Where is the funding coming from?
The funding for the design of the Edgewater Dr. Complete streets project is coming from an FDOT Local Agency Program (LAP) funding. The Local Agency Program or “LAP” is the Florida Department of Transportation's primary delivery mechanism for local agency projects to develop, design, and construct transportation facilities with Federal-Aid funds. FDOT is the steward of the Federal-aid funds and is responsible for oversight of federally funded projects on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Local agencies must be certified to deliver LAP projects.
What are the limitations associated with bike lanes, sidewalks, and on-street parking?
As part of the funding agreement for the project, the City had to choose a standard cross section along the entire length of the corridor. Recognizing that there are many competing needs along the corridor for pedestrians, cyclists, and parking, the City made the determination that accommodating the wider sidewalks and on-street parking was the most appropriate treatment along the length of the corridor.
Will there be other improvement work happening at the same time?
Given that both the roadway and sidewalk will be disturbed during construction, the City has reached out to our partner agencies such as OUC, Water Reclamation and other utility providers, to see if they have any planned or needed work within the corridor. The city is still working with these agencies to identify any opportunities for simultaneous improvements.
Will you be changing my driveway?
While the sidewalk is being widened and improved, there is an opportunity for some of the older, unused curbcuts (driveway openings) along Edgewater Dr. to be removed or narrowed to meet the demands of the current property owners. The city intends to partner with property owners along the corridor to explore possibilities to reduce conflict points between pedestrians, cyclists and cars as well as to add more on-street parking through the elimination or narrowing of driveways along the street.
How will businesses and homes be accommodated with backflow preventer for potable water?
Backflow preventers are specifically designed devices placed between a building and the water meter that restrict potable water’s ability to run backward from the building into the water source, reducing the risks of contamination in the main water lines. While new buildings are required to install these devices, many of the buildings and businesses along Edgewater Dr. were constructed before backflow preventers were required. The City is coordinating with OUC to ensure that any needs for backflow preventer installation or spacing are known and accommodated as part of the design process for Edgewater Dr.
What is happening with the traffic signal on Vassar?
The traffic signal at the intersection of Edgewater Dr. And Vassar St. is proposed to be removed as part of the Edgewater Dr. Complete streets project. The spacing of this signal to those signals at W Princeton St. and W Smith St. often causes backups through the heart of College Park. The intersection will be redesigned to include additional pedestrian crossing safety elements.
Does the street improvements include a roundabout?
While two roundabouts were originally identified in previous studies of the corridor to bookend the corridor (on at Par St. and another at Lakeview St., the limited funding of the LAP grant meant that the scope of the project had to be narrowed to meet the resources available. The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Par St. and Edgewater Dr. has been removed from the project but the roundabout at Lakeview St. remains in the project.
Will the city need additional right of way (ROW)?
The City does not anticipate the need for any additional ROW to accommodate the proposed improvements.
How will this make the street safer for pedestrians and cyclists?
There are a number of features of the Edgewater Dr. Complete streets project that will provide a much safer and comfortable environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The sidewalks along the whole length of the corridor will be expanded from as little as 5 ft. wide today to between 9 to 12 ft. wide in the proposed design. This will allow the sidewalks to accommodate both pedestrians as well as cyclists who are not comfortable sharing the street with automotive vehicles. The streetscape will be improved through the addition of new trees along the entire corridor providing shade and another layer of protection between the sidewalk and parking lane. Finally, additional safety improvements such as curb bulb-outs, mid-block crosswalks, and refuge islands in the median are also proposed with the project.
Will the speed limit be decreased?
The design and posted speed limit for the Edgewater Dr. Complete Streets project is 25 MPH throughout the whole corridor. The current speed limit is 30 MPH near Lakeview St., reduces to 25 MPH through the core of the district, increasing again to 30 MPH north of W Hazel St.
Will parking spaces be lost?
While the number of parking spaces affected is still under design, a key goal of the project is to maintain as many on-street parking spaces adjacent to area businesses along Edgewater Dr. as possible.