A final report is being written on a three-year process by the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) to design bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Banana River Drive/Pinetree Drive in Indian Harbour Beach to link Mathers Bridge to Bicentennial Park on State Road A1A.
The 1.3 mile-corridor is currently used by pedestrians and bicyclists. A large majority of those pedestrian/bicyclists using the corridor are school children who attend Ocean Breeze Elementary School.
Problems being addressed include the lack of dedicated in-road bicycle lanes, and the width of sidewalks; in most places they are between 4 and 6 feet wide, considered narrow when there are bicyclists and pedestrians both trying to use the sidewalk. In addition, there are only four locations for pedestrians/bicyclists to legally cross Banana River Drive/Pine Tree Drive.
Other resident concerns included speeding, the safety of the school children along the corridor, and the fact that people using Oars and Paddles Park have to cross Banana River Drive without a marked crosswalk.
The project was divided into three segments: Segment One from Mathers Bridge to South Patrick Drive; Segment Two from South Patrick Drive to Palm Springs Boulevard; and Segment Three from Palm Springs Boulevard to SR A1A.
Options for improvements include: resurfacing, signage, traffic signal backplates (to aid visibility), wider sidewalks, emphasized crosswalk markings and buffered bike lanes.
Some residents attending required open-house informational meetings were supportive of adding dedicated in-road bicycle facilities, while others were opposed as it would add more bicycle traffic to the corridor. Several residents were concerned about what happens to their landscaping near the sidewalk if the sidewalk is widened.
The final report for the Complete Streets Study is currently being written and the project will be presented to the Indian Harbour Beach City Council this summer and to the Space Coast TPO Board in the fall.
“The Space Coast TPO is extremely pleased with the level of involvement and ideas from community. Public participation helps to inform the TPO and the city of a shared vision for the corridor,’’ said Georganna Gillette, Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization executive director.
