11/23/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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r NOV � �� ,q � ®V 2 99 BOOK 91 FnUF 74 the Florida Turnpike or the Tampa Bay area instead use much longer alternate routes. Several factors combine to make this portion of S.R. 60 dangerous. It is a long, narrow road, covering a distance of approximately 22.5 miles from I-95 to the Osceola County line. Even though the comprehensive plan indicates that this portion of S.R. 60 currently has 100 feet of public road right-of-way, the paved portion of the road is actually only 28 feet wide. Deep ditches run along each side of this road. Additionally, this portion of S.R. 60 has no median and, until recently, had no shoulders or guardrails. In the last five years, there have been at least 123 accidents and seven fatalities on this portion of S.R. 60. This is despite the fact that many drivers are using alternate routes. This statistic demonstrates the hazards of this road in its current condition. In August, 1991, a petition requesting that S.R. 60 be substantially improved from I-95 to the Osceola County line was presented to the Board of County Commissioners. The petition, one of the largest ever received by the commission, was signed by more than 14,000 people. Other important benefits of four-laning this section of S.R. 60 would be the increased speed and efficiency of evacuations for hurricanes and other emergencies, and the economic benefits of more efficient transportation of goods and services. -- In addition to being dangerous in its current condition, S.R. 60, as part of the Intrastate Highway System, must be widened to at least four lanes to meet FDOT's minimum standards for this system. A preliminary estimate of the cost of this project is approximately $33.6 million. Policies of the comprehensive plan which are particularly applicable to this amendment are Traffic Circulation Element Policy 3.1, and Capital Improvements Element 1.6. Traffic Circulation Element Policy 3.1 states that the county will collect, maintain and review data on all accidents in the county, and that the county will identify above average accident locations as well as safety projects to reduce accidents at these locations. Based on accident data, staff has identified this portion of S.R. 60 as an above average accident location. Further, staff has identified the widening of this portion of S.R. 60 as a needed safety project. For these reasons, this amendment is consistent with Traffic Circulation Element Policy 3.1. Capital Improvements Element Policy 1.6 states that the county shall encourage the FDOT to reallocate budgeted appropriations for traffic facilities in Indian River County. Since this amendment facilitates the construction of an FDOT funded traffic facility by incorporating it into the county's comprehensive plan, the amendment is consistent with Capital Improvements Element Policy 1.6. - Roseland Road between U.S. 1 and Indian River Drive The portion of Roseland Road between U.S. 1 and Indian River Drive should be designated as a collector road rather than a subdivision collector road for several reasons. First, this segment provides a transition from a road with a higher functional classification to a road with a lower functional classification. This segment connects an urban minor arterial to a subdivision collector. Since collector roads are designed to accommodate traffic volumes at 38