximately 25 people,2 of them on bicycles,accompa- noted and incorporated into input received during the public nied the consultants on a field tour of the roundabout. meeting Thursday. Participants were asked to view the environment from the perspective of pedestrians as well as from their experience as drivers. Various people assumed the role of special use groups,including an in-line skater,bicyclists,a senior citizen,an 8 year old child,a person in a wheelchair,a i e tourist visiting for the first time,and a mother with a stroller ' • f " i . 8. (which was played by a mother with a stroller! h Observations in the field supported many of the issues ` _- : � :,' previously discussed,but people also pointed out issues that ¢ °='fir ' had not been raised during previous public and staff input s opportunities. Highlights of what they saw follow: • Pedestrian lighting is not adequate. Lights imbed- ded in the pavers are never on. CT • Lighting should also be provided in the median (similar to lighting in Indian Rocks Beach). • Bollards intrude on pedestrian and bicyclist space The smaller group size ensured that everyone had ample opportunity to share their views and experiences with the and feels confining. Move them off sidewalk. consultants and local police. • One bollard on the right hand side of each pedes- Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 16 . trian crossing would help in-line skaters stop. n ; • The area is very attractive,but there are no signs 4 ` directing tourists to desired locations.They can't see across the fountain to locate their destination. -� • Sensory overload for a tourist;very confusing. • The piped in music is too loud and not to "' everyone's taste. Turn it off completely. '\,. • The curbing is broken in places and the fountain e '' was off during part of the review. There was ' concern about the constant repair and mainte- nance required. ;,;�..- • Crosswalks at sites where there are two lanes in '- each direction are dangerous because the traffic doesn't always stop in both lanes. • The surface of the crosswalks is too rough for in- line skaters. Dan Burden responded to questions from the group and • The surface of sidewalks is somewhat smoother, pointed out important aspects of the pedestrian environment. but still teeth rattling for skating. • The surface of the path under the bridge is most suitable for in-line skating. ., • The transition between the path under the bridge and the sidewalk is too rough for skaters. • The bus stopping area on Mandalay should be i ' moved; it blocks the roadway at the entrance. "°''` . - ' • The crosswalk at Mandalay is too close to the ''' roundabout. ,. `,`' • Motorists are lured onto the deadend street at '°144 Hamilton because they think it is Mandalay. • No trashcans between Poinsettia and Mandalay. 4.4' • The benches are nice,but they get too hot. i.. ' • The animal depicted on the benches should be ',\ something native to this beach. • The palm trees offer no shade. It was very hot on the walk. 1 l - • Native shade trees should be used. • The trunks of the palm trees impair driver visibility. _ *'T' ,r- • ..:1 -,�' ,`,;:r. • Not enough drinking fountains;water needs to be 2' cold. -' 4 _ • No crosswalk at the Memorial Causeway. • Sand on the sidewalk and crossings can cause a - skater to crash. " °- -�— . • Pebbles caught in the shells on the sidewalk are -..' :' t's.4 t. t : hazardous to in-line skaters. • A right turn slip lane would allow traffic onto - Poinsettia before they have to enter the round- about. Sue Newberry explains to four tourists how to get to the • East Shore needs better lighting and sidewalks. Clearwater Marina. They explained they are from Scotland • An emergency exit over the Memorial Causeway and are very familiar with roundabouts but were surprised raised median is needed. there was no crosswalk at the Causeway. Ironically, their destination is straight across the street at this point, but the • Lights on the path under the bridge project too far lack of crossing means they must walk a circuitous route to into the path and are not bright enough. get there. Clearwater Roundabout ("barrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 17 • Flags on gateway boat mast are frayed. s � � • Power boxes by gateway are ugly. Hide them with a tent-like structure or attractive fence. ,ice • Put bumpy texture between lanes, especially at the ;; ,,,," ?► alert drivers to their >..,. Memorial Causeway exit,to a position. S In this smaller group it was practical to have more in-depth conversations with residents. It was apparent they were all very concerned about safety issues for visitors as well as residents. They did make positive comments about the improved traffic flow,sidewalk width,and the beauty of the area,but they felt the roundabout did not function well. Their fear was most apparent as they watched traffic at the exit to the Memorial Causeway and commented about All participants of the walking group were grateful to find shade at the end of the walk. Everyone agreed more shade personal experiences and observation. and water is needed. The metal benches were quite warm from the sun, and not an inviting place to rest Locating benches in shady areas and providing drinking water would Several participants mentioned that an incremental ap- enhance the pedestrian environment. proach to solving specific problems would be best so that radical changes do not occur if the public is aware of the cost before the work is done. Education -�' " Roundabouts are becoming more popular in the United "; w States,but many motorists have never experienced driving \' r` . in a two-lane roundabout. Drivers who aren't sure what they should be doing, and are even less sure what the approaching vehicles are going to do,become hesitant in the roundabout. In reality,thousands of drivers are suc- _ cessfully negotiating the roundabout every day. Education to explain proper lane placement and movement for those who live,work,or visit Clearwater Beach will help create . the confidence for drivers One citizen suggested radio instructions could be broadcast and advertised on signs in a manner similar to listening for This father is checking for traffic before entering the other roadway conditions. Invite citizens who have an crosswalk. Educating pedestrians to be sure traffic is stopped before entering crosswalks is as important as teaching interest in education to form a steering committee to motorists to look for pedestrians. develop a public information campaign for the roundabout area. Activities could include: • Form a partnership with local media and the police department to produce 30-second public service announcement to demonstrate correct action at critical points in the roundabout. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 1 8 • Prepare brochures and distribute at local hotels, 'Y motels,and information sites. Stock the kiosk on =" the roundabout. { s T rtivlLL5 td� We know from watching children that one of the most a t t �` powerful tools in establishing appropriate behavior is setting a good example. Residents can be the best teach- ers by using directional signals,driving at prudent speeds, and exercising courtesy in the roundabout. Enforcement The kiosk area is a good location for distributing wayfnding information as well as guidance on how to drive the roundabout. Shade and water would enhance this already Many residents requested more enforcement in the beauhful resting site. roundabout. Enforcement is difficult when there are limited opportunities to pull a violator out of the traffic into a place where the officer can safely write a citation. Many minor infractions,such as improper lane changes, will be reduced with further refinements as suggested in this report. However,it is important that those exhibiting aggressive behavior,such as speeding be cited,and police may be able to arrange to pull violators into a reserved parking space or other pullout area on adjacent streets. Studies show that enforcement combined with media has more impact than just writing citations. Working with police,media announce the intention for stepped up enforcement,explain that it is being done out of concern for safety,and sometimes even tell when it will be done. Some police departments put up temporary signs during the stepped up enforcement forewarning motorists,"Police Enforcement Ahead." Behavior often improves, and those who persist in improper behavior have no excuses. Police then report results to the public,linking the citations again to crash reduction efforts. , emu Engineering Input from the public was consolidated and combined with the data accumulated by staff and the engineers. Obser- vations of the roundabout including changes in behavior since the recent signing and marking refinements were also taken into consideration. 1140,-,0` • The following pages list areas of concern and suggestions Engineers evaluated suggestions and designed incremental made by citizens and the consideration given to the issue treatments to refine the roundabout. by the engineers. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities. Inc. 19 I -- The Exit onto the Causeway The issue at this location was twofold. Drivers circulating in the outside lane would cut off drivers exiting from the inside lane. Secondly,drivers as they exited were cutting across from one lane to another. The accidents at this location have been substantially reduced by recent modifications to pavement striping. Further crash reduction could be expected following modification to the exit radius. Solution Increase the exit radius. A larger exit radius and smaller exit angle makes the exit onto the Causeway the natural path of traffic in the outer lane.This is reinforced by the revised striping and by the lane arrows. These measures will greatly reduce vehicle accidents at the Causeway exit. Add raised pavement markings to support the recently painted pavement markings to help reduce lane changes. The recommended modifications are illustrated below. The Exit into Coronado Drive Coronado Drive has a two-lane exit to accommodate the large traffic volumes from the Causeway. It cannot be reduced to a single lane exit without creating very severe congestion. Crashes occur at this exit when a vehicle using the inner lane of the roundabout turns right into Coronado Drive and cut across the path of a non-exiting vehicle in the outer lane of the roundabout. Some vehicles from the Causeway and Poinsettia are using the outer lane of the roundabout to pass the two- lane exit into Coronado to access the Marina. However, the greater part of the traffic that crosses the Coronado exit in the outer lane is from Mandalay Avenue. Crashes occur when both the Mandalay traffic and the circulating traffic behave correctly. Clearkater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities. Inc. 20 Explanation When a vehicle is on the inner lane of the roundabout and the outer lane is empty,a vehicle from Mandalay can safely enter the outer lane of the roundabout without yielding. The paths of the two vehicles do not cross. The Mandalay vehicle makes a merge into the outer lane with no entry conflict with the inner lane vehicle.This is very undesirable as the absence of the entry conflict can subsequently create a dangerous exit conflict. The two vehicles proceed side by side until they reach the exit of Coronado. If the outer vehicle proceeds when the inner vehicle exits,their paths suddenly cross creating an exit conflict and a crash is likely to occur.Neither has priority over the other,nor do they know the others inten- tion until the last second,when it can be too late. The Solution This problem can be resolved by modifying the striping and the entry and the exit geometry between Mandalay and Coronado. This will remove the entry merge and causes all Mandalay traffic to yield to traffic on both the inner and outer lanes of the roundabout. This new arrangement moves traffic that is exiting to Coronado much closer to the traffic on Mandalay,thereby enforcing the need for drivers on Mandalay to yield to vehicles within the roundabout. Drivers who are circulat- ing within the roundabout or are exiting into Mandalay now have clear priority over Mandalay traffic. This will virtually eliminate exit crashes at Coronado Drive. Add a third circulating lane Many people thought a third circulating lane should be added to the roundabout. The capacity of the roundabout exceeds the capacity of the surrounding road system and parking provision.At times there are backups onto the roundabout.Adding a third lane to the roundabout circulat- ing road would be of little benefit.The number of conflict Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 21 • points would significantly increase the potential for lane changing and criss-crossing would dramatically increase. Further increasing driver confusion and uncertainty. This option would be very expensive and would require the total rebuilding of the roundabout except for the fountain. The new roundabout would be very large as some entry and exit lanes would become 3 lanes. The larger geometry of a three-lane roundabout increases vehicle speed and crashes. The impact on the landscaping and pedestrians would be severe. The existing problems of lane changing,criss-crossing and difficulty in exiting the roundabout will be satisfactorily resolved by modifications to the signing,striping and geometry of the existing 2 lane roundabout.These modifi- cations will dramatically reduce crashes and make the roundabout far more comfortable and intuitive to use. For the above reasons it is strongly recommended that the roundabout remain two lanes. Access to the Marina The exit from the Marina onto the roundabout crosses the solid striping into the Causeway exit.A gap will be made in the solid line to make this maneuver comfortable. Entering the Marina is easy from the outer lane. However, vehicles from the inner lane sometimes experience diffi- culty when changing lanes to exit into the Marina. This will be resolved by the new striping.This will auto- matically spiral vehicles from the inner to the outer lane without any vehicle conflict.This will be both safe and comfortable. With these measures there will be no need to close the entry onto the roundabout from the Marina. However an alternative exit can be created by making the access on Coronado two-way. Bypass lanes Bypass lanes would create additional hazards for pedestrians.Traffic speeds on the bypass lanes would not be pedestrian friendly.Joining the bypass lanes to the exit roads would create additional safety problems. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 22 • Impact on the pedestrian areas and on the landscaping would be severe. This would greatly degrade attractiveness of the area. 1. Bypass Lane from the Causeway to Mandalay. A bypass from the Causeway to Mandalay already exists via East Shore Drive. Most drivers prefer to use the roundabout.A bypass would close Poinsettia and add to the traffic volumes emerging from Mandalay.And there- fore increase congestion on Mandalay. 2. Bypass from Mandalay to Coronado Only 25%to 30%of the traffic from Mandalay exits into Coronado.The intersection on the bypass with Coronado would create several hazards. Conflicts would be created between drivers entering Coronado and drivers exiting from the roundabout,and between drivers exiting the bypass,and with pedestrians on the crosswalk. Coronado to the Causeway 3. Bypass from C Y Emptying the bypass traffic onto the Causeway exit would be difficult and create a conflict point.The visibility to the left would be very poor unless a third lane was added to the exit. The bypass lane would close the access to the Marina and all Marina traffic would have to use the Coronado access. Vehicles from the north would have to use Gulf View and First Street to loop around to the Coronado access. Vehicles from the south would have to use the roundabout to U turn when exiting from the Marina via Mandalay. First impression of the"bypass schematic"with a single lane traffic circle looks logical and reasonable.However,it is based on the assumption that 50%of traffic would use the bypass lanes and 50%would use the roundabout. As only 30%would use the bypass lanes, 70%would use the single lane circle. This puts 70%of the demand on half the capacity.This would create very severe congestion. The Circle would need to be two-lane on the entries,exits and on the circle.This would greatly enlarge the roundabout and this would then have all the disadvantages of the bypasses with the existing roundabout. Clearwater Roundabout Cha,rette Walkable Communities, Inc. 23 The modifications to the signing,striping and geometry of the roundabout will resolve the current problems without the need to add bypass lanes. When the roundabout is modified the performance can be monitored to determine if any further refinements are desirable. Make the outside lane right turn only The traffic volumes are such that two lanes are needed for 1. Coronado to the Causeway. 2. Mandalay to the Causeway. 3. The Causeway to Coronado. Making the outer lane a right turn lane only would create very severe congestion. The new striping and geometry will resolve the current crash and exiting problems and obviate the need for a dedicated right turn lane. Location, Issue, Solution Matrix The matrix on the following pages compares citizens' concerns,their suggestions,and the engineers' recommen- dation for refining roundabout design. Incremental changes will allow engineers to implement changes, evaluate its impact,and make further adjustments if necessary. Clearwater Roundabout Charrette Walkable Communities, Inc. 24