Speed table debate continues
HOLMES BEACH – The pending installation of three speed tables along the 500 block of Key Royale Drive remains a topic of debate even though an executed work agreement is already in place.
On April 22, Holmes Beach commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a $233,000 agreement with Superior Asphalt for the multi-street street resurfacing project presented by Public Works Director Sage Kamiya. The commission-approved work agreement includes approximately $24,000 for three asphalt speed tables to be installed along Key Royale Drive between Marina Drive and the Key Royale Bridge. Key Royale Drive is not among the streets to be resurfaced. Commissioner Carol Whitmore opposed the inclusion of the speed tables.
In recent weeks, the mayor and commissioners received several speed table-related emails, some expressing support and some opposition.
The speed tables were not on the June 10 city commission meeting agenda, but a speed table discussion ensued when Key Royale resident Mary Kate Scott mentioned the speed tables after expressing her support for the city’s proposed purchase of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property. To date, Scott is the only resident to provide public comment on the speed tables during a city commission meeting.
“I’m personally not in favor, but I’m also not a traffic engineer and therefore may not be the best person to opine,” Scott said. “However, given it was not unanimous, and there is some discussion on these speed bumps, maybe we could consider an implementation adjustment. What if we could have a temporary speed bump installed and see if that has the desired impact? See what the community thinks and if it’s going as planned make it more permanent.”
Mayor Judy Titsworth referenced a temporary speed table installed along Key Royale Drive several years ago when Carmel Monti was mayor.
“It was noisy, it was terrible and nobody liked it,” she said.
Titsworth referenced the permanent asphalt speed tables more recently installed along Sixth Avenue. She said those speed tables work well at the posted 25 mph speed limit.
The speed table debate started as a streetside parking debate. In February, the mayor, commission and city staff discussed limiting streetside parking only to the north side of the 500 block of Key Royale Drive due to complaints received about work vehicles and other vehicles parking in the street, creating visibility issues and narrowing the travel lanes. The mayor, commissioners and city staff later concluded stricter enforcement of the existing parking regulation that requires parking with all tires off the pavement would sufficiently address those streetside parking concerns.
On March 20, Titsworth, Kamiya and Police Chief Bill Tokajer met with a group of 500 block residents who expressed concerns about speeding rather than parking and that led to the proposed speed tables.
“Ever since I’ve been the mayor, people on that street have been complaining about the speeding,” Titsworth said during the June 10 meeting.
She noted the speed limit signs that indicate how fast a vehicle is traveling have not curbed speeding on Key Royale Drive.
“The neighbors keep saying it’s not working. You have to do something for us,” she said. “It’s a long straight stretch of road and a lot of people use it.”
Regarding the speed tables, Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, “This decision was not made quickly.”
Schaefer said he and the other commissioners rely on the insights provided by Tokajer and Kamiya as the city’s traffic experts. He also shared his belief that passing over a speed table at 25 mph won’t cause stress on a vehicle.
“I know it’s not what you had hoped to hear, but I think this is a worthy and rightful approach,” Schaefer told Scott.
“I 100% don’t support this action,” Whitmore said.
In response to a question from Whitmore, Scott said there are 344 homes in the Key Royale community. Represented by the Key Royale Resident Owners Association, that community lies entirely north of the Key Royale Bridge and the bridge is the only way in and out of the neighborhood that’s surrounded by water. The homes along the 500 block of Key Royale Drive are not part of the Key Royale Resident Owners Association.
Whitmore said she understands why some residents want speed tables, but she also understands why some Key Royale residents don’t, and she doesn’t feel the Key Royale residents were given an opportunity to share their speed table concerns at a city commission meeting.
Titsworth said the president of the Key Royale Resident Owners Association sent an email to association members encouraging them to email the mayor and commissioners about the speed tables.
“He also has a sports car that’s about 6 inches off the ground. He’s concerned about that,” Titsworth said. “Everybody has their concerns, but I have to look at public safety.”
Titsworth said the 500 block residents requested the speed tables and that was also the case with the Sixth Avenue speed tables
“Now we have residents on Second Avenue that are also asking for it,” she said.
“52nd Street too,” Tokajer added.
Commissioner Steve Oelfke said he recently drove down Sixth Avenue to experience those speed tables.
“It’s uncomfortable at 25 miles per hour,” he said.
Regarding the Key Royale Drive speed tables, Oelfke said, “I would hope that if speed tables are put in that it’s not quite as aggressive as those because that was pretty significant. Sixth Street is a cut-through. I wouldn’t consider it a thoroughfare, whereas this is a thoroughfare.”
Whitmore said she’s not aware of a serious or fatal accident ever occurring along Key Royale Drive.
“I think we’re overreacting. We’ve got to have some data. We can’t just do it because some neighbors are asking for it,” Whitmore said, bringing the impromptu speed table discussion to an end.
When contacted later about the anticipated speed table installation date, Titsworth said, “We have executed the contract for the speed tables along with other asphalt work throughout the city and we are waiting on a date from the contractor.”
Related coverage:
Speed tables planned for Key Royale Drive
