Commission circles Broadway for roundabout consideration

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is gearing up to install four Gulf of Mexico Drive crosswalks, but plans do not extend to the Broadway intersection, where many Longbeach Village residents believe a crosswalk is needed.

Instead, the commission consented to a motion directing town staff to add a discussion about a potential roundabout at Broadway to a future agenda during its Dec. 10 regular workshop. Although commissioners briefly considered adding a discussion about a roundabout near Longboat Club Road, they opted to hold off because of uncertainty about the Longboat Key Club property.

L.K. Nandem, district traffic engineer for FDOT, told the commission at the workshop that Broadway is a poor location for a crosswalk because it sits on a curve.

“If you provide a crosswalk, you’re putting out a call saying this is a good location to cross,” Nandem said.

Traffic counts from a recent FDOT study of traffic on Gulf of Mexico Drive, an FDOT-controlled thoroughfare that’s also known as S.R. 789, did not support a crosswalk or traffic signal, according to Nandem.

“A roundabout would accomplish multiple things,” Nandem said. “It would actually slow the entry speed into the town, and secondly it would actually provide the slow moving around in the intersection that accommodates crossing.”

Nandem told the commission that FDOT safety funds would not be available for a roundabout but said the agency would work with the town to accommodate it.

Town Manager Dave Bullock will report back to the commission with information.

“It would be very informative to have some facts about what would happen when you lay it down, rights of way (and) geometry,” he said.

Bullock said he also hoped to provide ballpark costs for a roundabout when the commission discusses the issue.

Earlier in the meeting, Nandem discussed other crosswalks that FDOT will install. (See map.)

Crosswalks will include flashing signals known as rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFBs), similar to those on Siesta Key.

“They work really well,” Nandem said. “They draw attention of motorists when they are activated by pedestrians, and there is a very high compliance rate from motorists.”

Pedestrians will activate the signals by pressing a button, which will begin flashing within a few seconds. Motorists who do not yield could receive a traffic citation.

FDOT will also install pedestrian lighting at crosswalks and signs that warn motorists that pedestrian crossings are ahead.

The 2012 death of Jo Schatterman, 73, who was struck by an SUV while crossing Gulf of Mexico Drive at dusk, prompted FDOT officials to consider safety improvements, including additional crosswalks.

FDOT used three-day traffic counts gathered during peak season to determine what safety improvements were needed.

Where can you cross?
The following is a map showing proposed crosswalk locations for Gulf of Mexico Drive.