Posts tagged Mark Knight
St. Augustine Mobility Institute starts Monday
Sep 16th
Week long community effort to plan for the future of city’s three entrance
corridors: King Street, San Marco Avenue, and Anastasia Boulevard
corridors: King Street, San Marco Avenue, and Anastasia Boulevard
Moving to and through St. Augustine, whether in a personal or commercial vehicle, is a challenge. The city’s compact historical district’s small, narrow streets draw millions each year,
and when volume meets capacity, there can be gridlock.
In recent years there have been many studies by governmental and private entities evaluating the existing traffic systems and proposing ways to increase efficiently and the ease of moving around St. Augustine. Some studies focused just on street use, others on pedestrians and bicycles, still others on light rail and shuttle services, but there has not been one with the complete, overall view that is likely to result from the St. Augustine Mobility Institute.
Running September 17- 21, the Institute is a weeklong intensive effort to learn about mobility challenges along the city’s three entrance corridors – King Street, San Marco Avenue, and Anastasia Boulevard – and the by week’s end propose solutions based on input from a series of public workshops.
The Institute, a partnership between the City of St. Augustine and the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization,(NFTPO) will be managed by the engineering consultation firm of HNTB. It was City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline who, as a member of the NFTPO, became aware of the program and the with the help of the city’s Planning and Building Department was able to secure an allocation of $125,000 to cover the cost of the study.
The week opens with a kick off meeting on Monday afternoon, September 17, in The Alcazar Room to allow stakeholders an opportunity to provide input on the needs and issues to be addressed. Then on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, public workshops will be held in the neighborhoods of the three entrance corridors: King Street, San Marco Avenue, and Anastasia Boulevard. Finally, on Friday a wrap up session will again be held in The Alcazar Room bringing together the results and recommendations.
The Institute will focus on strategies with the potential of enhancing mobility within St. Augustine specifically addressing:
• Traffic and congestion management
• Cyclists and pedestrians
• Transit
• Multimodal transportation center
• Private transit and tour vehicles
• Wayfinding
• Parking
• Business access
• Economic development
A Participant’s Handbook, (available online at www.staugustinegovernment.com) is a rich resource book with maps and summaries of a number of transportation plans and proposals already completed. The handbook will be a necessary tool for anyone interesting in participating in the Institute.
This is a unique opportunity to have input on the shape of the city’s transportation future. All meetings are open to the public. Please note that two or more members of the St. Augustine City Commission may be in attendance at one or more of these meetings.
For additional information, contact: Mark Knight, Planning and Building Director , City of St. Augustine, Phn: 904.825.1065, Email: mknight@citystaug.com.
St. Augustine Mobility Institute Meeting Schedule
Kickoff meeting / Monday September 17, 2:00pm – 3:00pm
The Alcazar Room, St. Augustine City Hall, 75 King Street
King Street Corridor meeting / Tuesday September 18, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
(regarding King Street between Granada Street and Palmer Street)
The Alcazar Room, St. Augustine City Hall, 75 King Street
San Marco Avenue Corridor meeting / Wednesday September 19, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
(regarding San Marco Avenue between Castillo Drive and US 1)
Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, Moore CLD Room (use Macaris Street entrance), 207 N. San Marco Avenue
Anastasia Boulevard Corridor meeting / Thursday September 20, 5:00pm-6:00pm
(regarding Anastasia Boulevard from the Bridge of Lions to Spartina Avenue)
St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park, Anastasia Island Conservation Center, 999 Anastasia Boulevard
Wrap-Up meeting / Friday September 21, 2:00pm-3:00pm
The Alcazar Room, St. Augustine City Hall, 75 King Street
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. For complaints, questions or concerns about civil rights or non-discrimination, or for special requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Mark Knight, Planning and Building Department, 904.825.1065.
Source: City of St. Augustine
Major transportation study budgeted for city
May 16th
Through the diligent work of a St. Augustine City Commissioner the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (NFTPO) budgeted $125,000 to conduct a much needed traffic circulation study in the city. The Special Planning Funding awarded by the North Florida Transportation
Planning Organization (NFTPO) came as a result of City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline identifying the opportunity to budget the funds and encouraging staff to actively pursue the grant.
Planning Organization (NFTPO) came as a result of City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline identifying the opportunity to budget the funds and encouraging staff to actively pursue the grant.
In budgeting funds, the NFTPO described the study’s purpose as a way to “develop an overall transportation plan, incorporating developments over the past 20 years as well as future potential developments such as pedestrian, bicycling, transit and rail improvement needs to be developed for all modes of transportation in and around the city.” The study is scheduled to be completed in June 2013.
“The city is very fortunate to have received this support and especially at this time,” said Sikes-Kline, who represents the City of St. Augustine on the NFTPO. “This will fund an independent consultant with a fresh set of eyes to look at transportation to and through our city, and then evaluate what we have and speculate on what we might have. It’s a great opportunity, and one we could not afford without the TPO’s assistance.”
The NFTPO pointed out that the millions of visitors who access downtown each year do so via three “constrained roadways,” being King St., San Marco Ave., and the Bridge of Lions adding “Getting visitors into and out of the downtown historic district is challenging.” The NFTPO further identifies the city’s anticipated increase in visitors because of the current multi-year 450th Commemoration, a point emphasized by Commissioner Sikes-Kline.
“The TPO recognized that the 450th Commemoration will impact all types of traffic that moves through our historic districts including motorized, non-motorized and pedestrian traffic. This study will identify what might be done to meet those unique needs,” said Sikes-Kline. “Success with this funding has two parts: because the city has a representative on the TPO, we were aware of the opportunity, and the request was filed because of the work of the city’s Planning and Building Department under Mark Knight’s direction.”
“This is a big deal,” said City Manager John Regan. “Securing funds for a study like this is the necessary first step towards any broad based, long-term changes that will improve traffic in St. Augustine. We should thank Commissioner Sikes-Kline and Planning and Building Director Mark Knight for their diligent pursuit of this support. The payoff for the entire community will be big.”
For more information on the work of the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, visit www.northfloridatpo.com. For more information on this grant, call the Planning and Building Department at 904.825.1065.
Source: Paul Williamson, City of St. Augustine Department of Public Affairs
