FLATS Policy Committee Pursues Options

The most recent FLATS (Florence Area Transportation Study) Policy Committee meeting was held this past Monday. The meeting revealed what we can expect regarding transportation in our area and what applications for enhancement grants have been submitted.

Enhancement grants are federal funds most often used for bicyclists facilities, pedestrian facilities, landscaping and scenic beautification such as streetscaping and also preserving the abandoned railway corridors. Eligible applicants include city and county governments in the FLATS area (Darlington County, City of Florence, Florence County and Quinby). SCDOT must approve the local government to manage the project by showing that it has adequate staff to meet federal requirements. The allocated amount for the FLATS area is $117,000 annually.

An enhancement project that prompted discussion was the enhancement of the Cheves St. corridor (shown in turquoise and labelled "A" in the map below) from around the railroad tracks west to Irby St. The City of Florence is investing $1 million in parking north of this street that will support the Performing Arts Center and planned museum. City plans show a change in the number of lanes of this corridor to provide a more pedestrian-friendly environment to downtown and these new facilities. The enhancement grant proposal also includes much needed landscaping and bike lanes.

Renee and Debi did this.

Another option is to enhance the Dargan St. corridor (shown in pink and labeled "B" in the map above). Some of the Committee members mentioned this street may be the focus for enhancement monies. This street is two lanes and begs for beautification that will be inviting to downtown. The Committee has requested City of Florence staff to incorporate Dargan St. in the plan. What is your choice?

Other discussion at the meeting included upgrades to S. Cashua from Second Loop to Knollwood Rd. The question is whether sidewalks should be included in the project in a location where currently has little walking traffic or is walking traffic light because there is no where to walk? With limited area to expand, would a bicycle lane be a better solution in this area? As you can see in the schematic below, lane designation near the shoulder acts as a more significant bicycle accommodation.

Courtesy of SCDOT

The Committee has asked SCDOT to determine a cost savings if sidewalks were omitted from this project. Weighing the pros and cons make for healthy discussions especially when there is a high dollar at stake. We'll talk more at the next FLATS Policy Committee Meeting.

What are your thoughts and concerns on the above projects?

Eat Smart Move More Florence Chapter

Everyday brings more and more pedestrian friendly events, goals to improve our infrastructure for drivers, walkers and bicyclist and committees formed to educate us on the importance of being given a choice of travel.

The City of Florence is continually researching ways to improve and expand our current Florence Trails System. The Eastern Carolina Community Foundation is constantly looking for grants and stakeholders to contribute to the health and wellbeing of all Pee Dee residents.

The Florence Trails Committee members are always brainstorming...
--where are the areas in need of connectivity to the trail system;
--where are new sidewalks or improvements to existing needed; and
--which roadways are utilized on a daily basis by residents to reach their
point of destination either on foot or by bicycle and what amenities are
needed for this road to make their trip as safe and pleasant as possible???

Of course, it takes money to achieve these brainstorming ideas, which we all know can be few and far between. But hey, at least the ideas are there when the 'green' is available.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has enhanced their regulations on transportation federal funding to promote sustainable, livable, walkable communities. The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is on the same page with FHWA, not only promoting these initiatives, but making safety and decreasing traffic congestion a top priority.

The Florence Area Transportation Study (FLATS) receives federal funding for transportation related projects. One of many documents FLATS is required to maintain and update on a regular basis is the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The FY2035 LRTP is in the final draft stages and will be presented to the FLATS Policy Committee on September 27th. The Policy Committee is the decision making body for FLATS. One of the ten chapters in this document regards bicycle and pedestrian facilities (Ch. 6). The entire document can be reviewed on the County Planning Transportation website. Look for more information on the adopted LRTP soon. Lots of information!

Florence County is fortunate to have numerous committees, businesses, schools, and stakeholders, just to name a few, jumping on the bandwagon with FHWA and SCDOT to promote safe, healthy, multi-modal options for us.

I thought you might be interested in learning of a recently formed committee in our area. Florence has just become a 'Certified Chapter' of Eat Smart Move More South Carolina (ESMMSC). The Eat Smart Move More Coalition is a result of a merger of the SC Coalition for Obesity Prevention Efforts (SCCOPE) and the SC Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (SCCPPA). For more information on ESMMSC, check out their website .
The Florence Chapter anticipates their webpage becoming live in the next couple of months. It will be accessible through the ESMMSC website. Make a note to keep visiting this website and check out the things your local chapter is doing in our area.

What I Learned on My Summer Vacation

Brisbane is a mostly a young city
 with decent architecture.

It's been a long time since I've used that phrase, but I did learn something this summer.

I visited Australia and I am very excited to share what I saw. [Yes, this is work-related]

I saw bicycles, catamarans, buses, trains, pedestrian bridges, taxis, hints of bicycle sharing, pedestrian only streets and parks (which I might highlight parks with a follow-up blog). Where did I see all this? The beautiful City of Brisbane, located in the southeast corner of Queensland on the country's east coast.

The city is a big one! The country's third largest city has over one million people spread over an area of 727 sq. mi. That's not quite as big as the entire Florence County area which is 799 sq. mi., but a lot more density than the whole Pee Dee region combined.

Mostly, I wanted to share photos that I took while tooling around the City and I'll describe what I could gather from my exploration. And, of course, if driving on the wrong side of the road has you worried, be comforted by the following alternatives...

Queen Street has been converted into a pedestrian street. No bicycles allowed. Note the overhangs to protect pedestrians from the weather. Mid-block cut-throughs were common as were shopping center-sized 'arcades'. The bus depot is located on the next parallel block consisting of a close series of designated stops.

CityCycle is a new program just starting for the City and some surrounding suburbs. Shown here is one of the pick-up, drop-off locations. In theory, a small fee would allow you to rent a bicycle. A rechargeable 'Go' card allows you get discounted prices to ride the bus, train, catamaran and utilize this service.

This is a pedestrian only bridge over Brisbane River. It connects the Queensland Technical College and Botanical Garden area to an neighborhood of green space, cafes, shops, apartments and offices. Note the bulb out portion of the bridge - there was a cafe there, too.

Probably one of the most exciting ways to travel was by catamaran. Since the Brisbane River connected the heart of the city as seen in the right of this photo to the arts district, Queensland University, Technical College, residences, shopping and parks, the catamaran was an efficient and fun way to travel or commute.

If you are still reading, then all these pictures were not just fun to do. In fact, this is what I would refer to as a technical photo. Yes, as a planner, this photo would be considered to embody the very intention of a complete street. Note on the left side of the photo the pedestrian walk including sitting areas, curb-outs for parking, bollards that protect pedestrians from vehicles and, what is that??; oh, trees and landscaping. Nice! Even the road where the peds cross is raised and has a different texture. Also noteworthy is the layout of the area: apartments to the right and to the left a large area park complete with gardens, main lawn, picnic area and amphitheater!

Pedestrian walkways along the Brisbane River within a park setting. Bougainvillea are trained to the sculpture-like boundary.  One of these parks included an artificial beach and water playground.

A riverside promenade. This turned into a roadway of bicycles, pedestrians and runners in the morning and afternoon hours. Note the sign which explains that walkers should stay left for bicycles to pass. Bicyclists use bells to make known of passing, too. Storey Bridge in the background includes a pedestrian lane - plus for fun, you can walk on the top!

Well, there you have it for now. I have a lot more photos; and hopefully, I can compile some that show the importance of public spaces, which Brisbane is full of. Until then, tell me what you think about these amenities and how we could possible integrate here.

New Regular Report: Road Construction

We have started receiving the road construction log for the Florence area. In an effort to distribute to commuters and area drivers, we'll offer it here every Friday.

Please avoid the following construction spots listed below:

• Ashby Rd. and McIver Rd. (Intersection Improvement.) - Periodic lane closures are expected during the week.
• Ebenezer Road and Pineneedles Road (Roadway construction.) Construct 272’ bridge on S-577 over I-95. - Periodic lane closures are expected during the week.
• US 378 over the Great Pee DeeRiver (Bridge replacement and roadway construction.) - Periodic lane closures are expected during the week.
• I-95 from north of SC 327 in Florence County to north of SC 9 in Dillon County (Seal joints on I-95 from I-20 to north of SC 327.) - Nighttime three mile lane closures are expected on northbound and southbound I-95 from milepost 171 to 193 every calendar day. Closures begin at 7:00 PM and end at 10:00 AM. Alternate routes should be considered. Detour signs are in place for motorists seeking alternate routes in these areas.

Safe motoring!

TPAC is on a roll!

Tuesday we had our second TPAC, Transportation Plan Advisory Committee, meeting for the Long Range Transportation Plan. We had a great turn out of members who knew the problem areas and were anxious to express their ideas since the previous meeting.

It seems that the concensus of the (LRTP) questionnaire was that we needed to work on connectivity, bike and pedestrian friendly streets, and trying to make things more appealing to the eye. The combination of these ideas will make getting from point"A" to point "B" less stressful, maybe even enjoyable!

The previously mentioned round-a-bout for five/six points will not work because of the the large footprint that would be required. Another alternative may be to make one of the intersecting streets inbound only. Then there are those that say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! What do you think?

All agreed that the East Palmetto corridor coming from the airport to the hospital is a definite eyesore and needs to be cleaned up. This is one of the gateways to our City and requires much attention.

South Irby Street is highly traveled and begs for help. Safety is the biggest issue whether it is for motorist, pedestrians, or bicyclist. They all use Irby Street (maybe in fear). Proper turn lanes, controlling curb cuts, plantable medians, and pedestrian elements were some of the suggestions that need to be incorporated.

TPAC thinks it's all about raising the level of service and the more bang for your buck!

What do you think?

Florence County Foreclosures Decline to 2006 Levels

Over the past few months, the Florence County Planning Department has been tracking foreclosures back to 2006. With the help of the County Clerk of Courts and its Special Referree, we have compiled all the available information on those homes that have completed the foreclosure process.

Beginning around May 2007, it was not uncommon to see between 35 and 40 foreclosures a month. Those numbers have decreased starting in September 2008 when the highest values were between 25 and 30 a month.

For the month of June, the number of foreclosed property continued its downward trend with nine, roughly equal to the average of the first two months of 2006, which is the start of records we could find.

Annual municipalities' foreclosures in 2009 may meet or beat 2006 values if these trends continue.

So, what does this mean for Florence County? It may translate to decreased time a home for sale remains on the market. It may also signal a better market for builders seeing less competition with foreclosed properties.

As the Florence Economic Development Partnership continues to attract new an expanding businesses to Florence, we may be seeing some warming from this icy housing season.

The next question we must ask ourselves is how we want to grow to weather the next economic catastrophe. That answer may lie in considering the combined costs of housing and transportation (reflecting the new coordination between HUD and US DOT) while minimizing the tax burden. Instead of housing following new schools, how about schools locating near the housing... you'll see lower costs in maintaining our transportation network! Imagine a pedestrian and bicycle friendly neighborhood that includes that school, grocer, coffee shop, clothing store and other amenities.

Can it happen in Florence?

I survived Five-Points..in a neon vest.

After a grueling day being buffetted by warm breeze and pounded by clear skies... okay, nevermind - I had a great time at five-points yesterday.

Here is the low-down on the car counts: average number of cars per cycle in the morning was 150. The afternoon numbers jumped significantly to 211 vehicles per cycle. We saw at some times that cars had to wait a second cycle to pass the intersection... and the total bicyclists was 5 that we saw (we were there at "rush-hour" periods, 7-9 and 4-6).

One thing for certain, Five Points is not pedestrian friendly! No crosswalks, no signals, lacking ramps on some sides. Yikes!

I have forwarded the results onto our consultants to do some fancy computations, which I will share with you. What will be interesting to see is specific characterisitcs of the individual roads. Palmetto going away from downtown was VERY busy in the afternoon, but it still seemed to work to allow all the traffic through.

I saw a lot of friends too! ...and a lot of four-legged co-pilots!

...then something scarey - a cute little girl in the front seat without a seat belt on! Yikes!

Happy travels!

Earth Day - County's frugal plan

Did you walk to work or school today? It is a perfect day for a walk or bicycle ride anywhere around town. Need to go to lunch at the mall? - take the bus. PDRTA has a route that passes through the area (did you know they added yet another route for the southern part of the City of Florence).

All of these questions lead me to wish you a happy Earth Day and give you a perspective on how the County wants to save money by being frugal.

As you know, we are working on the Comprehensive (thinking BIG) Plan. The plan outlines where we are now and where we see ourselves in the next 30 years. I told you it was big. 

The element we are currently working on is the Future Land Use - how and where the County will grow over this long period of time. This is the quintescential plan of plans! I know many people don't know (or don't care?) and haven't read their County's Comprehensive Plan (and ours has pretty pictures, too!), but let me share what is drafted so far in the opening paragraph:

The Future Land Use Element represents a culmination of many elements of the Florence County Comprehensive Plan. Information from the Population, Community Facilities, Economic Development and Natural Resources elements are utilized to create the foundation for directing responsible future growth in the County. The Future Land Use element incorporates the analysis and future strategy of these elements and emphasizes sustainability and prudence as the priority objective for growth. The overarching goal is to create efficiency in utilizing our manufactured and natural infrastructure.

Feel free to send me any feedback.

I recently read some interesting material comparing the effectiveness of frugality and efficiency in a sort of 'chicken or the egg' discussion. Except, this time the benefit is clear to be frugal before being efficient; whereas, the opposite holds little confidence of arriving at both. 

For example, limiting the exent to grow beyond municipal boundaries (frugality) may lead to more efficient housing opportunities within the boundary. A example in the contrary - high density residential zoning allowed anywhere in reference to municiapal services creates sprawl, much like what is found on Alligator Road. This second example, although efficient this example highlights an antithesis to frugality.

All these ideas tie into sustainability and minimizing our ecological footprint. How are you reducing your footprint this Earth Day?

Oh, and one more thing - ozone forcast for today and the past few days have been green! Good Job!

Commuter Continuum

Welcome to the Commuter Continuum!

What kind of Commute Day is it? Is it a perfect ten? ...or are we stuck in the car?
If we were in an ideal world - we would love our job (as I do!), we would have every transportation option available, we would have the perfect weather everyday (72 degrees, 30% humidity, light breeze from the north, partly cloudy) and we would be able to walk to work in five minutes.

This brings me to thinking about a continuum that would score a particular day with a particular commuting tool or mode. I would rate the above scenario as a perfect ten. However, we don't all live in a ideal world.

Some of us commute to school, others work in Darlington. Some have kids to drop off and errands to run during the day. Still others are retired and only go out to get the paper - but go out later to pick up a few things. It's a mixed-up set of circumstances, but this continuum can still work for you.

1. First, take stock in the types of transportation, or modes, you own (or will own in the near future). For me, it's feet (distance to work allows it), a three year old mountain bike and a five-ear old car. You may also have a skateboard, scooter or motorcycle or a nearby bus stop at your disposal. [Please don't use a riding lawnmower! -see a recent post]
   
   
2. Next, line up your modes on a scale from one to ten, with ten being 'perfect'. Now the meaning of perfect to me is arriving to work under my own power and little or no time constraint: walking is ideal. If I am in a hurry, then a bicycle. As a last resort, or when my score for the day is low, then the car is the option. Unfortunately, a bus stop is not near my house.
   

It's personal - in essence, I want to get to work without using petroleum. It saves on insurance and at the pump... plus I like Florence BBQ, but I want to keep my weight in check!

So my continuum, so far, looks like this:
3. Now, let's add all the mode specific elements that would lean to one side of the spectrum or the other. I am considering time, how long is the commute (Google it), traffic, temperature, humidity, rain in forecast, available shower (my office has one, but do you work close to a gym?), errands to run at lunch?

Now my continuum looks like this:

For me, rain (and illness) is the only factor keeping me in a car for the commute since my distance to work is walkable and bike-able. Likewise, some factors won't spoil the entire score. Today was definitely 100% humidity (the photo above shows the fog!), but I still rode the bike in.

Of course, this continuum may work also for all sorts of travels: small list grocery shopping, visiting neighbors, dropping mail, visiting the gym, going to the library - the list is endless depending on where you live.

A fun exercise is to draw a half-mile line from your house (Google Earth!) to see what is within walking distance, about three to five miles would be biking distance.

Now, if we can just get more sidewalks and bicycle lanes!

So, what's your score and mode? For me, today is a 7 on a bike!