Get documents about "Editor Letters
Document Sample
Page Friday, July 3, 2009 Longboat Key News
EditorLetters
Longboat Key News encourages Letters to the Editor. unaware of roundabout evolution since ignoring today’s are open to the idea of roundabouts, are concerned
Please mail to 5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Ste. 210, FDOT cooperation with the City’s Bayfront initiative. with the City’s proposal as it stands. The idea that they
Longboat Key, FL 34228; e-mail: sreid@lbknews.com; fax: LBK faults the City’s charrettes to which island resi- need to install several roundabouts on one of the most
941-388-7841. We also print letters sent to Town Hall dents were invited - few came. important arteries serving the Keys without first giving
that address Key issues. We reserve the right to edit. The Bayfront corridor is now “urban.” Conversely, LBK the concept a proper chance to be discussed is fright-
claspsan incomparable study that could not rationalize ening to those of us who will be most affected by the
Roundabouts a roundabout at Fruitville/US41 using “suburban-rural” outcome. I do like the idea of building one roundabout
Dear Mayor Rothenberg and the LBK Commission: criteria.We read that LBK’s Sandy Gilbert, willing to burn in an area where the Key residents will not be overly
Reading the media, the Longboat Key Commission fuel idling longer, embraces STOP light time extensions affected to see how they work. These roundabout are
feels the City of Sarasota wants something other than for pedestrians. Mobility Now demonstrated to City not a simple thing that can be easily removed if they
to smoothly move US41 drivers along the Bayfront consultants that the US41 timing now was long enough don’t work. The major construction and relocation of
quickly. Believing so and facing a budget deficit and lay- for older people to walk across - albeit at great personal facilities and infrastructure is a big step that should not
ing offemployees, you are reported to be hiring a traffic risk from accelerating right turn and left turn crossing be taken without proper study. I can remember when
consultant to “let our opinions known” against the US41 vehicles removed byroundabout design. left turn lanes existed at Gulfstream and Ringling and
Bayfront corridor plan that includes up tosix modern The FDOT rejection of a roundabout at US41 and Main. Then they were removed to make traffic flow
roundabouts (not the traffic circles and rotaries of a Venice Ave in Venice is waved - not noticing the FDOT better. Now they are back. Ideas change. Roundabouts
bygone era). with consultants concluded not enough right of way aren’t that easy to remove.
The City Alliance desiring at least the same efficient (ROW) room there, or noticing there are no ROW con- I hope you can understand that those of us living on
movement that you want, wonders why you would go straints for the City US41 initiative, except perhaps at the Keys are not just being negative about the proposal
that route given what is known and learned from other 14th Street which design will determine. Even so, you can for roundabouts. We are genuinely concerned that the
jurisdictions managing corridor traffic like ours. hold close that the FDOT will review the final designs City is attempting to change a major factor in our lives as
Here in 2009, those “opinions” we read are stuck in to assure all drivers from wherever can move along the we commute in both daily and emergency situations. We
roadway design’s ancient past of 2000-03, oblivious to Bayfront as quickly as they do today ... or better ... and will work with you to plan anything that will improve
the pace of counter evidence swelling elsewhere in the more safely – which is the City objective of an attractive our commutes but we would like to be included in this
USA (see sarasotaconnectivity.com<http://www.saraso- thoroughfare that works well for all users whether on effort. Most of the citizens of Sarasota will not be affect-
taconnectivity.com/> and roundaboutsusa.com<www. wheels or on foot ... like the Ringling Bridge. ed by these changes. We will be so we are concerned.
roundaboutsusa.com>) unmindful of working modern The FDOT will have in mind the Federal Highway Thanks you for your letter and your concern.
state-of-the-art roundabouts moving high volumes far Administration notice of July, 2008: roundabouts should Commissioner Jim Brown,
more smoothly, quickly, and safely (especially during all be considered as an alternative for “federally-funded Longboat Key
the hours outside “peak” hour) than the replaced STOP highway projects, particularly those with major road vol-
lights which, with red light runner risk, wasted driver umes less than 90 percent of the total entering volume.” Please examine these issues
fuel and time polluting the air. E.g., the Gulfstream That’s Gulfstream and Fruitville. Dear Commissioners:
and Fruitville roundabouts are to use slip lanes that let Critical for islanders, roundabouts are more effective Thank you for doing what you do. On the first point,
right turns avoid the roundabout movement.Thus, up to emergency evacuation than signalized intersections in the DOT told the Town of Longboat Key in the 1990s
50% of drivers stay out of the roundabout movement. jeopardy of power outages and blockage by fallen stop that the bridge was up for replacement. The Town
LBK discounts the successful Clearwater roundabout lights. For that and all the time and fuel saving benefits, under the management of Al Cox, the Town manager,
without noticing it was designed ten years ago, before LBK could consider modern state-of-the-art roundabouts told the DOT that we did not want a new bridge. There
that slip lane advance. Nevertheless, without slip lanes, for the intersections at Ken Thompson Parkway and were many irregularities under the administration of Al
Clearwater is recognized by traffic professionals to the Longboat Key Club.The foregoing is offered for Cox and he left his Town employment after he caused
be easily moving high volume where pedestrians are your review as you consider how you will work with the Town to lose a law suit with Murf Klauber for 9 mil-
active. the FDOT and the City who have the same Longboat lion dollars, mostly because of irregularities. I believe
LBK grips 2000 and 2003 FDOT letters that opposed Key objective for smooth, quick, safe passage along the that the bridge is an important issue to an island com-
roundabouts on US 41 at that time - dated letters Sarasota Bayfront corridor. munity and that you should show due diligence and
Rod Warner look into the structural integrity of the existing bridge.
Connectivity Chair of The City Alliance If you find that things will not change with the bridge
Sarasota soon then by all means find the best way to deal with
the issue of a sidewalk. On the second point of “Dead
Commissiner Brown responds Man’s Curve”, you may want to have Chief Hogle check
Dear Mr Warner: his records for accidents in this area over the past 50
years in order to document the problem here. On the
5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 210 In response to your letter to the LBK Commissioners,
third issue, mangroves, anything that we can do to main-
I can speak only for myself , but I am open to the idea
Longboat Key, FL 34228 of the roundabouts along the Bayfornt corridor. My per- tain and cultivate mangrove areas should be a priority.
941-387-2200 • 941-388-7841 (fax) sonal problem with the City’s proposal is that there is These areas are like park areas to the town and unfor-
the feeling that these proposed roundabouts are being tunately have been diminished by attrition and illegal
www.lbknews.com forced on the citizens regardless of the lack of reason- trimming. I thought that you might find it interesting
ing behind there being a need. Despite the fact that that the current road was built on a causeway through
Steve Reid, Editor and Publisher what is shown on an early map as an anchorage area.
the City has held workshops, there is also the feeling
sreid@lbknews.com amongst those of us that live on the Keys, that the work- That means that the mangroves on both the East and
Associate Publisher shops were not open to outside input. It was originally West side of the road are historically valuable.
I have asked that the mohoe trees that the Town
Melissa Reid explained that the purpose was to alleviate the problem
planted on the West side be removed because they are
of pedestrians crossing from downtown to Bayfront
Art & Production Manager Park and back. listed as undesirable and invasive by the State of Florida.
Dottie Rutledge I personally don’t see how roundabouts solve this They are intruding into the mangrove areas there and
problem. At Main Ave. or Ringling Ave., there currently cost the Town a lot to trim each year.
Tom Mayers,
Staff Writers exist crosswalks with a timed walk light. If the round-
Longboat Key
abouts are installed, the pedestrians would have to
Melissa Reid • Joseph K. Cooper Commissioner Siekmann responds
hope that drivers would see and yield to them as they
Contributing Writers cross. Acknowledging that it is State law that drivers Dear Tom Mayers:
Dick Hershatter • Tom Burgum must yield to pedestrians, one can also understand First I want to thank you for taking the time to send us
Al Green • Hal Lenobel that drivers, especially in a situation where one has to your thoughts on the sidewalk planned for the Broadway
be looking in several directions as one approaches and to Longboat Pass bridge. Taking your points in order:
Karen O’Dowd • Susan Goldfarb passes through a roundabout, that these driver may be 1) Longboat Pass bridge: There are currently no plans
Glenn & Carole Swope distracted and not be able to see a pedestrian entering to replace the Longboat Pass bridge. Not now and not
Lisa Hlywa into a crosswalk.Add to this, the age factor of many if not anytime soon. It simply is not on the radar for the Florida
most of the drivers coming from the Keys and one can Department of Transportation. Because the bridge is part
Sales Director see the potential for a problem. of a state highway FDOT is responsible for replacing the
Jeanette Billings Add to this equation the drivers who currently disre- bridge.
gard not only stop signs but also red lights in their haste 2) Dead Man’s Curve: No question the area can be
Advertising/Sales and you have even more potential for disaster. There is dangerous. The principal reason for the sidewalk is to
John Howard also a feeling that there has never been a demonstration eliminate the danger. Public safety is the driving force
Chris Berloni that there is a problem with pedestrians currently. for the sidewalk.
Mixed in with all of this, is also the fact that the City 3) The mangroves: The mangroves present a difficult
Mary McGaharan has wanted to reduce the gulfstream corridor to one problem in planning the exact placement of the side-
lane of traffic each way and reduce the speed limit from walk.That placement remains an open question.
Advertising Department 45 mph to 30 mph. I don’t think most people drive over Commissioner Bob Siekmann
ads@lbknews.com • 941-387-2200 30 mph along the Bat front, but I cannot see how reduc- Longboat Key
It’s news to us! ing the lane can accomplish any thing good.
news@lbknews.com All this taken into account, even those of us who
Letters, page 5
Related docs
