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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Council 020995ROLL CALL 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 PAGE 7