For years, Palm Coast residents in surveys about the local quality of life have been giving some of their lowest marks to traffic flow in the city.
In 2005 it hit bottom, with 89 percent of respondents rating traffic poorly. It improved after the Great Recession, but by 2017 it was falling again, and last year 66 percent of respondents were complaining. By way of comparison, 94 percent of respondents felt safe in their neighborhood, 92 percent loved their fire services and 79 percent gave high marks for the quality of the city’s natural environment.
The Palm Coast City Council has been well aware of its traffic problem for years–a problem created in large part by ITT, whose polyester-suited salesmen outnumbered city planners by roughly the same ratio of vehicles-to-homes on Florida Park Drive or Cimmaron Drive, two of the city’s perennial circuits of hell. The city administration has been saddled with the consequences since and has attempted to improve matters with wider arterial roads, better-lit parkways, smarter traffic light sequences.
Still, as the city has kept growing, the city council almost every year, at times several times a year, has grappled with traffic complaints and debated them openly, asking its traffic engineers for relief. The council discussion that took place at Tuesday’s workshop was the latest edition of the same debate. It may have seemed fresh to council members, only one of whom has been on the panel for more than a term. But residents have been stuck in this traffic debate for years, with variations, and often with results.
At times it’s lack of lights, especially on roads that were the scenes of night traffic crashes that took the lives of teens on foot or on bicycles, as on Lakeview Drive and Seminole Woods Boulevard: the city since 2018 undertook an aggressive program to light its principal roadways and to light residential intersections, starting with those that serve as bus school stops. Beyond that, the city has been systematically installing lights at intersections, and speeding that up when residents file requests at unlit ones.
At times it’s been lack of sidewalks. The city has vastly improved that gap along main arteries (the city has 103 miles of arterial, or collector, roads, and 439 miles of residential streets). Complaints about absent sidewalks on residential streets linger. The city recently hired a consultant to determine some solutions to neighborhoods without sidewalks. The consultant’s conclusion was that retrofitting neighborhoods with sidewalks would be prohibitively expensive and difficult, as it would require easements from every property, construction on every property, and a proportionate reduction in properties’ front yards.
And always, residents have complained about traffic–speed, congestion, noise–and continue to do so. The city gets about 10 to 15 traffic complaints a month. That’s chiefly what Michael Grunewald, the city’s traffic engineer, was tasked with discussing on Tuesday by way of an update to the rookie-rich council.
But as in previous years, there was no magic answer.
When residents complain of speeders at any specific location for example, traffic safety technicians will investigate by recording for seven days the speed and the number of vehicles that pass by the censor they install at that location.
Grunewald illustrated the method with a graph that took a bit of deciphering to understand. As anyone in the audience might have, Mayor David Alfin had a hard time getting a straight answer about the graph, which was based on results from Cimmaron Drive. “I need to understand the magnitude of the speeding issue in particular,” the mayor said. The graph showed there was a problem, with the average speed of drivers on the road exceeding the speed limit.
But quantifying that problem was a bit of a challenge, absent the data behind the graph–data the city could easily publicize on its website. For now, the recipients of the data are limited.
“If there’s a pattern where there’s a group of speeding vehicles during a certain timeframe, we will point that out when we send it to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and then they can use that data for their own enforcement purposes,” Grunewald said. “We also do follow up by informing the resident of the outcome of that study.”
The city has installed live speed displays to let drivers know how their speed differs from the posted speed limit. But experience shows that the devices are effective at first, but lose effectiveness over time, as they “become part of the landscape,” Grunewald said. Moving them around can make them a bit more effective.
Council member Ed Danko, who underscored the speeding issue, is looking for an awareness campaign, “maybe a driving safety month to some degree where we really make a heavy push on getting people to pay a little more attention behind the wheel, and maybe we combine that with a little bit more traffic enforcement by our Sheriff’s Department,” he said.
As for traffic calming devices, the city has a few of the build-in kind, such as landscaped medians in residential areas, or the way driveways loop back within the same neighborhood, warding off drivers who’d use the roads as thru-ways. The bends in many residential driveways are also intentional. Curves serve as calming measures.
It has many fewer speed bumps or humps like those used in some cities, and in Palm Coast’s Town center. But for them to be effective, there’d have to be bumps or humps every 300 feet, Grunewald said. “The most loud voice often against putting in such devices is the emergency response team in your community, because emergency response vehicles are large, and they take much more impact from these speed humps, speed tables, than a standard vehicle does,” Grunewald said. And it slows down their response considerably.
For other drivers, the devices could, according to the city, have unintended consequences, like increasing noise level and pollution–as Council member Nick Klufas noted–as cars rev up again and again, and adding wear on vehicles. That conclusion is based on a study the city examined (not its own), not on local residents’ opinions.
“The majority of the data that is out there is from the people who are trying to sell you these products and you have to wonder whether that’s correct or not,” Grunewald, said. So he relied on a third-party study by the Iowa Department of Transportation, which wasn’t in it for the money.
But the conclusion is also based on local public safety officials’ dislike of the things. “Everything that calms traffic calms a fire truck and calms a police car, and an ambulance and fire trucks and ambulances are bi,” Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill said. “So we have to take longer time to slow down as we approach these types of devices. And then it takes us longer to accelerate. They’re not necessarily designed to come off a line like some people’s vehicles are.” So to make up time lost bumping over calming devices, fire trucks accelerate more, revving up noise (and wear).
Berryhill favors tying traffic safety alterations to places where there is a pronounced difference in crashes and injuries. “We’re kind of trying to let that be a guide as to what our great next step is,” the chief said, “but absolutely, anything that calms traffic increases our response time.”
Grunewald’s presentation was more illustrative than remedial, leaving the impression that matters would end there. Council members don’t want that to be the case.
“I don’t want our residents to be discouraged, because from the presentation, it seems like oh, we’re kind of doing everything that we can, there’s not really too much more that we can do,” Council member Theresa Pontieri, one of the newest but more engaged members on the panel, said. But in fact, Pontieri said, “I do just want to note that we are still looking at options to make some of our residential streets that have become a concern, like Cimmaron, safer, and still exploring some of these options. So this doesn’t mean that the door has been shut on that. But this is, in my mind, kind of a report as to where we are right now.”
“The doors never shut,” Grunewald said. “It’s a matter of finding a solution that fits, but at the same time, not an overreaction to a moment.”
The door analogy picked up almost as much speed as the speedsters of Cimmaron. “As City Council, the doorknob is in our hand,” Alfin said. “So it would be up to this city council to provide direction on ways to make those roads more tolerable for the residents. So I agree, but for sure, this is not the end of the discussion by any means. And that would be under our control to continue to follow up.”
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Diane Ramirez says
You’re missing the point. It’s not the speed of the traffic (which is bad, to be sure) but the sheer AMOUNT. That is caused by the rapid pace of developing every spare inch of land. The city has grown too quickly over the past two plus years, basically ruining what was once a nice, slow paced place to live.
Margaret M Bailey says
Agree, who had planned on living in a community of baby boomers that know nothing about the raising of children?
Mischa Gee says
What do people’s children have to do with traffic issues?
Dennis C Rathsam says
WOW!!!! Its almost imposible to speed on the major streets in town due to the amount of cars, aka traffic…..Palm Coast Parkway is bumper to bumper, most of the day. Too many new people,Too many new homes, on streets built 30 years ago. Matanzas Woods Pkway has more potholes than Carter has liver pills… We are paying big dollars in taxes , yet our servives SUCK!!!!!!
James says
I totally agree, they raise taxes and yet we see little or no improvements to the City of PC. Remember Alfin the realtor elected to Mayor (not voted in by me) his first priority when he took office was to give himself a raise. We never heard a word out of his mouth about addressing the traffic problem. Streets or not lite, and if you want a street to be lite the property owners have to pay FPL for a street light. Unreal. Why isn’t the City of PC installing them and paying for them? Why a property owner? Something wrong with that picture.
Remember these characters next time you vote, I sure will.
rich says
Alfin is another phony just like the ones before. he never mentioned about pay raises for him, and the other useless council members on the board, the senior one, Klufas promise to improve cell phone signals in certain parts of the city emails were sent numerous times emails I know this to be a fact, still on old Kings Road all the way to 100 your cell signal goes dead. He was told about that area two or three years ago, they are all phonies . Alfin he knew that the real estate market would probably slow down so in order to keep up his salary to maintain his big parcel of land on old King Road, which I believe (2) 5 acre lots. He had to raise up the mayors salary
cam says
The Traffic in Palm Coast also has a lot to do with the bad drivers who don’t know blocking intersections and Cutting through gas stations on red lights are both Illegal. Fix your law enforcement and add some for signs for a small start.
BILL says
In the last few years, Mr. Staley has been awarded a large “troop” of new Deputies. I see them quite often nose to tail along roadways and not so conspicuous places. Very rarely do I see them with a traffic offender pulled over! So, our neighborhoods have a problem with “speeders” and “XTRA loud” vehicles?
Does anyone else recognize what’s wrong this scenario?
ps. Why didn’t Sheriff Staley take part in the discussions? I’m sure he could have added valuable information
Me says
Now that you mention it I don’t see FCSO pulling many people over.
Mischa Gee says
Who are they going to pull over and on which roads. Driving through developments which sadly have had a street or two coopted for through traffic don’t often see patrol cars. The main thoroughfares actually flow because people exceed the speed limit on them, including patrol cars. If you go 45 miles an hour in Belle Terre you will wind up with a 50 car tango line behind you, catching every traffic light!
Slowing down wouldn’t be a problem if there were alternate routes so you could get to your destination another way.
MITCH says
For most residential neighborhoods speeding is the big issue, but for Florida Park Drive HEALTH is the BIGGEST ISSUE! Image 9,000 cars per day (3+ Million cars per year) 60 feet away from children’s bedrooms and 80 feet away from children in high cardio activity on the basketball courts of Holland Park. You’ll not be able to get the City Council to discuss health; I have tried since 2013. They don’t care about children’s health along FL PK DR or in Holland Park. Look up “Harm to Health from Close Proximity Traffic” or “Harm to Health from Prolonged Exposer to Traffic Fumes/Dust/Noise”. The City Council is well aware of the harm to children and the elderly for I have furnished them many printed documents. Safety/Health; Safety protects children from potential harm, and protecting children’s health is an “EVERY DAY EVENT” because children breath 20-30 times a minute (1,200 – 1,800 times an hour). Read about harm to children and the elderly from some of the scientific 30+ years studies and then ask: WHAT IS CHILD’S HEALTH WORTH? : http://flpkdr.com/
Derrick Redder says
Doing your homework would alert any common sense over concerned individual. Thus they choose to buy / build & live elsewhere.
rich says
the builders run the city. 80×125 lots are cut down to 50×100. crammed the houses in . look at the projects or so called houses behind the imagine school, the same builder who built hidden lakes.
Tom says
Don’t buy a house on a busy road then that’s like complaining about golf balls in your yard but buying a house on the fairway
Mark Webb says
The speed limit on the neighborhood roads, lanes and place need to lowered to 20 mph.
Thay are full of homes and families out and about.
The roads are not even full size.
bruces says
Mark you our 100 pct correct i have worked on safety for years on cimmaron and am concerned about the other streets in the area, also i live on Cimmaron and have for 4 years in september it was a very bad choice because i used to live on the canal when we had a boat. However many communities in the us have gone to speed cushions, speed tables which has replaced the old technology of speed bumps. Infact the National safety board of traffic has recommend these devices, I have given the city plenty information on these devices with different vendors
but for some reasons they have not gone to these technically, As a resident of the city it is terrified at times to try and walk and while i try to go the gym 2 x times a week, walking is one of the best exercise a person can do.
particulary my self, I suggested to the city that they make the curve at cimmaron 20 mph the in white instead of yelow which makes it a legal traffic ticket they wont even do that its very frustating to say the least
Patricia Bristol says
You said a key issue for me “ Families are out and about and have no where to walk but in the street. Kids get dropped and have to walk in the street as well seniors pet walkers and jogging enthusiast. side walks with grated inserts stripes ( for rain) over city buried concrete drainage pipes ( instead of the unmaintained swallows) grated inserts at each driveway allows measurable drainage as well as stability of the sidewalk. I see this as designated city property now. Property taxes of Flagler in comparison to amenities provided with equality. Officials are voted in to serve the residents Let’s see what will be accomplished in 2023 that is truly a necessity.
rich says
i agree with u on the width of the roads and you have landscaping trailers parked all over the place and worst during the summer months
bruces says
can you email me your concerns at [email protected] i will present it city council
Wreck It Ralph says
A solution looking for a problem. Traffic in this little podunk town is a big fat nothingburger. What isn’t a big fat nothingburger are the number of old fogies with nothing better to do than sit around all day on their landlines complaining to the city about anything and everything.
Nanci says
I was agreeing with you until the “old fogies” remark. No need for that.
And FlaglerLive, no need for you to make a snide remark about real estate salesmen/women. Palm Coast would be nothing without us. We need civility not blame.
FlaglerLive says
The reference to salesmen was specific to ITT’s, whose shark-like sales tactics were no more of a secret than its atrocious indifference to civic-minded, intelligent city planning, though in the 60s and 70s, during the suburban boom, ITT was not alone in that disregard. We live it across the country every day. Palm Coast happens to be an egregious example. The reference was not about “real estate salesmen/women.” One of our board members is a past president of the Flagler County Association of Realtors, and we cherish him greatly.
Jose L Rivera Jr says
The problem is all the new comers to tha city. That is what jas to be stopped immediately
Regulator says
How about another street in and out of the E section. East Hampton is consistently backing up at belle terre. Let’s hope the residents don’t have to evacuate in an emergency, it’s not going to be pretty. Last time I looked the approximate number of houses is 1500/2000. 1 1/2 cars per house, I’ll let you do the math.
Mischa Gee says
This what is clearly the problem. I will repeat it again, not enough through roads. Not enough ingress and egress to these pocket developments.
And now, the city approving the idea of shrinking lot sizes, which adds more homes, while not widening roads, putting in sidewalks, it places for guest parking in neighborhoods.
Our leaders have been totally lacking in foresight to future traffic problems or the graft is just too good to pass up.
Frank Nogueira says
How about White View to run all the way East!
Mischa Gee says
Whiteview sruns into Pritchard or you can take a left onto Pine Cone which eventually takes you back to Belle Terre Pkwy. Straight ahead on Whiteview is a field of water and sewer pipes.
If you extend Whiteview then you run right into Rt. 95. So do you build an overpass and if you do, do you put on-off ramps on both sides of Rt. 95? Is there even enough land to add ramps on the west side, where the water/sewer lines are? Whiteview narrows at the eastern end, and if you add ramps into the development already there, are you able to add additional lanes for increased traffic?
Will Pritchard turn into the same nightmare that exists on Florida Park Drive? There’s no room to widen it, and there have already been deaths and accidents tying up traffic at Belle Terre when attempts are made to turn left out of that road. Will we need to add a traffic light, or ban left turns out of Pritchard? If you ban left hand turns, then Princess Rose becomes the street everyone leaving this pocket development must use to get to Whiteview and a light to make safe left-hand turns?
This will mean another residential street turns deadly for pedestrians, due to it’s being narrow with no sidewalks.
Sadly, there is no simple, easy or inexpensive solution to this cities road woes.
Jimbo99 says
Would be interesting to learn of the traffic stats prior to the pandemic & after it as a comparison. We can throw out the pandemic year because the county was effectively shut down for 8.5 months. So much that Old Kings Road & even Belle Terre at the southend was repaved. Didn’t think we noticed that during the Covid era ? At certain hours I have no deire to make a left turn onto Belle Terre. In the last 2 years I can count 25+ new construction a street’s distance in any direction of me. And I hear the V-8 motorists doing burnouts & speeding in residentials. Imagine when all there are that people drive are quiet sub 3 second 0-60 EV’s. They’ll drive even quicker 0-60 mph, even there isn’t anything bu US-1 & I-95 that anyone can do 60 mph. Me, I know what the speed limit is and that’s as fast as I’m going to go. Nobody wants FCSO citations & fines, so they should crack down on the speeders.
bruces says
you should attend the city council meeting the more the people the better things getting accomplished if you cant attend can i bring your statement to them
Skibum says
In this news article, as in other local news articles I have read regarding the city’s responses to the many suggestions from citizens, most of the suggestions are promptly shot down as either not perceived to be effective or too expensive. It seems to me the end result is going to lie at the feet of the sheriff’s office to figure out how to step up traffic enforcement as the last option to address complaints of speeding and other dangerous driving habits in Palm Coast. I would like to point out that the city planners have long been negligent in approving new developments without incorporating the required safety infrastructure that is needed in many of the city’s residential neighborhoods. Sidewalks, streetlights, crosswalks at intersections within housing developments and traffic control devices at major intersections adjacent to housing developments are necessary, yet here we are decades later and still the city is rapidly growing and has to go back and retrofit already developed, high traffic areas with sidewalks and street lights, and only in a small number of locations. This oversight results in pushing pedestrians and bicycles alike into the streets where we already have traffic problems, increasing that problem and making it even more dangerous for people to walk or bike around the city. This approach is ass backwards! The developers should be mandated by local code to incorporate these things into their developments, just like sewers, water and electrical. It is a no-brainer and there is no excuse for the lack of proper planning by the city as the population increases and efforts are made to attract more businesses. I wish Palm Coast would just STOP rejecting suggestions to improve the infrastructure while deferring to law enforcement to deal with the mess that the city has created!
Traffic flow says
The article mentions “Smarter traffic light sequences” at the end of the 3rd paragraph.
As one who drives from the bridge to almost US 1 along Palm Coast Parkway each weekday, I am amazed that we cannot hire a traffic planner to synchronize the traffic lights properly. Light turns green just in time to hit the next one at yellow/red. It should be a smooth flow where the next light turns green just as you get to it while driving the speed limit. Can you imagine if New York City were set up with traffic signal timing set up so haphazardly? It would shut down with gridlock. If Flagler Live ran an expose on these city planners responsible for this worsening quagmire soon to be comparable to the greater Orlando metro area I bet it would be an interesting read.
palmcoaster says
Is always the same non acceptable excuse about mainly Fire trucks, EMs emergency vehicles regarding speed on road needed humps. Sheriff has no problem with speed humps to the contrary and probably why was not on meeting. How come FD and EMS they do not have a problem with the round table humps in Town Center ? Deland main road has speed humps simply because they lifeguard lives! Ormond installing in Granada Blvd so?. They care about their residents…like in AZ Maricopa Valley roads, no problem there with Fire or EMS calls here we are forced to live like in the non longer existent Far West no longer abide or enforce traffic and fumes health laws and some have the nerve to post here about the elderly mainly complaining about it, I will add because the younger family parents do not have the time to file complaints while making a living for the family, but sure have their children in Palm Coast killed by speeders. But hey lets the Fire DPT and EMS able to gas up on calls endangering more lives while opposing the speed humps or lower MPH limits to satisfy their rush…Speed humps save lives 24-7 while FD and EMS may save a lives when in calls only. This is why “better infrastructure” cities adopt the speed humps. Here we are subject to skewed data. Maybe the fire FD and EMS could reassure that these two cases would have been prevented with speed humps? Of course yes! Maybe these two past incidents need to be recalled more often then: https://flaglerlive.com/149353/woodlands-motorcycle-fatality/ On that Bair Castle Drive Mr. Taylor asked the city for years speed humps, to no avail. Also child killed while waiting school bus: https://flaglerlive.com/85933/child-traffic-collision-wadsworth/ How many more lives will be lost to satisfy the opposition to speed humps or other traffic calming items for our safety? By the way more people been killed by speeders in Palm Coast that the two above as we know. Including a young mother killed by speeder while waiting to make a turn in White View Parkway coming from work at D Doughnut hit from behind…
Tony says
Over years its got worse roads have pothole no lines etc so they knew of problems so they say build appts and condos and had more House’s palm coast not a city for these influx of people so then then said lets had more so see people they dont care bout us just flowers trees and rich areas
Old Guy says
This Old Fogie has lived in Palm Coast for 32 years and the poor design of the street system was evident back then. There have been improvements for sure but the increase in traffic volume during “business” hours has negated some of them. I’ve seen a definite rise in aggressive and reckless driving and always remember the Yellow Thing Guy from the 90’s. He was an older gentleman who drove a bright yellow VW Thing. I would see him in stores and the post office where he was pleasant, polite, respectful, and patient. Once he got behind the wheel is was like Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide. He drove fast, tailgated, and weaved in and out of any traffic like a NASCAR driver. All the while he was honking, yelling and cursing a blue streak at other motorists. I guess he’s passed on by now but I think of him whenever I see any drivers exhibiting those behaviors behind the wheel. We can’t do very much about the road layout or traffic volume but we sure can improve our driving. Slow down and be patient. I know it’s sometimes very hard, but avoid becoming the Yellow Thing Guy.
JEK says
Bottom line is traffic here is horrendous and I don’t see a whole lot being DONE! Just a lot of talk and a survey here and there. Not enough major arteries to carry the load of all this traffic.
Dave says
It all comes down to growth and the ill prepared cities and county to build a structure to handle the growth and traffic. These govt departments are doing nothing but looking at the tax income for their accounts from new housing projects. I remember back 10 years ago, A1A was a easy drive, now its getting dangerous and impossible to pull out from a business and connecting road. All caused by growth. Maybe traffic lights, who knows. Also its a blast (not !) to be backed up at the toll booth on the bridge all the way to A1A .
bruces says
you should come to the next city council meeting if y ou cant can i submit your remarkds
Tony Mack says
Well, there’s an opportunity to save taxpayers money on installing and maintaining speed limit signs — take them all down…very few people obey them anyway. Might also eliminate those pesky STOP signs as well. Most folks just barrel through them without actually, well, you know, STOPPING! Auto makers also could save a few bucks on the price of their cars by eliminating those pesky turn signals since few people actually know their use; maybe also design a dash without speedometers since once again, most folks rarely look at them let alone know their speed./s
Call me Ishmael says
During prior budget discussions, officials noted that the city’s transportation budget is $8 million in the hole. Yet, with all the new growth we are seeing, transportation impact fees for single family homes are less than they were in 2010 – $3,868, according to the city’s own 2012 study (Public Policy Analysis Impact Fee Moratorium, October 2012) vs. today’s $3,224 (City of Palm Coast). Municipalities usually reduce their impact fees to spur new construction. That’s what sparked reductions and moratoriums starting in 2011, as Palm Coast struggled to climb out of the housing bust. Back then, the city’s transportation budget was already $3.7 million underwater. Why does the council, with the transportation budget now more than $8 million underwater, believe it’s fiscally responsible to keep today’s fee well under the 2010 amount when Palm Coast is growing at the fastest pace in decades? How can they justify this break for developers while raising taxes on current residents?
Derrick Redder says
As we will not stop growth .
A few simple things to help with the flow : I/O. Palm Coast Parkway NW & Belle Terre . West bound to south on Belle Terre make the Center left of the 4 lanes a straight and or left turn . Close the left turn driveway into the strip mall that hampers traffic to the intersection.
Royal Palms W/B at Belle Terre add a right turn lane.
Lastly invest in speed enforcement cameras that the city doesn’t have to share the profits on.
They make mobile units now that can be deployed as needed.
No one forces you to speed
Vance Hoffman says
Building to much to fast maybe a 1 year pause on building NEW projects to catch up with the over building that has taken place. That gives the city and board time to brainstorm the problems while not creating more. Will never happen to many realtors on boards. Just a great suggestion use it if you want.
Mischa Gee says
Simply put, there are NOT enough Through Roads in this city.
North/South we have Rt.1, Belle Terre Pkwy, Rt. 95, Old Kings Road and then A1A. Most go through the majority of town north/ south, but otherwise, it seems you can’t get there from here.
East/West we have Matanzas Woods Road, Palm Coast Pkwy, White View Pkwy, Royal Palms Pkwy and Rt. 100.
Without alternate routes the problem is only going to get worse.
Alan Gusk says
Maybe Palm Coast is ready for some actual, usable Public Transportation?
Stops and routes up and down our relatively few thoroughfares I think could greatly decrease congestion on our streets. Don’t half step it. Enough in the rotation for 15 minute or less waits at any stop. Bus pullovers. Alternative fuels. Covered benches with charging ports powered by solar with free citywide wifi.
The trend lately is for municipalities offering these things FOR FREE. The math works versus constantly pouring money into infrastructure that you’ll never keep up with. Half our population just needs to get back and forth to the doctor’s office, the other half works in services or government.
Make’m pretty. Trolley looking things. Jump on, jump off. Or are all the other developed cities and nations around the globe already doing this just stupid or something?
Mischa Gee says
Mass transportation sounds great in theory. Here is the problem.
If you live off of one of our few main arteries, where some sort of transportation would pick you up and drop you off, you will have to walk down busy development streets that have no sidewalks, and do this without being struck by autos and trucks.
Next there is the very real possibility if having to walk more than a mile to one of those thoroughfares, since many of the roads in those developments are long and winding with no shortcuts to the main road. Finally, you are forgetting the fact that for at least half the year it is so hot outdoors as to make walking long distances a hazard to the health of many, especially if you have groceries or other items to carry, let alone how soaking wet with sweat you’re going to be, on the way to where ever you are going.
If you suggest taking your car to the pick up/drop off area to meet the mass transportation, where will you park your car? There is no land for the town to put in park/ride lots, and car thieves are plenty. Unless the lots had guards, that makes those vehicles vulnerable to theft.
It goes back to needing more roads that actually go through to somewhere, instead of looping around inside of these pocket developments with only one way out, to only one through road.
If you look at a map of Palm Coast it looks like a drunk paid it out with crazy loops that don’t interconnect, narrow roads with no viable street parking or place to put a sidewalk and not enough through roads.
There are some places where eminent domain would be taking back vacant lots to add roads connecting some of these developments, but in other cases, homes would have to be raised. That means paying off homeowners, lawsuits and delays to construction.
We really need to stop approving condo and apartment complexes, which add lots of cars concentrated in a small area that create jams in and out of their roads and then clog up those precious few through roads.
This is a big problem, with an expensive solution which the resident and business taxpayers will bear. Otherwise, get used to the idea that it may take you twenty to thirty minutes to travel three miles, if there isn’t an accident bottlenecking a through road for hours.
Bruces says
a new comment from me. I have been working on safety for at least 5-6 years with diffeent people.
i will refer to 3 side streets that is a mess.
1.Cimmaron Drive which is where i live on the curve. when i walk out of the House its very hard to see cars on the left because of the curve.
often you see utility trucks flying buy and worse hugging the curb on either side.
I cant even get out of my drive way no one stops. i have to angel myself a lot to block cars headed toward the end and cars headfing toward palm harbor.
2.Frontier is one of the worse a stop sign thats it, several accidents several deaths trying making a right on old kings or a left on old kings why is there not a light at that corner. There has been some deaths on Frontier and one very recently
3. Friday Park Drive has speedsters and a large concern for Health Heath
4. The national enivorment of safety and Traffic recommend speed cushions and Speed Tables and claims
it has designs that will not hurt emergcy vehicle.
How more depths does palm coast need to see because of reckless drivers or stupid people
5. attending these cities councils meeting and showing literature and not to contact these vendors is wrong.
6. our city engeinners of traffic need to get much more educated.
in defense of our Mayor i was suppose to go out with him to visit ormond Beach which has gone to these new technologies,
but because of the holidays i need the streets that have these devices.
7 i once had a engineer email saying there is no problems with Cimmaron really?
this street was name about the 5th worse in palm coast,
i am curious to see what surveys of a victim, what action would they take.
MITCH says
A lot of ignorant people make comments about not buying on a busy road. FL PK DR was not busy in the 1990s; the city failed to control the traffic and growth took accelerated after the city promised that all existing residential neighborhoods would be protected. So, don’t accuse people of being ignorant for buying on a busy road without knowing the road’s complete history. Busy now does not equate to when others moved here. Other comments like move if you don’t like it – basically saying let another family move in and be harmed by the traffic. My observation is those talking against fixing the problem are those that don’t live on FL PK DR and don’t care what harm is being done to the residents, especially the children or elderly. SEE: http://flpkdr.com/
Mischa Gee says
I agree that Florida Park Drive has a real problem, because it got converted into a through road.
This is going to happen to other residential pocket development roads, if the town decides to connect them to one of our few major thoroughfares, where they weren’t connected before in an attempt to ease traffic on those major roads.
I hope you also realize that anyone whose back yard is along those major arteries has a similar problem, in that the road noise and air pollution keeps them inside, windows closed, too.
If they open a window the air quality outside us worse than the air quality inside and the noise makes you have yell to be heard.
Shrinking lot sizes and not adding width to roadways us an obvious sign of the city tax greed!
I am not a civil engineer but this is a problem that is easy to see. This city was not planned to handle the high volume if cars on it’s roads, and no one is willing to try to change the layout of the roadways so people have more choices as to which way they take to get somewhere.
Florida Park Drive is a nightmare for residents because it is one of the few ways to get from Palm Coast Pkwy to the northern side of town without having to drive miles out of your way on heavily trafficked roads, wasting time and gasoline. And, with gas prices high, who wants to drive out of their way to get somewhere.
The speeding us also a result of trav ling on congested roads. As soon as there is a let up in traffic people have a tendency to increase speed, to make up for “lost time”. Also, if you aren’t going faster than the speed limit, you’re adding to the congestion in the road with a conga line of vehicles backing up behind you.
Our city council needs to take a look at a map that shows a view of the city, the roadways that exist and figure out where they can actually add roads that will ease traffic and not create problems in already over developed residential areas on narrow streets. That means a moratorium on new buildings, especially apartments and condos until they solve the problem. If they don’t do this, property values will actually decline as no one will want to live here and people will take a loss, just to move away.