ANNA MARIA – As part of a block-by-block implementation strategy, the city of Anna Maria is issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for phase 1-B of the Reimagining Pine Avenue brick paver sidewalk installation project.
Phase 1-B calls for the installation of new pervious brick paver sidewalks and new crosswalks along Pine Avenue, between North Shore Drive and Crescent Drive.
The unpaved pedestrian paths along Pine Avenue will be replaced with brick paver sidewalks. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In each of the four initial construction phases, brick paver sidewalks will be installed along both sides of Pine Avenue where no concrete sidewalks currently exist, including the unpaved pedestrian paths that meander inward toward the business entrances. The existing concrete sidewalks along Pine Avenue will remain in place until they are replaced in a future phase or phases of the project.
The city commission approved the phase 1-B RFP issuance during its June 27 meeting.
Mayor Dan Murphy sought the phase 1-B RFP at this time so construction companies interested in phase 1-A can also submit bids for phase 1-B. He said if the same company is awarded the phase 1-A and 1-B projects, they would only have to mobilize their equipment, materials and labor resources one time, which could produce some cost savings for the city.
City Clerk LeAnne Addy did not specify an exact phase 1-B bid submission deadline but she said those bids are due in approximately 27 days, which is on or around July 25.
On June 13, the commission authorized the issuance of the phase 1-A RFP for new brick paver sidewalks and crosswalks along Pine Avenue between Gulf Drive and North Shore Drive. Phase 1-A bid proposals are due July 17.
The phase 1-C RFP for the section from Crescent Drive to Tarpon Street is expected to be issued on or around July 15 and the RFP for the Tarpon Street to Bay Boulevard section of the project is expected to be issued on or around July 31.
On June 13, Murphy said he expects phase 1-A to be completed by the end of September and all four initial phases to be completed by the end of November.
Pedestrians don’t always follow the unpaved meandering paths along Pine Avenue and choose to walk along the street instead. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After the four phase 1 sections are completed, the mayor and commission will turn their attention to replacing the existing concrete sidewalks with new brick paver sidewalks. New streetlights will also be installed along Pine Avenue as part of the safety improvement project that will later extend to Spring and Magnolia avenues.
ANNA MARIA – City officials are issuing a request for proposals (RFP) seeking bids for the installation of new sidewalks, crosswalks and lights along Pine Avenue.
The proposed safety improvements are the cornerstone of the city’s Reimagining Pine Avenue efforts.
During the March 17 work meeting, the Anna Maria City Commission authorized the issuance of an RFP that provides interested construction firms with about 30 days to submit their sealed bids. After reviewing the submitted bids, the commission will select a preferred contractor and make some additional design decisions.
Sidewalks
The new sidewalks will either be constructed of pervious brick pavers or continuous stretches of rubberized Flexi-Pave material made from recycled tires.
The bid proposals are to include brick paver sidewalks and the Flexi-Pave alternative available in several colors. Drainage elements will be installed below and beside the new sidewalks regardless of which surface material is selected.
During Thursday’s meeting, the commission debated whether the new sidewalks would be 6 feet wide, or 5 feet wide as previously recommended by project engineer Gerry Traverso. As requested, Traverso provided the commission with diagrams that showed several areas where there is enough space to install 6-foot-wide sidewalks.
Commissioner Mark Short said installing 6-foot-wide sidewalks would eliminate about 50 parallel parking spaces along Pine Avenue. Short noted each space must be at least 8 feet wide and there isn’t enough city-owned space to accommodate wider sidewalks and the existing spaces.
“By putting these 6-foot sidewalks in, we’ve taken off the table the ability to parallel park on Pine Avenue,” Short said.
“That would be a fair assessment,” Traverso replied.
Commissioner Robert Kingan previously expressed support for 6-foot-wide sidewalks, but he changed his mind after learning about the consequent elimination of the parallel parking spaces.
“That is a huge change,” he said.
Kingan said he recently counted 39 vehicles parked along Pine Avenue.
“That’s a lot of cars, and suddenly saying we’re eliminating that is a problem, so I’ve changed my tune,” he told the commission.
Kingan said the Pine Avenue business owners would be upset if those spaces are eliminated.
Traverso said due to sightline and visibility concerns, the installation of 5-foot-wide sidewalks will still require the elimination of a small number of spaces.
Short noted the new sidewalks will not eliminate any privately-owned perpendicular parking spaces associated with the Pine Avenue businesses. Where applicable, the new sidewalks will maintain the current meandering path configurations that lead to nearby businesses.
In some areas, the pedestrian paths meander toward nearby businesses. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Deanie Sebring noted that previous Reimagining Pine Avenue discussions included the potential removal of the parallel parking spaces in order to accommodate new sidewalks and bike paths.
Sebring said eliminating the parallel parking spaces would encourage people to use alternative modes of transportation to get to Pine Avenue. Commission Chair Carol Carter said eliminating the street-side parking spaces would result in more people parking in the surrounding residential areas.
The commission voted 4-1 in favor of 5-foot-wide sidewalks along the length of both sides of Pine Avenue, from Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, with Sebring casting the only opposition vote. That vote preserved, for now at least, the majority of the parallel parking spaces along Pine Avenue.
There are currently no plans to install bike paths or eliminate the parallel parking spaces along Pine Avenue. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Bike paths are not included in the RFP being issued for sidewalks, crosswalks and lights. Bike paths could be pursued later as a subsequent phase of the Reimagining Pine Avenue project, but there is not enough available space to install bike paths and preserve the existing street-side parking spaces. A commission decision on installing bike paths or preserving the existing parking spaces is not expected until after the new sidewalks, crosswalks and lights are installed and evaluated.
Crosswalks
The commission voted 5-0 in favor of three raised crosswalks with embedded flashers being installed across Pine Avenue. The crosswalks will be equipped with control buttons that allow pedestrians to activate the flashers.
Traverso recommended a raised crosswalk near Roser Memorial Community Church and another at the other end of the street near city hall, The Donut Experiment and Poppo’s Taqueria.
Short suggested, and the commission supported, the installation of a third raised crosswalk across Gulf Drive at the Los Cedros Drive intersection. Existing non-raised crosswalks will be enhanced with additional lighting, safety striping and new signage.
“I go up and down Pine every day and the problem I hoped we were going to solve is people walking in the street,” Commissioner Jon Crane said. “My biggest concern is getting people out of the street.”
Crane is concerned that even with the new sidewalks and crosswalks many pedestrians will continue to walk in the road and cross where there are no crosswalks.
“Rarely do I ever see a pedestrian use a crosswalk,” Crane said.
The Pine Avenue improvements are sought to improve safety for pedestrians and others. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mayor Dan Murphy said shrubs or other landscaping elements could possibly be used to create natural barriers that guide pedestrians to the designated crossing areas. He also said the commission could consider adopting a jaywalking ordinance that would result in violators being subjected to citations and fines. No formal actions were taken on either of those actions.
Lighting
The commission voted 5-0 in favor of installing up to 27 new solar lights along Pine Avenue. The new lights and poles will replace the existing ones previously installed by Florida Power & Light. The commission reviewed some lighting options provided by Traverso, but the appearance and aesthetics of the new lights and poles will be determined during or after the RFP review and selection process.
BRADENTON BEACH – At the request of Sandpiper Resort Co-Op residents, city commissioners are committing up to $50,000 to install a lighted crosswalk at the intersection of Gulf Drive and 27th Street North.
Manatee County will reimburse the city for half the crosswalk costs as part of a 2018 interlocal funding agreement that provides each Island city with up to $333,000 in matching surplus beach concession funds for public projects.
The commission is also pursuing additional crossing, safety and lighting improvements along Gulf Drive near Katie Pierola Sunset Park and the Gulf Drive Cafe.
On Thursday, April 4, the commission unanimously authorized a contract with MSB Services not to exceed $50,000 for the installation of the 27th Street/Gulf Drive crosswalk. The contract includes the original $31,490 MSB Services estimated to install the rapid flashing beacon crossing.
At the suggestion of Vice Mayor Jake Spooner, the contract also provides up to $18,510 in additional funds for the possible inclusion of an audio signaling component that would provide the blind and visually impaired with audio confirmation that the push-button crossing lights have been activated.
The commission previously discussed a lighted crosswalk at the 26th Street North/Gulf Drive intersection but agreed to move it down one block where an unlighted crosswalk already exists with trolley stops on both sides of Gulf Drive.
“It makes a lot more sense to have it at 27th Street because of the trolley stops,” Spooner said. “It’s a really busy area. There’s also someone living in the park that has a disability.”
Spooner submitted the crosswalk request after Sandpiper resident Doug LeFevre made him aware of the mobile home community’s safety concerns.
Spooner said City Engineer Lynn Burnett recently told him it could take up to seven years for the Florida Department of Transportation to install the requested crossing on the state-owned road. Spooner said the new lighted crosswalk will resemble the crosswalk previously installed near the Runaway Bay condominiums.
Resident concerns
Spooner asked Deputy Clerk Ruth Stief to read aloud a letter from the Sandpiper residents that was signed by Co-op President Ivan Harper.
“We are a senior community located on the east side of Gulf Drive. We have 166 units within the Sandpiper. We have had numerous incidents reported from our residents about close calls or waiting long periods of time to cross the street to either access the beach or catch the trolley going southbound. We have a number of residents over the age of 70 as well as a visually-impaired resident. We are asking for the city to provide a flashing light at the crosswalk to ensure the safety of our residents,” the letter said.
Addressing the commission, Sandpiper resident Bob Gumson said, “I’m probably the visually-impaired person that was referred to. I’m totally blind. It’s a serious concern crossing that street. I’d like to be able to cross the street and take the trolley to the beach. The only way that’s going to happen is to get some kind of signaling light that stops traffic.”
Gumson referenced the White Cane Law that requires vehicles to come to a full stop when a pedestrian is attempting to cross the street using a white cane or with the assistance of a guide dog.
“I have stood there with my cane out and cars don’t stop. They just whiz by. You’re supposed to stop for a white cane,” Gumson said.
“Mr. Gumson is probably the most active blind person I have ever been around. We love him dearly, but we have a lot of other folks who are not technically disabled but have difficulty navigating the street,” Harper added.
After the meeting, Spooner said, “It’s always a pleasure when we can help resolve public concerns in our community, especially when it comes to safety. It was a refreshing reminder of the bright side of being a public servant.”
