Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Hosts Regional Transportation Summit
Apalachee Regional Planning Council Assists with Freight Logistics Zone Project
The Gulf County Economic Development Coalition identified a need for Freight Logistics Zone (FLZ) designation which is “…a grouping of activities and infrastructure associated with freight transportation and related services within a defined area around an intermodal logistics center. With funding provided by the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Apalachee RPC has been assisting with the development of the FLZ. The proposed FLZ stretches from the Port of Port St. Joe in Gulf County, through Franklin and Liberty Counties, north into Gadsden County. The system involves intermodal transportation of freight from the Port of Port St. Joe, using the Apalachicola Northern Genesee and Wyoming Rail line connection with the CSX Rail in Chattahoochee and I-10 interchanges in Gadsden County. This zone will allow for connectivity from seaports, airports, rail and highway systems to help increase the flow of freight and increase economic development.
A Strategic Sites Inventory was completed which identifies and evaluates parcels within the FLZ that are strategically positioned for future economic development uses. Currently, a draft strategic plan is being written and FLZ maps are being created. Stakeholders in the four counties have been involved since the beginning of the project and continue to participate, providing local knowledge of sites, and feedback on deliverables. The goal is that the FLZ, coupled with other initiatives, will complement the Port of Port St. Joe and help jumpstart economic development, infrastructure and job creation in the Apalachee RPC region. For more information contact Kwentin Eastberg at keastberg@thearpc.com.
Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council Hosts Road Diet Workshop
The Treasure Coast RPC partnered with the Federal Highway Administration to host a Road Diet Workshop in the Village of Tequesta on February 3rd. Following a public planning charrette facilitated by the Treasure Coast RPC, the Village of Tequesta and the Town of Jupiter unanimously approved a road diet for a 1.3-mile section of US Hwy 1 through the heart of the community. This segment of roadway will be redesigned from a six-lane high-speed corridor devoid of bicycle facilities to a four-lane roadway with buffered bike lanes, wider sidewalks, paver-block crosswalks, pedestrian-scale lighting, landscaping, and mast-arm traffic signals. Functioning as Tequesta’s main street, the redesigned US Hwy 1 will provide better access to the growing business district, recreational and cultural facilities, and the County’s bicycle/pedestrian network. Funded in part by the Village of Tequesta and the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Treasure Coast RPC planning charrette included the development of a complete streets network through the village, which has experienced an explosion of young families with children in recent years. The improvements were incorporated into a programmed roadway resurfacing project, which allowed significant cost savings. The Village of Tequesta US1 Road Diet Project has become a hallmark for roadway reconfigurations state-wide and will provide a connection to the East Coast Greenway, which is a 3,000-mile multi-use corridor running from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida. The project will also provide improved connections to several unique cultural destinations including Jonathan Dickinson State Park as well as the Jupiter Lighthouse, which is a historic landmark nestled within the Jupiter Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area.
Sponsoring partners for the workshop also included the Village of Tequesta, Palm Beach MPO, and Palm Beach County Palm-Tran. For more information, contact Kim DeLaney, Director of Strategic Development and Policy, at kdelaney@tcrpc.org.
Upcoming Events
The West Florida Regional Planning Council and rideOn commuter services is proud to partner with Pensacola’s first Ciclovia, a free event during which streets are closed to cars and opened to the public to enjoy in a manner that promotes health and community. Ciclovia will be held Saturday, March 25, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Downtown Pensacola. A five-mile scenic route will be open to the community to walk, bike, skate, run, dance or just play in a safe, relaxed atmosphere. The West Florida Regional Planning Council will be offering free helmet fittings at the event. For more information visit www.pensacolaopenstreets.com or email caitlin.cerme@wfrpc.org.
