City to draw up traffic calming policy
City Council agreed Monday night that it needs to go forward with drawing up a traffic calming policy to address residential street issues, but the board disagrees on the methods for funding the program.
Discussion was sparked months ago by residents on Southeast 17th Place complaining about increased traffic volume, speeding and reckless driving, but an attempt to put funding of about $1 million in the city’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget to deal with such issues was not approved.
Staff told council that the city has about 100 trouble spots throughout the city and Southeast 17th Place is just one of those. They even went as far as to say it could cost up to $5 million to address those locations with physical methods of calming.
Police officials reported that measures have been taken to address the situation along Southeast 17th Place, which runs behind Coralwood Mall and is a favorite route for drivers seeking to avoid congestion on Del Prado Boulevard.
Police have targeted the area for enforcement by officers and by placing the department’s radar speed trailers there. Public Works crews painted centerline and curb lane lines to show drivers the roadway, but it has had little effect.
Police enforcement data showed the average speed on the roadway (posted at 30 mph) was just 34 mph and 48 citations were issued by officers who spent 65 hours on the street this year. Not all citations were for speeding, but also stop sign and seat belt violations.
City Manager John Szerlag said he would bring elements of the traffic calming policy back to council in December along with an estimate of costs for Southeast 17th Place as a pilot project. It would have to be decided how to fund any installations in one of three ways – city budget, special assessment on residents of the street or shared funding between residents and the city.
Some on council do not favor the special assessment method of funding.
Traffic calming devices could include increased police presence, speed humps, roundabouts, horizontal and vertical methods like bulb-outs, raised intersections and speed tables to slow traffic down.
In another lengthy discussion, council approved sending a delegation of council members, staff and possibly business professionals to Tallahassee during the legislative session in order to work with the city lobbyists and meet with legislators to carry out the city’s interests and legislative agenda.
Council made it clear it will continue to participate in the annual Southwest Florida Days trip to the state capital to address regional concerns.
Mayor Marni Sawicki expressed a concern that the city might alienate surrounding municipalities by sending a separate delegation at a different time. She also touched on infighting among council members in recent months perhaps as not being the right time or makeup to produce a successful result.
Councilmember Rana Erbrick raised the idea of a need for a city-specific legislative trip in the past, but never was it her intention to replace the regional trip.
“I never mentioned abandoning Southwest Florida Days, but we need to step up and be Cape Coral,” said Erbrick. “We need to do both trips and make our presence felt. Our lobbyists are asking for this.”
The Southwest Florida Days trip began as Cape Coral Days many years ago, then finally grew into Lee County Days and now to a more regional approach by a large group of government and business professionals and elected officials.