Someone recently marked up the concrete Jersey barrier on the bridge at Royal Palms Parkway and Town center Boulevard with this line, with a tentative, thin black marker: “Put a light here!” Help is, in fact, on the way, though it will be well over a year before anyone sees any changes.
The barely visible exclamation, clearly from a law-abiding resident who doesn’t know the first thing about vandal-worthy graffiti paint, nevertheless reflects the frustration and occasional anger drivers feel as their cars back up to caravan lengths worthy of the Silk Road, but on less storied Royal Palms Parkway, as they approach Town Center Boulevard. There’s only a stop sign on the Royal Palms side, and it’s all two lanes but for a right-lane turn from Royal Palms to Town Center. For those waiting to turn left toward Old Kings Road, they’d better have a good audio book to keep them company.
Once they made the turn, the intersection of Town Center and Old Kings Road isn’t much better. It, too, backs up, its two lanes a throwback to when Town Center was a desert and Palm Coast not yet the city of 100,000-and-counting that it’s become. Add to that the 333-home development churning along Royal Palms and Town center Boulevard, and the 72-home development going up nearby along Point Pleasant Drive, and those intersections are in for yet more tributaries of cars and bile.
Maybe the amateur tagger of that Jersey barrier was at the Palm Coast City Council Tuesday evening. A man whose identity needn’t be revealed, given the context so far, addressed the council to complain about that very intersection, among roads, using language more often heard from Gaza these days: “That intersection alone, Royal Palms and Town Center Boulevard , it’s tragic and a nightmare,” he said. “I went there late at night, came through there. I couldn’t even see the intersection, it’s so dark. That whole area Royal Palms, you’re going to build houses there, that whole area needs to be redesigned.” (The man then unleashed vulgar vituperations against apartments and more homes.)
The Council later at that meeting approved a plan to kick-off the engineering design and widening of that segment from Royal Palms Parkway and Town Center Boulevard to Old Kings Road, and the four-laning of Old Kings Road from that intersection going north, to Palm Coast Parkway. It’s what the city calls Phase 2 of the four-laning of Old Kings Road. Phase 1 was the portion already four-laned in 2010, from State Road 100 to Town Center Boulevard, back when the city thought Walmart was opening a supercenter down that way.
The $4 million plan is split into smaller phases, beginning with the $500,000 design. That $500,000 is a state grant. The rest must come from city coffers.
The aim of it all, as Carl Cote, the city’s chief engineer and stormwater director, is “to look at the intersection of Royal Palms and Town Center Boulevard, to look at four-laning Royal Palms from that intersection to Old Kings Road, and then also to analyze the intersection at Town Center and Old Kings Road. So it’s basically widening the roadway from two to four lanes along that entire route. It would probably be constructed in phases due to the cost and timing.”
Survey work, environmental work and permitting work will all take at least a year or more.
“it’s about time,” Mayor David Alfin said, referring to Old Kings Road as the oldest in the city. He said it’s “badly needed.”
Several funds will pay for it. Impact fees in Town Center could pay for the segment between Royal Palms and Old Kings Road. The Old Kings Road Special Assessment District, paid for by property owners along Old Kings Road, would pay for some of the costs on Old Kings, as would city impact fees.
The plan will also address stormwater issues: the canal that empties out Palm Coast and flows into the Intracoastal flows along that portion of Royal Palms Parkway and Town Center Boulevard, and under I-95. But it, too, needs work. The city just completed the installation of a new weir on that canal, parallel to Royal Palms.
“This addresses some of the citizens’ questions tonight about Royal Palms and the intersection at old Kings Road, so this design will definitely help alleviate some of those concerns,” Interim City Manager Lauren Johnston said.
JOE D says
Let’s hope it gets completed on schedule and within BUDGET. I live in Flagler Beach, but go into Palm Coast FREQUENTLY for basic services not available “at the beach.”
Since I’m retired, I have the LUXURY of running those errands (mostly) during late morning and early afternoon. The AM and PM rush hour traffic patterns are RUTHLESS. The volume is overwhelming, and the idea of COURTESY on the road DIED many years ago. At those crowded times it’s “every man (or woman) for themselves.” The idea of “yielding” right of way, or granting someone at a stop sign to enter the traffic lane ( even with cross traffic STOPPED), happens “once in a blue moon”…I think that happens once every 2-4 months.
I’m still LEARNING the Palm Coast area…but even with GPS, getting many places in Palm Coast at “busy” traffic times, strikes FEAR in my heart (literally). Unless it’s a PRIORITY errand, if I can’t complete it at a low traffic time, I simply don’t go.
I can see on a daily basis the results of OVER DEVELOPMENT in Flagler County…and I EGARLY wait for this new construction to ease the JAMS…not sure it won’t be OBSOLETE by the time construction is completed!
JimboXYZ says
Doesn’t matter, schedule or budget, it’s unfunded $ 500K funded of $ 4 million means $ 3.5 million is unfunded. That means higher taxes to those that live here already, growth will not pay for this, that growth is a vacant lot, soon to be full of rental duplexes for renters that don’t have the money to maintain the infrastructure. Landlord rental profits, if there are any to speak of is income to the landlord, it goes back into maintaining a rental property for the next abusive lease term to wear out appliances, flooring, roof, HVAC system, water heater replacement, paint for the interior & exterior walls.
I roll my eyes when I read the terms they’re using in the pdf of BS & lies, sustainable environment & infrastructure. From inception the project is simply unfunded. I think our Government needs a dictionary to look up the word Sustainable. Where are the jobs that will pay for all of this ? $ 15/hour isn’t a sustainable tax base to sustain anything. that’s why mortgages & rents are inflating as they are. I want to see the ratio of new homes built vs those that are being rented. Retirees are limited & fixed incomes, if they even aren’t riding out an inheritance.
Anyone ever take a look at the job listings for the City of Palm Coast ? Temporary seasonal jobs that they are. Collecting pickleball court rentals for a Tennis Center expansion aren’t paying for this. Any permanent jobs ? Yeah those folks were fired for no or even a fabricated cause. And yet our City & County Governments are saddling the community with debt at higher interest rates like it’s gone to just in the last 3+ years of unsustainable Biden. I want to see these retirees that were paid over their careers enough to plan for Biden inflation, corporate gouging. Even the local pensioners for the City & County, when they retire have an escape plan to Western Carolina, TN, KY to get back to what Bunnell, Flagler Beach & Palm Coast once was. They aren’t looking to retire themselves to the likes of what St Augustine, Daytona area has become or even this 2050 vision of Palm Coast. I just think we have too many wandering the government building using buzzwords & phrases that really don’t apply to reality. Klufas is quoted in other articles as seeing no way to pay for this without raising taxes to everyone. Borderline falsifying the valuations of property to create a larger tax revenue base to still be grossly short of funding any of these growth projects. The last read I had of questionable property appraisal/assessments ? One looks no further than Trump facing that level of allegation in a NY trial courtroom and was fined $ 454 million for that to get a loan. Anyone here in Flagler deep pockets like Trump to pay & pay & pay & get less for what a dollar can buy & lower standard of living in the process ? And Klifas will run for county Government later in 2024. Why would anyone vote for that future of politics after watching it for years for Palm Coast. Klufas supported the $ 8 million splash pad, he’s part of the problem here, the cure is to let him find something else he can do, might be good at. I suggest he work a seasonal job collecting pickleball or pool fees as what level he should influence anything going forward in Flagler County. I think it’s high time the Palm Coast & Flagler swamp was flushed & drained. It can’t get any worse than this ? there is more than enough approved projects to do enough damage. November 2024 can’t come soon enough.
https://www.wordnik.com/words/sustainable
You are absolutely right that the solution will be obsolete. But it’s more like it was never a solution in the 1st place. It was just a political proactive distraction to appease the growing unrest with voters, taxpayers & general public. A 4 lane road there won’t make a difference because the residential will explode with increased traffic. Look at the photo again, right above the graffiti is the Town Center Parkway underpass that will defeat 4 lanes, because it will force that increased traffic to merge back into 2 lanes causing gridlock. There simply isn’t enough distance between Old Kings Road & the 3 way of Royal Palms Parkway for that to go from 4 lanes to 2 lanes & back to 4 lanes. Your comment strikes me as a one from someone that lives the Alfin nightmare every day. I used to ravel that road, I avoid it now. We have to vote those out that have no vision, yet self proclaim they have the vision of 2050. Alfin would never have become mayor, unless Holland didn’t resign & run from her hand in setting the stage for this environmental catastrophe. There’s a reason Holland is no longer in politics, and it isn’t solely because of her child’s health issues. It’s because she was in over her head for the position of Mayor. Framkly, Alfin is too. Look at the mess over in Holland Park for the Splash Pad, that was 3 years ago, it’s a shameful, cruel joke for anyone that lives here. To know after $ 8 million dollars in the 3 years it’s existed, that splash pad will be nothing more than what it was when it was ceremoniously celebrated for a grand opening. Klufas remains of that era of politics. He seeks a county elected seat. I can’t imagine anyone costing the taxpayers over $ 8 million dollars & litigation that should be influencing the City or County budgets. someone has to step up and pull the plug on that insanity. I’ll take my chances with anyone else running against these folks for a single vote say in the matter going forward.
Par Store says
You live and a fairy, thin, depressed world There are plenty of good renters and plenty of good things in life. Need to lighten up roses are there
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Comical, you started out good yet had to go after President Biden, who again, is not responsible for anything that you blame. Though I did get a good laugh with your comment “Anyone here in Flagler deep pockets like Trump…”, you are talking about the same grifter that had to go beg for money to pay his bail and has rallies to raise money for his lawyers?
JOE D says
One CLARIFICATION: regarding the PROPERTY tax base…if you are NOT living in your Flagler County property as a PRIMARY residence, (but rather a rental property or a snowbird vacation property)…you are paying A LOT more property taxes than if the property is your primary residence, and there is no property tax reduction under the HOMESTEAD program, if it’s not your primary residence. So THOSE properties are not getting ANY break in taxes for INFRASTRUCTURE projects.
Palm Coaster says
The city really needs to put a light in at Royal Palms and Point Pleasant, especially when you’re going to build two communities within a couple thousand of feet of that intersection. Right now it’s redicolous getting through there without getting hit, just wait for these other two communities move in. Makings of a crash .
JimboXYZ says
The problem with 4 lanes in that area, the underpass for I-95 is 2 lanes without building a new overpass for I-95. There’s no getting around that, it will always be the bottleneck for traffic going East from the 3-way intersection. 4 lanes become 2 to go under I-95. Going West, the overpass will open up traffic going from 2 to 4 lanes West of the overpass. The problem becomes 4 lanes from Old Kings Road boing back to 2 lanes to go under I-95. The sheer stupidity behind overdeveloping, the lack of infrstructure planning for roads has been the calling card of the Alfin era of a Vision of Palm Coast in 2050. Any solution involves reducing speed limits to slow traffic. That will create it’s own cattle drive of gridlock for volume of traffic. Really is a roundabout or a traffic light is that speed reducer. It won’t work well as implemented because the volume of traffic will be like a school in the AM & afternoon for slow & congested. As you can see I-95 from that looking North where every tree has been leveled to dirt for more residential in the Alfin plan to grow Palm Coast.
The tagger that most likely left that graffiti message there was probably the motorist that hit the concrete barrier. The City of Palm Coast knows the exact date & time, perhaps who it was that crashed into the barrier wall. The vehicle that wiped that concrete barrier out had to have been towed away from the location. That’s just how it works when a car/truck hits a barrier that doesn’t move. Imaging being the only motorist in Palm Coast to hit that barrier in the last 3+ years of Biden, perhaps ever in the history of Palm Coast/Flagler County. I’ll let readers determine the low IQ of anyone involved in hitting the concrete barrier. We’ve seen those cars/trucks with front end damage in driveways someone has to be unfortunate to be that one’s neighbor ? That’s how front end damage happens to a vehicle, one either rear ends a vehicle in front of them or they hit an object that is more permanent for structure (tree or in this case the concrete barrier). Insurance probably covered it though to the extent of he limitations of a auto policy. They know when the concrete wall had to be repaired & replaced for that section of wall at the corner of Royal Palms Parkway. The reality of that area is that it will become a school zone for a speed limit. It will back up & congest for that reason alone, adding 4 lanes, we all know there are folks that will try to be first to Old Kings Road there & when 4 lanes merge back to 2 to go under I-95 how far back on Town Center Parkway is that going to be congested for traffic volume. In the time it takes to compose this comment, I’m no self proclaimed Government City Planner & Developer expert type. If I can see it, why can’t the staff for the City of Palm Coast. Have they even driven thru that area to see what the growth of Palm Coast will become ? No online survey they come up with, No Klufas IT solution for an app for that is going to change the reality that 10 gallons of poop won’t fit in a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket. Another analogy, it’s like trying to suck a golf ball thru a garden hose. The solutions were getting aren’t real solutions for improving anyone’s quality of life really. They will be additional tax burdens to maintain & repair 4 lane roads instead of 2. Alfin had his town hall thing over nearer to FL SR-100 at Panera. Did anyone even go to the location where the graffiti is for a relative ground zero ? They found onbe person in Palm Coast that was bold enough to say they loved Alfin, & it was probably his wife or daughter ?
Just keeping that much real. A lot of folks moved here without realizing it, others left Flagler County & in the interim we’re stuck with Alfin until a vote can remove him from doing further damage to planet Earth in Flagler County. Nobody is saving planet Earth here from this crew. Part of it is the overbreeders as individuals that never see themselves as the main drivers of the problem. You can see it in the accident reports/stories woman & toddler child killed in car wreck. To some extent one has to have empathy for Government, they have to plan & predict the individual responsibilities for community growth. When 2 leave planet Earth, that just means 2 more rotate in to replace. Are they any better or worse than what they replaced ? The Bunnell woman showing up with a gun & discharging hat in a fit of rage tends to suggest the stupid one’s are relocating here. Connecting dots is common sense. Alfin & his crew seem to think that’s a Hail Mary of hope it turns out better. The human race generally disappoints. I have low expectations of the results. Palm Coast Parkway has just become a mess to commute in the last 3 years, it’s going to be worse from top to bottom of the county, side to side too.
And I didn’t even mention the Lehigh Trail. With more residential, that trail is going to be congested for traffic with new homes & families. A pedestrian bridge is needed because at a certain point it will be unsafe to cross the road to get to the trail from Royal Palms Parkway (RPP). Imagine the 1st child that gets hit by a car anywhere on RPP or Town Center Parkway at the 3 way intersection. That’s the 2025 vision of Palm Coast, not this nonsense that anyone has for an online survey for a 2050 vision of PC.
HayRide says
And with all the building going with the real-estate driven concil, you only need to complain about a raod and the approve another project.
However people will still not use a blinker at a three way intersection when they can clearly see people are looking for a clue as to what the other motorist intends to do, day after day they will not use their blinker. How do these NJ people handle it when they are at the short end and people don’t signal their intentions when they wait, do they just take in stride because that’s how everybody at home drives?
Momma Mia says
New Jersey? We always us are blinkers. It’s the Florida’s who don’t.
Bob Wiley says
While they’re at it, the old kings Rd/royal palms light needs it’s own north bound turning lane. Turning from OK onto RP. Why that wasn’t done when that whole area was redesigned in the first place shows pure incompetence.
A couple other changes that desperately need to be done is on Matanzas Woods Pkwy. The westbound side heading towards Belle Terre again there needs to be a separate turning lane but for Bird of Paradise. The traffic gets backed up there constantly. Having a turning lane would allow through traffic to flow freely. One last thing and I hate to say it in the absurd city of poorly timed traffic lights but… Has anyone else been in the long line of cars on the off ramp at Matanzas waited to turn? When school lets out it’s even worse. I hate lights like poison but man… We need one there.
Momma Mia says
So, the did not address Royal Palms from Point Pleasant up to Belle Terre. That area is a nightmare during rush hour. What are they going to do about that? Anyone know?
Greg says
Agreed, traffic is crazy anymore in the land of no turn signals. You will need a traffic light at Royal Palms and Town Center. Build till palm Coast is no longer drivable. We are seriously looks to get out of Palm Coast. It’s crazy here anymore, and poor leadership ru n8 g the zoo around here.
dave says
4 new lanes or traffic for those that just like to speed. Its crazy already here.
Deborah Coffey says
Yeah, sure. In 2009 TAX ASSESSMENTS for those of living on Old Kings Road. Another 15 years and we might see some progress!: https://www.observerlocalnews.com/news/2013/jul/09/city-begin-assessing-taxes-old-kings-road-0/
Deborah Coffey says
I forgot to say, Pierre, that you have outdone yourself with this sentence. The best laugh in months!
“The barely visible exclamation, clearly from a law-abiding resident who doesn’t know the first thing about vandal-worthy graffiti paint, nevertheless reflects the frustration and occasional anger drivers feel as their cars back up to caravan lengths worthy of the Silk Road, but on less storied Royal Palms Parkway, as they approach Town Center Boulevard.”
Robjr says
The developers who get approved to build homes on large tracts of land should be putting up money for road construction to accommodate the vehicle traffic that the new neighborhoods will generate.
That is above and beyond impact fees.
Yellowstone says
Boy, here’s another opportunity for another roundabout. This intersection is worthy of a new design.
Skibum says
I don’t disagree that this southern section of Old Kings Road needs to be widened, but those of us who live in the F Section north of Palm Coast Pkwy. have been patiently waiting and waiting for years to see phase 2 and ultimately phase 3 of the already approved and surveyed widening of Old Kings Road up toward Matanzas Woods Pkwy. Where are the road construction crews? When will that often talked about but never started work finally begin? Why does the city keep approving more and more road construction projects, including the western loop through the vast nothingness west of U.S. 1 before actually starting and completing years old road improvements that the city says is vital as an alternate evacuation route in case I-95 is closed or clogged with traffic? I know they city is able to do more than one thing at a time, but it would actually be really nice to SEE something being done other than all of the online planning documents sent out from the city, and then NOTHING happens for years and years. DO SOMETHING to get this north Old Kings Road project finally underway and completed, PLEASE!
Protonbeam says
This was supposed to be paid for by the developers who are nuking the land over there to put in hundreds and hundreds of homes, but because of incompetence and inexperience once again at the city, the taxpayers will get hosed. But they chase off anyone with competence in this county –
Land of no turn signals says says
This project is 4 years behind the times.Close the barn doors after the horses are gone.Didn’t Old Kings road just get redone just 3 -4 years ago?
Ed says
Sounds like another roundabout in the making LOL. Like the one at Cody’s Corner that isn’t even started yet BUT is in a hold pattern while they decide how to actuallybuild it. Using an old obsolete traffic study I guess wasnt the smartest idea ! Already millions over budget and no shovels even in the ground yet
Yellowstone says
Ed – I hope you know the comment about adding a roundabout at that intersection was meant to be facetious. But the more I think about the traffic mishaps here, this roundabout would create an impediment and potentially force folks back onto the main arteries. This roundabout would be the second on this stretch of roadway we have already grown accustomed to. I now think this design I think might enhance this intersection.
dave says
Oh don’t put it past the city or FDOT, the FDOT likes traffic circles.