FDOT might add more roundabouts to S.R. 64 corridor in East County

Roundabouts at Greyhawk Boulevard, Lorraine Road added to project list.

By Pam Eubanks
| 10:40 a.m. June 14, 2017

A marker at the entrance to GreyHawk Landing, on State Road 64, pays tribute to the late John Frye, a resident who died on a foggy morning in February 2016 while trying to cross State Road 64 at the intersection.

East County
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Traffic experts at the Florida Department of Transportation say a corridor of roundabouts along State Road 64 east of its intersection with Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Upper Manatee River Road will improve safety for travelers. Local residents are skeptical.

At a FDOT traffic operations staff meeting June 6, officials reviewed traffic analysis reports for the intersections of S.R. 64 at Greyhawk Boulevard and Lorraine Road. Based on those findings, FDOT is recommending roundabouts on S.R. 64 at both its intersections with Greyhawk Boulevard/Pope Road and Lorraine Road.

A future Project Development and Engineering study, called a PD&E, is scheduled to confirm that

Roundabout guidelines

Roundabouts are particularly suited in these situations:

-At two-way stop controlled (TWSC) intersections where traffic volumes on the approaches are such that there is unacceptable delay for the minor movement.

-Where the traffic volumes are such that there would be greater delay if the intersection were signalized. In many situations, the capacity is similar but delay and safety at particular intersections may be improved.

-At intersections with high left turning volumes, especially those with single lane approaches.

-At intersections with more than four legs.

-At local road intersections that have a high number of crashes involving either through movements or left turning movements. Quite often, the volumes do not warrant a traffic signal and the other treatments will not alleviate the safety concerns.

-At high speed rural and suburban intersections that have a high number of wrecks involving crossing or left turning accidents.

-At T and Y intersections where the major traffic route turns through a right angle and where there are high left turn volumes. An increased benefit is an overall reduction in vehicle speed while accommodating all traffic movements.

-At intersections on local roads where it is not desirable to give priority to either road and where overall traffic calming is needed.

finding, determine design, calculate potential costs, and figure out how much right of way is needed, among other considerations. FDOT will host community meetings for the projects, which generally takes 18 months plus another 18 months for design.

“We will have public workshops, and we will have public hearings on every one of these projects,” FDOT spokesman Robin Stublen said. “We have to take everything into consideration when we’re doing this.”

Stublen noted the entrance to GreyHawk Landing, Greyhawk Boulevard, does not qualify for traffic signals.

“We look at all options,” Stublen said. “It was determined Greyhawk would qualify for a roundabout and that would be the best option. It is safer and increases traffic flow.”

Construction on both roundabouts is projected to begin in 2021, pending funding from the state Legislature. The Lorraine Road intersection already is in the early states of its roughly two-year PD&E study and design likely will start in 2019.

FDOT will start the PD&E study at Greyhawk “soon” with design also starting in 2019, Stublen said.

“Our goal is to try to do them at the same time in 2021,” he said.

FDOT in January announced its decision to construct a roundabout at the S.R. 64-Rye Road intersection. The design phase is now underway. Design and right of way acquisition funding is in FDOT’s fiscal year 2016-2017, with construction funding in fiscal year 2017-2018. Weather permitting, construction should take about 18 months.

Residents of GreyHawk Landing have been vocal in seeking traffic relief at the main entrance into their community, where wait times to exit onto State Road 64 often are more than five minutes. However, residents say roundabouts are not the right solution.

“It’s better than nothing, but it’s not what we need here,” GreyHawk Landing Community Development District Supervisor Mike Plaia said. “I don’t think it’s nearly as good as a light. There’s more houses built and sold every week here along the S.R. 64 corridor. Two to three years from now with all the building, the roundabouts are going to be outdated. It seems like they don’t look into the future at all.

Andrea Henley said she’s been nearly side-swiped and rear ended at least three times while trying to enter the community.

“As we are all aware, the main issue for years has been turning left, east on State Road 64, coming out of the subdivision,” she said. “Now that there is a cross-road running north and south into GreyHawk, it has heightened the risk even more for accidents.”

Ollie Kyte, a 10-year resident of the community, said residents find alternative routes, other than the main entrance to leave the community, because of safety concerns. The main entrance, however, is still a primary means of access, and residents want a signal.

“When we’ve gone to meetings (with FDOT), they are very insistent that the traffic light isn’t the way to go,” he said. “They don’t live within the community. They don’t go out there and see the orange trucks coming at 60 to 70 miles per hour.”