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ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRESENTATIONS
I- 95/PGA BOULEVARD
FLYOVER
CITY COUNCIL
WORKSHOP MEETING
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
FEBRUARY 9, 1995
The Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Beach Gardens,
Florida, was called to order by Mayor Clark at 7:30 P.M. in the Assembly Room
of the Municipal Complex, 10500 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens,
Florida, and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
The Deputy City Clerk called the roll and present were Mayor Clark, Vice
Mayor Monroe, Councilman Russo, and Councilwoman Furtado. Councilman
Jablin was absent from the meeting.
Mayor Clark stated that there were no announcements.
Joe Debs, head of Transportation Group at Reynolds, Smith and Debs, reported
that their firm had completed a comprehensive study of twenty —one
intersections throughout Palm Beach County for the Department of
Transportation in October, 1992. This Great Separation Feasibility Study had
studied the selected intersections to determine what needed to be done either on
the ground or by use of flyovers to make those intersections work properly until
the year 2015. After determining and evaluating general concepts which were
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 2/9/95
PAGE 2
then applied to specific locations, the firm was able to isolate those intersections
that would need flyovers in order to handle traffic for the next twenty years. Mr.
Debs stressed that this was a very generalized study, and that a feasibility study
was only the first step in a project, followed by an environmental study,
preliminary and final design phases, and then land acquisition and construction.
The study, which had been completed in approximately two years and resulted
in priorization of the twenty —one intersections, gave the PGA/Old Dixie
intersection top priority over the other twenty, and the next phase of this project
was currently scheduled to begin in July of 1996. Major considerations were the
undeveloped land at the intersection, the close proximity of the FEC railroad and
the I -95 interchange, and the high traffic volume. The current level of service
was shown to be right at the borderline between acceptable and unacceptable,
and projected traffic volumes for the year 2015 were approximately twice as
many trips per day on each of the four legs of the intersection. Mr. Debs
discussed alternative flyover plans, described traffic flow for the preferred
configuration, and commented that a replacement railway crossing could delete
all existing conflicts with the crossing by replacing the current crossing at a
location with much less traffic volume. Mr. Debs stated the study had
recommended the partial cloverleaf flyover since it provided good roadway
access to the properties at all quadrants of the intersection, good pedestrian
access, good traffic flow with reduced delays, good constructibility, and stated
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 2/9/95
PAGE 3
that the construction costs at an estimated $13,500,000 were second in terms of
the least costly alternative. In response to Vice Mayor Monroe, Mr. Debs
explained that access to the northwest quadrant would probably be a 4—lane road,
and that both RCA Boulevard and PGA would remain open under this concept.
Mr. Debs responded to Councilman Russo that the earliest estimated start of
construction would be in 1999 or 2000, and that no funding had been identified
beyond the environmental study. Mr. Debs explained that no objections had
been raised by the landowner and that the partial cloverleaf would allow access
to currently undeveloped parcels so that development could occur. Further
discussion ensued regarding level of service and roadway access. George Webb,
County Engineer, estimated traffic volume to increase between 2010 and 2015
by approximately 10 %, however, explained that he could not estimate level of
service at buildout since the municipality planners needed to be consulted as to
when they believed buildout would occur. Mr. Webb responded to Vice Mayor
Monroe that assuming there would be no changes in land uses for that area of
Palm Beach Gardens roads, the level of service at buildout would be significantly
improved with the flyover. Planning and Zoning Director Rich Walton
suggested that if the City Council decided to endorse the flyover that the MPO
could be asked to accelerate the project, and Vice Mayor Monroe proposed that
a letter be sent to them and that a resolution to that effect be placed on the next
meeting agenda. A representative of the MacArthur Foundation reported that the
Foundation fully supported the flyover concept.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 2/9/95 PAGE 4
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION:
ABACOA TRAFFIC
IMPACTS Kayhart Pinder commented regarding the traffic report he was working on for
the City, explained that his work had centered around the concern that the
Abacoa project would limit development in the northern portion of Palm Beach
Gardens, and stated that future development sites had been identified. Mr.
Pinder reviewed the future development sites and explained that he had placed
three of those sites into the road system to determine their cumulative effect on
traffic in the year 2005, but had only currently completed the report to the year
2000. Councilman Russo stated his concern was whether a project could be
approved for one of the selected sites if Abacoa were approved. Mayor Clark
requested that Mr. Pinder's complete report also include a summary in layman's
terms. Mr. Pinder explained that although his report was not yet complete that
rough calculations revealed that no roadway failures would prevent those three
projects from developing at their planned sizes to the year 2005. Vice Mayor
Monroe commented that Commissioner Marcus had asked the City to endorse a
study that would determine the roadway system at buildout of the City, and
questioned whether at some future point in time some parcels might be
prohibited from development unless the level of service was reduced or unless
earlier land use changes had been instituted earlier. Mr. Pinder explained that
each municipality in the northern portion of the county needed to furnish socio-
economic data that could be used in his report so that what -if scenarios could be
completed.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 2/9/95
PAGE 5
Kayhart Pinder explained that he had been asked to provide the City Council
with information concerning the roadway improvements required as part of the
Abacoa DRI. Required improvements within Palm Beach Gardens included the
segment of Alternate A1A from Hood Road to PGA Boulevard which was to
become a 6 -lane divided roadway in Phase 1. In Phase 2 the 6- laning of
Alternate AlA would extend to Donald Ross Road; the segment of Prosperity
Farms Road from Lone Pine to PGA Boulevard would become 4 lanes, I -95
would become 8 lanes from PGA Boulevard to Northlake Boulevard, and the
urban interchange would be completed. Phase 3 improvements required 1 -95 to
become 8 lanes from PGA Boulevard to Donald Ross Road, Donald Ross Road
to become 6 lanes from I -95 to Prosperity Farms Road, and a segment of U.S.
One north of PGA Boulevard to Juno Isles to become 6 lanes. Mr. Pinder
explained that there were also requirements by the State not included in the
development order which required I -95 from PGA Boulevard to Northlake
Boulevard to become 10 lanes and Alternate A1A to become 6 lanes from PGA
Boulevard to Burns Road; and that Palm Beach County would reduce the level
of service on I -95 to match the DOT level of service. In response to
Councilman Russo, City Manager Herakovich explained that the City was not
objecting to a neighboring city's project, but that Palm Beach Gardens was trying
to influence the development of that project so that any concerns of the City of
Palm Beach Gardens would be addressed, and that Mr. DeGuardolia had assured
the City Council that language would be written into the development order
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 2/9195
PAGE 6
regarding Alternate AlA improvements. The City Manager explained that staff
and Attorney Brindell were in the process of identifying more specific issues in
order to provide influence both at the state level and to the Abacoa development
order. Mr. Pinder again addressed how buildout would affect specific roadways,
and stressed that his analysis was preliminary at this stage.
NORTHLAKE RELIEVER City Manager Herakovich explained that although the Northlake Reliever
roadway was not slated for construction for another five years it had been placed
on the agenda for the County Commissioners' February 16 meeting since the
County would either have to institute condemnation procedures or pay
approximately nine million dollars for right —of —way. George Webb, County
Engineer, explained how Palm Beach County anticipated the reliever road would
take traffic off Northlake Boulevard and explained that the level of service
would be reduced.
The executive session took place at 9:30 P.M. and, thereafter the council
returned to the public meeting.
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, motion was made by Vice Mayor
Monroe, seconded by Councilman Jablin, and unanimously approved to adjourn
the meeting at 10:00 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING, 2/9/95
APPROVAL r /
MAYOR DAVID CLARK
VICE MAYOR LINDA MONROW,
CO NCILMAN JOSEPH RUSSO
COUNCILMAN ERIC J
(c� L-j
COUNCILWOMAN LAUREN FURTADO
ATTEST:
CINDY HARVEY, DEPUTY CITY CLERK
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