2010-252A (03) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element With a maximum estimated clearance time of 10 '/z hours for worst case conditions in the most severe storm event, the County's clearance time is within the generally accepted standard of 12 hours. Recently, a SR AIA Corridor Study was done for the south part of the County's barrier island, and that study addressed hurricane evacuation issues. Using conservative assumptions, that study confirmed that existing evacuation times were adequate. Since the hurricane study update, several actions have been taken which enhance evacuation even more. Most importantly, the old two lane, movable span Merrill Barber Bridge was replaced with a four lane, high rise, fixed span facility. This has significantly improved barrier island evacuation travel and delay times. Also, improvements have been made to SR 60 both east and west of I-95. East of I-95, SR 60 is in the process of being widened to 6 lanes between 66th Avenue and I-95. This will result in a continuous 6 lane facility from Indian River Boulevard to I-95. West of I-95, SR 60 has been widened to a four -lane divided facility between I-95 and the Florida Turnpike entrance in Yeehaw Junction. Landscaping and Aesthetic Improvements in Transportation Corridors In order to make roadways aesthetically pleasing and compatible with surrounding land uses, Indian River County has enacted various regulatory measures and programmed roadway landscape improvements One such measure was the adoption of corridor plans. Since approval of the original county corridor plans (which applied to SR 60 and CR 510), the county has expanded the number of corridor plans to include most of the county's major arterial corridors. These corridor plans include architectural standards (such as acceptable roof materials and exterior colors), buffering requirements, landscaping requirements, and signage provisions. Finally, the county has amended its Land Development Regulations to ensure that private developments feature extensive landscape improvements fronting public roadways. Currently, there are a number of landscaped transportation corridors in the county. Generally, state corridors contain more landscaping than county corridors. For example, SR60 is landscaped at the entrance to I-95, has trees on berms west of I-95, and has landscaped medians between 20th and 58th Avenues. Proposed projects such as the widening of SR 60 between 66th Avenue and I-95 and the resurfacing of SR 60 from 20th Avenue to SR AlA will also involve installation of extensive median and shoulder landscaping. Probably the longest corridor within Indian River County with near -continuous landscaping treatments is SR AlA. Along that corridor, much of the landscaping was provided by private developers on public or private rights-of-way through agreements with FDOT. Other state roadways in Indian River County have been redesigned with decorative pedestrian amenities to further enhance aesthetics. Along US 1 within the Sebastian city limits, for example, landscaping is complemented with paver block crossings, decorative lighting, and matching street furniture. Currently, several major county roadways are being designed to accommodate landscaping treatments. These include CR 510, 66th Avenue, and 43r Avenue, all of which are being designed to include landscaped medians and curb and gutter sections to accommodate landscaped shoulders. In the city of Sebastian, the county's recently completed CR 512 widening project included an extensively landscaped 15' buffer and trail from Roseland Rd to the Sebastian Elementary School. Community Development Department Indian River County 25