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Second Avenue debate continues 

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The potential redirection or restriction of Second Avenue traffic was discussed again during the June 9 Holmes Beach City Commission meeting. 

No decisions were made during the June 9 meeting. The Second Avenue discussion is slated to continue on Tuesday, June 23, but a final decision is not expected that day. 

Comments made by the commissioners during the June 9 discussion indicated the commission’s support for the proposed traffic adjustments is dwindling. 

The Second Avenue discussion and debate began during the May 26 commission meeting, when Public Works Director Herb Raybourn and Police Chief Bill Tokajer presented five potential traffic adjustment options. Preferences were stated and no decisions were made, but if any action were to be taken the most favorable potential traffic adjustment entailed installing temporary barricades (and later, permanent landscaping walls) at the intersections of 52nd Street and Second Avenue and 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue to prevent southbound vehicles from entering those residential streets and using Second Avenue as a means to avoid the traffic on nearby Gulf Drive. 

Motorists use Second Avenue as an alternative to Gulf Drive. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Second Avenue resident and current city commission candidate Mark Hebden was among the residents seeking the Second Avenue traffic restrictions. During the May 26 meeting, Mayor Judy Titsworth said she asked Raybourn and Tokajer to propose some potential corrective actions.

Public reaction to the proposed traffic adjustments was strong and impassioned on both sides and city commissioners received many emails on that topic between the May 26 and June 9 meetings.

In one recent email response, Commissioner Jessica Patel wrote, “I agree we can’t just look at closing one road when the traffic issue is Island-wide. It’s a bigger problem that must be looked at holistically in order to find the best solutions, but starting with some enforcement would be good.” 

In another email response, Commissioner Carol Whitmore wrote, “I took a tour with the chief and it made me more than ever stand strong against supporting this. Their suggestion is not traffic calming, it’s traffic congestion changes happening with a few people wanting things changed.” 

Due to some Second Avenue residents not being available to attend the June 9 meeting, and due to Whitmore’s pending July vacation plans, the June 9 meeting agenda simply called for the commission to vote on setting a date for when the Second Avenue decisions would be made. 

Even though no decision making was expected that day, many residents and potentially impacted motorists showed up to give public comment.

Before public comment was given, the commissioners shared some of their thoughts on the Second Avenue debate. Titsworth did not attend the June 9 meeting.

COMMISSION COMMENTS

The June 9 discussion began with Whitmore reiterating that no Second Avenue related decisions would be made that day, other than setting a future date for the commission to vote on what, if any, traffic adjustments will be made to Second Avenue. 

“I don’t support it,” Whitmore said when stating her desire to be present when the vote occurs. 

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said it was not incumbent upon the commission to make a decision that day, or even in the near future. He later said a traffic study might be warranted before any traffic-altering decisions are made. 

Commissioner Patel suggested pushing back the decision-making to the fall, when more seasonal residents are here. 

Commissioner Steve Oelfke said when staff presented the potential options on May 26, he was leaning toward the option that would restrict southbound motorists’ access to Second Avenue. He said based on the feedback he read and received since that meeting, and his own further evaluation of the situation, he does not support restricting access to Second Avenue. 

“I want to make it clear that I don’t support that proposal. As much as I want to help the residents on Second Avenue, there’s other residents in that same neighborhood who are going to be forced to have to go on Gulf Drive and add more cars to Gulf just to get to their homes,” Oelfke said. 

He said restricting traffic on Second Avenue would likely result in more motorists using Holmes Boulevard, 54th through 62nd streets and other roadways as alternatives.

Commissioner Dan Diggins said, “We have a lot of traffic here. We have a finite amount of room on roads. It seemed like a good idea a couple months ago when the chief and I talked about it, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea now to close off one of those roads.” 

PUBLIC COMMENT

As the first to give public comment on the matter that day, Holmes Beach resident Bruce Meyer

said traffic is like water, and like water, it’s going to seek the easiest path to take.

“The reality is we need to improve the flow of traffic throughout the entire Island,” he said regarding the need to take a more encompassing look at the Island-wide traffic and congestion concerns. 

Holmes Beach resident Jim Denny was more direct: “I think I speak for many of us: this is probably the stupidest idea that’s ever been proposed,” he said.

Jim Denny strongly opposes any Second Avenue traffic restrictions. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Denny said he’s baffled as to who would suggest and support restricting traffic on Second Avenue.

“If the taxpayers build a city road and maintain a city road the city road should be used as a city road. It shouldn’t be blocked off and made into a cul-de-sac. City roads are made for moving traffic from one point to another. It’s not to be made into a private drive for somebody that might live in the area,” Denny said.

Holmes Beach resident Joe Warbington said, “I rode my bike here. The traffic sucks and we know it.” 

He said he has a child that attends Anna Maria Elementary (on Gulf Drive) and the proposed traffic adjustments would impact the routes parents use to get to and from the school. 

“I can’t imagine not being able to drive on one of our city roads,” he said.

Holmes Beach resident Jeff Dentz lives in the Key Royale community and he said, “We do have a problem. A 40-minute trip from Key Royale to get to mass on Saturday at 4 (p.m.) is common. An hour to make it to Publix.”

Dentz agreed with Schaefer’s suggestion to get a traffic study done before spending money on potential traffic solutions. 

Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal lives on 56th Street, which is another street frequently used as a shortcut or a cut-through.

“Many of us live on streets that are used as cut-throughs. Sometimes vehicles are backed up on 56th Street, from Marina, past Holmes, all the way to Gulf. This Island is stuck with traffic congestion with no relief in sight. Limiting access to Second Avenue with barricades is an unnecessary and expensive punishment for those who know it as one of the Island routes that allows traffic to spread out and move a bit more smoothly,” Deal said. 

“If speeding and running stop signs on Second is a problem, write a few citations. Word will get out on social media and the coconut traffic that you better obey traffic laws,” she said. 

Holmes Beach resident Fran Derr said she has lived here since 1983 and the traffic has gotten worse since she arrived. She said a traffic study would be a waste of money. 

Regarding Second Avenue, she said, “Because I live here and I know a few secret streets to drive on. Don’t punish me because I’m using that alternative street.” 

Alan Williams said the traffic and congestion on Second Avenue might decrease property values. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Alan Williams lives on the 4000 block of Second Avenue and he said, “The problem exists all over the Island and something needs to be done. I think we brought it to the forefront that something needs to be done. It’s not just Second Avenue,” he said.

He said the additional stop signs along Second Avenue have helped, but some people speed through them and don’t stop at all. 

Williams said it’s often difficult for him to back out of his driveway. He also mentioned the cars blasting loud music as they travel down Second Avenue.

Williams said the Second Avenue congestion could potentially reduce property values in that area. 

“It’s definitely a cut-through. The road was not intended to be a cut-through,” he said, noting that Second Avenue is not the only city road being used as a short-cut. 

Bryan Faria said safety is a concern along Second Avenue. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Bryan Faria lives on 48th Street and he said, “I cross Second Avenue or use Second Avenue daily. Regarding the safety of Second Avenue: we walk our dog there. We ride our bikes to the beach through there. If people stop at all the stop signs and obey the speed limit, it would simply be a congestion issue. But it is really a safety issue,” he said.

Faria said he doesn’t know what the solution is, but he urged the commissioners to consider the safety issues. 

Alison Coury also lives in the Key Royale community and she said, “None of these things that have been raised about Second Avenue are unique. We all deal with it. Traffic is an issue on this Island. It’s a safety issue for everybody. Safety is an illusion. I’m not sure we can ever get there. It requires individuals being vigilant, following traffic laws.”

Whitmore said the Second Avenue discussion will continue during the Tuesday, June 23, meeting that begins at 2 p.m. She and the other commissioners agreed that a final decision is not expected that day. 

Related coverage: Second Avenue alternative to Gulf Drive might be eliminated

Second Avenue alternative to Gulf Drive might be eliminated

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – City officials are considering altering the traffic patterns along Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue to prevent those residential streets from being used as southbound “cut-throughs” by motorists trying to avoid the congestion on Gulf Drive and Marina Drive. 

During the May 26 city commission meeting, Public Works Director Herb Raybourn and Police Chief Bill Tokajer presented for preliminary discussion five potential traffic adjustment options. Preferences were stated, but no final decisions were made.

Second Avenue runs parallel to Gulf Drive, near the Anna Maria Elementary school. – Apple Maps | Submitted

According to City Clerk Marina Horvious, the proposed Second Avenue traffic alterations will be placed on the agenda for the Tuesday, June 9 meeting, under old business, but the matter will not be decided that day because some potentially impacted residents who can’t make the June 9 meeting requested the commission’s final vote be delayed until a later date. Although no final decision-making is expected on June 9, public comment on the Second Avenue issues will be accepted. The June 9 meeting will start at 2 p.m. and it will be livestreamed at the city website.

The leading option currently being considered is to install temporary barricades at the intersections of 52nd Street and Second Avenue and 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue. The barricades would prevent southbound vehicles from entering those residential streets. Vehicles traveling on 52nd Street would be rerouted east to Gulf Drive.

If implemented, the impacts of the temporary barricades would be studied and if the experiment is deemed successful the barricades would later be replaced by permanent landscape walls that serve the same purpose. 

STAFF INSIGHTS

The May 26 meeting packet included diagrams of the five traffic alteration options, a comparison matrix for those options and a memo from Raybourn, Tokajer and Public Works Department Civil Engineer Jacob Leone.

The memo included traffic data collected between noon and 5 p.m. on Jan. 15. During that one-day timeframe, 629 vehicles traveled along Gulf Drive from 52nd Street to Manatee Avenue and 328 vehicles traveled down Second Avenue instead. 

“Over one-third of the vehicles that traveled between 52nd Street and Manatee Avenue did so by using Second Avenue,” the memo says. “An average of 65.6 vehicles per hour, more than one every minute, traveled along Second Avenue during the time period reviewed.”

“People are using it (Second Avenue) as a cut-through,” Tokajer told the commission. “Some use it because they think they’re going to get there faster.”

Tokajer said not allowing southbound traffic to turn onto Second Avenue would make it safer for pedestrians and help maintain the quality of life for those homeowners.

This diagram shows where landscape islands (in green) might be installed at the north ends of Second and Fifth Avenues. – City of Holmes Beach | Submitted

Option 1 proposes installing permanent landscape walls at the north ends of Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue at an estimated cost of $69,000. Raybourn said that cut-through reduction measure would preclude southbound traffic from entering Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue at the 52nd Street intersections.

Raybourn said he, Tokajer and Leone agree that if the city is going to implement such a measure, it should first be done on a temporary trial basis that provides the city time to evaluate the impacts of the proposed traffic adjustments.

“Human behavior is not something that’s easy to calculate or estimate, so the proposal for any of these options would be to implement something on a temporary basis first, before we spend a lot of money,” Raybourn said.

“And to see what the unintended consequences would be,” Tokajer added.

Tokajer suggested first putting up city-owned barricades that would restrict southbound access to Second and Fifth avenues.

Raybourn also presented the other options that include installing four-way stop signs at every Second Avenue intersection; lowering the Second Avenue speed limit and installing raised crosswalks at the 49th, 47th and 45th street intersections; installing a rain garden and a water retention area with plantings to restrict southbound access or installing mid-block speed tables on every other block. 

Raybourn said the fifth option would be to take no action at this time and contract a traffic engineering firm to conduct a full-blown traffic study for that area. Raybourn acknowledged that he, Leone and Tokajer are not traffic engineers.

“Our recommendation is option 1 – the one that checks all the boxes,” Tokajer said. 

None of the options discussed proposed restricting southbound access to Second Avenue by turning right off of Gulf Drive and using 51st  or 50th streets to access southbound Second Avenue to avoid some of the Gulf Drive congestion. 

COMMISSION DISCUSSION 

Commissioner Carol Whitmore said Second Avenue served as a designated detour while the City Center project took place along Marina Drive in 2022 and 2023 and that made more people aware of the Second Avenue alternative to Gulf Drive. 

During peak periods, traffic backs up near the Gulf Drive S-curve. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Whitmore said she uses the Second Avenue cut-through almost every day and many Holmes Beach residents and Anna Maria residents do the same. 

“This is a street I’ve used my entire life and I shouldn’t feel guilty,” Whitmore said. 

Commissioner Jessica Patel said, “I use it all the time.” 

“That’s what we’re saying. That is the problem: the amount of cars going down that residential road,” Tokajer responded. 

Commissioner Steve Oelfke said he sometimes uses Second Avenue but he sometimes doesn’t because he feels guilty about driving through that residential neighborhood. 

“I don’t think it should be a thoroughfare,” he said. 

Mayor Judy Titsworth said Second Avenue has become a thoroughfare. 

“We shouldn’t be making neighborhoods thoroughfares and we need to come up with a solution. It’s not fair that it’s a local cut-through. It’s not fair that it’s a landscapers’ cut-through. It’s not fair that it’s the tourists’ cut-through. It’s not fair that it’s every worker’s cut-through or everybody that lives in Anna Maria’s cut-through. It is a residential neighborhood and we do care about quality of life here,” Titsworth said, noting it was her idea to pursue a solution at this time. 

Titsworth said Gulf Drive traffic is slowed by motorists merging onto the Gulf Drive near the south end of Second Avenue, where 43rd Street intersects with Gulf Drive, by Manatee Beach. 

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said his neighbors, Sarah and Jay Calhoun, are engineers and he invited Sarah, a traffic engineer, to speak on this issue, which she later did. 

Schaefer said, “Part of the problem is that of perception. We believe that by at least being in motion, there’s a perception of getting off the Island faster. In reality, that is probably not the case.” 

Whitmore said having more data would help justify the potential impacts on Anna Maria residents and others who must travel through Holmes Beach and the Gulf Drive/Second Avenue area to get on and off the Island. Tokajer said that’s true, but they don’t have to use Second Avenue to do so. 

Patel said the Second Avenue cut-through saves time and serves as a “zipper lane” that merges with Gulf Drive at the south end of Second Avenue. 

Oelfke said if Second Avenue wasn’t used as a zipper lane, the merging traffic wouldn’t slow the flow of traffic on Gulf Drive. 

“There’s a flow problem for people trying to get off the Island,” Oelfke said. 

“There’s no way to know until we test it,” Titsworth said. 

Patel said she would love to hear from a traffic expert. 

Titsworth said a traffic study would cost $10,000-$20,000 and there’s currently very little extra money in the public works budget. 

Patel said the commission’s decision could significantly impact many people on the Island. Commissioner Dan Diggins noted a decision wasn’t being made that day, but the public needs to know that a decision will be made soon. 

Schaefer said installing the temporary barricades soon would give the commission time during the summer budgeting process to determine what, if any, traffic-altering actions or studies might require funding. 

PUBLIC INPUT 

When given the chance to speak, Sarah Calhoun spoke as a resident and not as an expert speaking on behalf of the city. Titsworth noted Calhoun served as the traffic engineer on the city’s City Center project. 

Calhoun said option 1, the landscape walls, offers the simplest solution and the results would be seen fairly quickly, but she doesn’t see the need for any traffic alterations. 

“As a traffic engineer, the numbers I see don’t warrant anything. I’m one of those who uses that route all the time,” she said, noting she has a property on 60th Street and that street’s also used as a cut-through. 

Calhoun said 60 trips an hour is pretty minimal for any roadway. 

“That is not a significant amount of trips,” she said. 

Oelfke said he thinks more than 60 trips an hour are occurring along Second Avenue during peak periods. 

Second Avenue, looking south, during a slower part of the day. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal said she lives on 56th Street and people use that street as a cut-through too. Deal said not using Second Avenue as a zipper lane would create more traffic on Gulf Drive. 

“If we could slow the traffic down on Second Avenue, I think that would be better than cutting it off all together,” she said. 

She suggested four-way stops at every intersection. 

“Putting those barricades up and not letting those people use Second Avenue is a big mistake. I would say slow it down. Please don’t do it. Raise my stormwater fees to $5. Don’t barricade Second Avenue,” Deal said. 

Future city commission candidate Mark Hebden lives on the 4600 block of Second Avenue and he first expressed his Second Avenue traffic concerns last summer when the new Key Royale Drive speed bumps were being debated. Hebden said he sent several videos and photos of the Second Avenue traffic congestion to Raybourn. 

Second Avenue gets very busy during peak traffic periods. – Mark Hebden | Submitted

Hebden said the decision comes down to weighing the quality of life for residents versus the convenience of others. 

“The convenience of one should not be an imposition or disadvantage to another citizen. That’s what it comes down to,” he said. 

Hebden said the Second Avenue traffic is “horrible” between 5 to 8 p.m. and it ruins the quality of life for those who live there. He said drivers will just “blow through” the stop signs if more are added. 

Whitmore said it’s important to inform Holmes Beach residents, Anna Maria residents and others that this change is being considered.

“It will be a public meeting. They’re welcome to come here,” Titsworth said.