Pinellas County Safety Initiatives Whit Blanton, FAICP Pinellas - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Florida Department of TRANSPORTATION Pinellas County Safety Initiatives Whit Blanton, FAICP Pinellas County MPO

A Distinctive County • A unique geography • Multi-jurisdictional • Key demographics – seniors and tourists • Redevelop and retrofit

Pinellas 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan • Goal - Provide for a safe and secure transportation system for all users • Objective 3.1 - Reduce the rate and frequency of fatal and incapacitating crashes for all modes of travel • Objective 3.3 - Coordinate safe travel to and from schools

Increasing Visibility and Predictability

ENGINEERING, EDUCATION & ENFORCEMENT – 3E APPROACH

Safety Engineering Programs Crash Data Management System (CDMS) Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Gulf Boulevard Safety Enhancements Complete Streets Program Corridor Studies & Road Safety Audits/Assessments

Crash Data Management System (CDMS) • Web-based GIS Analysis Tool and Turn-key Crash Records Management developed by Tindale-Oliver and Associates, Inc. • Features: – Automated GIS Crash Mapping – Crash Record Selection – Automated Collision Diagrams – Advanced Reporting – Data Exports (KML, Shapefile, Scanned Reports, Excel, PDF) – Access to Scanned Crash Reports – Hot Spot Analysis – Counter Measures – Crash Rates (intersection and segment) – Dashboard

Pedestrian Safety Action Plan • Adopted by the MPO Board in 2009 • FDOT staff worked with MPO and Pinellas County to identify several initiatives targeting motorist and pedestrian behavior in high-crash corridors • Most Pinellas County pedestrian crashes involve pedestrians attempting to cross major roads These crashes happen at mid ‐ block • and signalized locations

PSAP – Key Recommendations Install enhanced mid ‐ block crosswalks • • Install raised medians and traffic control islands along roadways without raised medians • Signing, striping, and traffic signal operational improvements to signalized intersections • Improve street lighting at signalized intersections, major transit stops, high crash corridors, and mid ‐ block crossing locations • Pedestrian Safety Audit to precede resurfacing and capacity projects along high pedestrian crash corridors

Gulf Boulevard Safety Enhancements • Pinellas County initiated a Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Study in 2014 – County-maintained section to guide scope of work for a future resurfacing project – Goal: improve driver yield rates – 30 locations along Gulf Boulevard have treatments in place – Standardized mid-block crosswalks using rectangular rapid flashing beacons and pedestrian refuge islands

PPC/MPO Complete Streets Program • MPO developing competitive grant funding program • Objective: Advance one Complete Streets project per year – Concept – Engineering and Design – Construction • Criteria: – Redevelopment catalyst – Land use and code support walkable context – Local match – Local support

Corridor Studies & Road Safety Audits • MPO conducts studies with various partners to provide performance and safety information and criteria for managing the transportation network • Safety, Management and Operations Study of the Park Boulevard and 113th Street corridors within the City of Seminole • Partnering with FDOT on a Safe Access to Transit Study along the U.S. 19 Corridor • Participated in over 20 Road/Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Audits since 2008

Safety Education Programs Crash Data Report Pedestrian Safety Awareness Week School Transportation Safety Committee Educational Outreach

Crash Data Report • Published annually using the CDMS and other sources • Used by local governments, transportation planners, law enforcement agencies to assist in the planning and/or programming of transportation-related safety projects and targeted law enforcement activities • Crash data emphasis areas include aggressive driving, intersection crashes, vulnerable road users, lane departure, impaired driving, at ‐ risk drivers, and distracted driving • Monitoring intersection and segment crash rates

How Do We Use Crash Data? • Crash Data Report • Long Range Transportation Plan • State of the System Report • Congestion Management Process • Road Safety Assessments • Corridor Studies • Roadway/Intersection Design Support • Signal Warrant Analysis • Funding Justifications (FDOT HSIP Grant) • Project Prioritization • High Visibility Enforcement

Pedestrian Safety Awareness Week • Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) selected the week at the end of Daylight Saving Time to highlight pedestrian safety • Educational materials provided to: – Every public school student – Senior centers – Law enforcement agencies – Local governments, many private schools • MPO proclamation, press release and blog post in 2015 • Student Poster Contest in 2016

School Transportation Safety Committee • MPO provides support to the School Transportation Safety Committee (STSC) • STSC comprised of 15 local elected officials and school board members to improve school ‐ related transportation • Pinellas County School Board now zones students for attendance in neighborhood schools close to their homes and no longer buses students living within two miles of their school • As a result, more children are walking and biking to school • Focus is on educating the public and students on safe behavior while on a street, sidewalk, trail or bus

Educational Outreach • MPO staff participates in various community events where safety information is distributed to the general public (i.e. brochures, maps, bike lights, etc.)

Safety Enforcement & Emergency Response Community Traffic Safety Team Pinellas Trail Security Task Force

Community Traffic Safety Team • MPO staff chairs the Pinellas Community Traffic Safety Team • Members come from diverse backgrounds including local government, FDOT, law enforcement, emergency response and community groups • A multi-disciplinary approach helps each team member overcome hurdles by working together to obtain a common goal of making our roadways safer • Highway Safety Improvement Program projects (HSIP) must be presented to this group to be eligible for funding

Pinellas Trail Security Task Force • PTSTF is comprised of law enforcement, emergency response, Pinellas County representatives and MPO staff • Monitor trail conditions, forum to share information and address issues related to safety on the Pinellas Trail – Traffic accidents – Crime

Next Steps in Pinellas • Vision Zero approach being incorporated into Pinellas SPOTlight Emphasis Area work plans: – US 19 Corridor – Beach Access – Gateway/Mid-County • New performance measures will focus on outcomes • Initiating project with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) to improve transfer hubs – Access – Safety – Redevelopment for mixed use

Florida Department of TRANSPORTATION Questions? Whit Blanton, FAICP Pinellas County MPO