ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria intends to modify three speed tables recently installed along South Bay Boulevard.
The speed tables were installed on the 500, 600 and 800 blocks of South Bay Boulevard as part of a recent street paving project. They were the source of public displeasure and concerns expressed by some residents and property owners during the city commission’s May 26 meeting. Those concerns included noise and the slow speed required to pass over the speed tables in order to avoid injury, damage and jostling the contents of the vehicles.
Mayor Dan Murphy addressed the speed table concerns again during the commission’s June 9 meeting.
“We brought in our engineer to take a look at the speed tables to see if they were designed to specifications. Of the three there on South Bay, two were close to specification and one (on the 500 block) was considerably out of specification. All three of these speed tables would need to be softened with more asphalt. Superior Asphalt did not build them to specification,” Murphy told the commission.
The mayor presented the commission with two options: remove some or all the speed tables at a cost of $4,000 each or request that Superior Asphalt make the needed modifications. The proposed modifications would include adding more asphalt to the approach areas to decrease the severity of the approach angle in order to lessen the impact and increase the speed at which the speed tables can be driven over. The proposed modifications also include creating gaps in or alongside the speed tables that would allow bicycles to avoid traveling over them.
Commissioner Deanie Sebring suggested using reflective paint to make approaching motorists more aware of the speed tables they’re about to encounter.
As she did during the May 26 discussion, South Bay Boulevard resident Pat Olesen again asked the commission to remove or relocate the speed table installed near her home on the 500 block of South Bay Boulevard. The commission did not grant that request.
Resident Dave Haddox told the commission the National Association of City Transportation Officials recommends that speed tables include a flat area in the center of the angled approach areas, with a total length of 22 feet and a maximum height of 3-3.5 inches so vehicles can travel over them going at least 25 mph.
Haddox also said he’s watched golf cart operators avoid the speed tables by veering onto the adjacent grass and sidewalks. In response, Murphy said it’s illegal to drive a golf cart on a city sidewalk and violators could receive a citation from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for doing so.
All five commission members were in favor of modifying and reevaluating the speed tables rather than removing them at this time. No timetable was provided as to when the speed table modifications will be completed.
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