City of St. Augustine 75 King Street St. Augustine, Florida 32805 www.staugustinegovernment.com North Florida Transportation Planning Organization 1022 Prudential Drive Jacksonville, FL 32207 www.northfloridatpo.com St. Augustine Mobility Institute i

Executive Summary During the week of September 17-21, 2012 a team of professionals convened in St. Augustine to conduct a Mobility Institute to address mobility needs within St. Augustine. The emphasis of the project was to address the three entry corridors: King Street, San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard. The needs of the local residents, businesses and tourism were addressed.

Within the downtown corridors of King Street and San Marco Avenue significant congestion exists as a result of high volumes and a mix of slower moving vehicles in tourist trams and carriages. A vibrant pedestrian and bicycle environment with significant use of sidewalks and the roadway for crossings is near Flagler College and the Spanish Quarter. In addition, the narrow rights of way adjacent to roadways allow for few options to widen the roadways within these significant historic districts. Along San Marco Avenue north of May Street, congestion is less of a concern but significant opportunities for redevelopment and enhancements exist along the roadway that could create a more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing entry corridor. Excess capacity exists along Anastasia Boulevard,. The two-lane Bridge of Lions limits the number of vehicles traveling over the bridge. Eastbound, one of the through lanes is not needed from a capacity standpoint. Westbound, the two lanes approaching the bridge are principally used for queue storage during bridge closures to discourage cut through traffic into the Davis Shores neighborhood. Parking is a significant issue for the business and local residents who desire easy access to business.

Several locations were identified where the crash rate (number of crashes per million vehicle miles traveled each year) exceed the statewide average.

ƒ King Street from Ponce de Leon Boulevard to the Bridge of Lions ƒ Avenida Menendez from Cathedral Place to East Castillo Drive ƒ San Marco Avenue at May Street ƒ San Marco Avenue at Picolata Road ƒ San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard (north) ƒ Ponce de Leon Boulevard from King Street to Cincinnati Avenue ƒ Ponce de Leon Boulevard at Picolata Road

This project provided a conceptual planning evaluation of a number of different alternatives to address mobility and support economic development throughout the CoSA. Based on the alternatives identified in this study, additional engineering is needed to assess the full feasibility

St. Augustine Mobility Institute ii

of these strategies. A detailed funding plan and applications for grant funding programs should also be considered.

The “Big Idea” or long term alternatives included (the total life cycle costs of each are shown):

ƒ Rotunda at the Bridge of Lions ($1.6 million) ƒ Roundabout at Davenport Park ($1.8 million) ƒ Roundabout Gateway and intersection at San Marco and Ponce de Leon Boulevard ($1.2 million) ƒ Uptown Town Center ($3.8 million) ƒ Davis Shores Town Center and linear park/greenway ($1.6 million) ƒ King Street Gateway ($0.3 million) ƒ Remote Parking and Transit Circulator ($0.4 million)1

The total cost for the long term improvements is $11.5 million

Short Term Alternatives/Strategies

ƒ Reconfigure the signal at May Street and San Marco Avenue ($1 million) ƒ Extend median on Anastasia Boulevard ($500,000) ƒ Coordinate with US Coast Guard on bridge closures ($0) ƒ Consider adding new bike racks ($17,500) ƒ Coordinate the traffic signals on King Street ($200,000) ƒ Implement Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) for parking information and traffic information during bridge closures ($650,000) ƒ On street parking information system ($150,000) ƒ Implement a “Universal” tram route to minimize use of entry corridors ($7,500) ƒ Implement enhanced parallel parking project at San Marco Town Center ($0.5 million) ƒ Develop bicycle riding tours ($25,000) ƒ Develop walking tours ($25,000)

The total cost of short term improvements and strategies is $3.1 million.

The total cost for all improvements is $14.6 million.

Over a 20 year life span, these investments are anticipated to result in a total economic benefit of $76 million and an increase of $1.5 million in property taxes resulting in a benefit cost ratio of 5.2:1.

1 Assumes a franchise operation and existing rights of way are used.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute iii

Executive Summary Executive Summary ...... i

Contents Table of Contents ...... iii List of Figures ...... vi List of Tables ...... vii

Introduction Project Purpose ...... 1 Report Purpose ...... 1 Prior Studies and Related Documents ...... 1 The Mobility Institute ...... 2

Existing Conditions Study Area ...... 3 Demographics ...... 3 Environmental Features ...... 10 Typical Sections ...... 13 King Street from Palmer Street to Grenada Street ...... 13 San Marco Avenue from Castillo Drive to Ponce de Leon Boulevard ...... 13 Anastasia Boulevard from Sportina Avenue to the Bridge of Lions ...... 16 Congestion ...... 16 Safety ...... 21 Public Transportation System ...... 24 Bicycles ...... 24 Trams and Private Transit ...... 27 Origins and Destinations ...... 29 Major Attractions ...... 29 Travel Patterns ...... 31 Land Use ...... 36 Parking ...... 36 Bridge of Lions ...... 36

Mobility Strategies in Similar Areas Mobility Strategies in Similar Areas ...... 41

St. Augustine Mobility Institute iv

Summary of Needs Needs Common to All Corridors ...... 44 Needs Associated with King Street and San Marco Avenue ...... 45 Needs Associated with Anastasia Boulevard ...... 45

Alternatives Considered Alternatives Recommended from Prior Projects ...... 47 Entry Corridor Design Standards...... 47 Parking and Transit Circulation Plan (Transit Greenway Plan) ...... 49 SR A1A Scenic Highway Master Plan ...... 49 SR 5A Traffic and Safety Study ...... 50 Transit Development Plan...... 50 US 1 Mobility Study ...... 50 Urban Design ...... 50 Traffic and Transportation ...... 51 Amtrak Station/Passenger Rail ...... 51 Alternatives Considered but not Advanced ...... 52

Long Term Alternatives City Gateways ...... 53 King Street at Avenida Menendez ...... 53 San Marco Avenue at May Street ...... 57 San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard ...... 60 King Street at San Sebastian River ...... 62 King Street at Ponce de Leon Boulevard ...... 62 Town Centers ...... 64 Uptown ...... 64 Davis Shores ...... 70 Remote Parking and Transit Circulator ...... 79 Economic Benefits Analysis ...... 81 Evaluation Matrix ...... 81

Short Term Alternatives Roadway Alternatives ...... 85 Intersection Improvements at SR A1A and May Street ...... 85 Extend Median on Anastasia Boulevard ...... 85 Transportation Systems Management and Operations ...... 91 Coordination of Bridge Closures ...... 91 Coordination of Signals Along King Street ...... 91 Bridge and Parking Information System ITS ...... 94

St. Augustine Mobility Institute v

Parking Pilot on San Marco Avenue ...... 97 Implement a “Universal” Tram Route to Minimize Use of Entry Corridors ...... 97 Improvements to Support the 450th Commemoration ...... 99 Bicycle Tours ...... 99 Walking Tours ...... 101 Evaluation Matrix ...... 101

Public Involvement Kickoff Meeting ...... 106 King Street Meeting ...... 107 San Marco Avenue Meeting ...... 107 Anastasia Boulevard Meeting ...... 108 Wrap-Up ...... 109

Potential Funding Sources Federal and State Funding Sources ...... 110 Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) ...... 110 Highway Safety Grant Program Overview ...... 110 Local Funding Sources ...... 110 Local Option Gas Taxes (LOGT) ...... 111 Second LOGT (Five Cents) ...... 111 Ninth-Cent Gas Tax ...... 111 Bond Issues ...... 111 Impact Fees and Local Government Transportation Concurrency ...... 112 Ad Valorem Taxes ...... 112 Local Option Sales and Local Infrastructure Surtax ...... 112 Overlay District ...... 112 Franchising ...... 112

Next Steps Long Term Strategies ...... 113 Short Term Strategies ...... 113

Appendices (on CD) Appendix A – Participants Handbook and Data Received Appendix B – Technical Analysis Appendix C – Public Involvement

St. Augustine Mobility Institute vi

List of Figures Figure 1. Study Area ...... 4 Figure 2. Downtown Corridors ...... 5 Figure 3. Anastasia Boulevard ...... 6 Figure 4. Downtown Context...... 7 Figure 5. Anastasia Boulevard Context...... 8 Figure 6. Wetlands and Floodplains ...... 11 Figure 7. Cultural Resources ...... 12 Figure 8. King Street and San Marco Corridors ...... 14 Figure 9. San Marco Ave ...... 15 Figure 10. Anastasia Boulevard Typical Section ...... 17 Figure 11. Existing Automobile Level of Service ...... 18 Figure 12. Fatal Accident Count per 100,000 Population...... 22 Figure 13. High Crash Frequency Locations ...... 23 Figure 14. Sunshine Bus Company ...... 25 Figure 15. Bicycle Plan ...... 26 Figure 16. Tram Routes ...... 28 Figure 17. Major Attractions ...... 30 Figure 18. 2010 Population and Employment ...... 32 Figure 19. 2010 Trip Productions and Attractions ...... 33 Figure 20. 2035 Population and Employment ...... 34 Figure 21. 2035 Trip Productions and Attractions ...... 35 Figure 22. Existing Land Use (Zoning) ...... 37 Figure 23. Future Land Use ...... 38 Figure 24. Underutilized Parcels ...... 39 Figure 25. Parking Areas ...... 40 Figure 26. Summary of Recommendations from Prior Studies ...... 48 Figure 27. Gateway Locations ...... 54 Figure 28. King Street at Avenida Menendez (Bridge of Lions) Rotunda Plan ...... 55 Figure 29. King Street at Avenida Menendez (Bridge of Lions) Rotunda Perspective ...... 56 Figure 30. San Marco at May Street Rotunda Plan ...... 58 Figure 31. San Marco Avenue at May Street Rotunda Perspective ...... 59 Figure 32. San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard Intersection Improvements ...... 61 Figure 33. King Street Gateway Feature ...... 63 Figure 34. Town Centers Location Map ...... 65 Figure 35. Uptown Town Center Typical Section ...... 67 Figure 36. Uptown Town Center Block Diagram ...... 68 Figure 37. Uptown Town Center Rendering ...... 69 Figure 38. Uptown Town Center Plan View Layout ...... 71 Figure 39. Uptown Town Center Plan View Layout (1 of 2) ...... 72 Figure 40. Uptown Town Center Plan View Layout (2 of 2) ...... 73 Figure 41. David Shores Typical Section ...... 74

St. Augustine Mobility Institute vii

Figure 42. David Shores Plan View Layout (1 of 3) ...... 75 Figure 43. David Shores Plan View Layout (2 of 3) ...... 76 Figure 44. David Shores Plan View Layout (3 of 3) ...... 77 Figure 45. David Shores Rendering ...... 78 Figure 46. Transit Circulator and Remote Parking ...... 80 Figure 47. Intersection at San Marco Avenue at May Street ...... 86 Figure 48. Median Extension on Anastasia Boulevard ...... 88 Figure 49. Anastasia Median Extension (1 of 2) ...... 89 Figure 50. Anastasia Boulevard Median Extension (2 of 2) ...... 90 Figure 51. King Street Signal Locations ...... 92 Figure 52. Arterial DMS for Bridge and Parking Information ...... 95 Figure 53. Parking Information ITS Street-Level DMS ...... 96 Figure 54. Universal Tram Route ...... 98 Figure 55. Bike Tour ...... 100 Figure 56. Walking Tours ...... 102

List of Tables Table 1. Summary of Historic and Archeological Resources ...... 10 Table 2. Automobile Levels of Service ...... 19 Table 3. Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transit Quality of Service ...... 20 Table 4. Summary of Crash Data (2005-2010) ...... 24 Table 5. Mode of Transportation to Work ...... 31 Table 6. Travel Time to Work ...... 31 Table 7. Characteristics of Peer Destinations ...... 42 Table 8. Mobility Strategies ...... 43 Table 9. Summary of Alternatives Considered and Not Advanced ...... 52 Table 10. Operational Analysis - San Marco Avenue and May Street Roundabout ...... 60 Table 11. Operational Analysis – San Marco Avenue and Ponce de Leon Boulevard ...... 60 Table 12. Change in Parking with Angle Parking ...... 66 Table 12. Evaluation Criteria Long-term Alternatives ...... 82 Table 13. Summary of 20-year Life Cycle Cost Estimates ...... 83 Table 14. Summary of Cost Estimates Assumptions ...... 84 Table 15. Summary of Operational Analysis – San Marco Avenue at May Street ...... 87 Table 16. Change in Delay for Coordinating Traffic Signals on King Street ...... 93 Table 17. Evaluation Criteria Long-term Alternatives ...... 103 Table 18. Summary of 20-year Life Cycle Cost Estimates ...... 104 Table 19. Basis of Estimates ...... 105 Table 20. Existing Taxes in St. Johns County ...... 110

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 1

Introduction

Project Purpose The project is to develop an overall transportation plan that addresses the needs for all modes of transportation in and around the city of St. Augustine (CoSA). The CoSA has a unique urban fabric, millions of visitors annually, constrained roadways, concerns of business, and historic and archeological preservation concerns. This study included an investigation of the interrelationships of these issues to the community’s mobility and safety needs. The challenge of efficiently providing access to the downtown historic district was addressed in light of the anticipated increase in tourism associated with the CoSA’s 450th Commemoration. This project was performed for the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (North Florida TPO) and the CoSA.

Report Purpose This report summarizes the data collected, analysis, public comment, alternatives considered and viable alternatives developed during the course of this project.

Prior Studies and Related Documents As part of the data collection phase of the project, the following documents were reviewed:

ƒ 450th Commemoration Master Plan, CoSA ƒ Bayfront to Castillo Plan, National Park Service ƒ Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, CoSA ƒ City Budget Workshop, CoSA ƒ Colored Pavement Standards, FDOT ƒ Commuter Rail Study, Jacksonville Transportation Authority ƒ Comprehensive Plan, CoSA ƒ Entrance Corridor Design Standards, CoSA ƒ Heritage Sign Project, CoSA and FDOT ƒ Historic and Archeological Resources, CoSA ƒ Mapping GIS Library, CoSA ƒ Parking Inventory, CoSA ƒ SeaWall Project, CoSA ƒ SR 5A Traffic Study, FDOT ƒ SR A1A Scenic Highway, FDOT ƒ Straight Line Diagrams, FDOT ƒ Tourism Information, St. Johns County Visitor’s Bureau ƒ Traffic Data, FDOT ƒ St. Johns County Transit Development Plan, St. Johns County

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 2

ƒ Transit Greenway Plan, CoSA ƒ US 1 Mobility Investment Strategic Plan, FDOT

These reports are summarized in the Participant’s Handbook which is Appendix A of this report.

The Mobility Institute The term Mobility Institute used for this project does not refer to an organization, but rather to a process of engaging a multi-disciplined team and the community in an intensive week long process to consider multiple perspectives, receive input and develop conceptual alternatives to address the mobility needs in the CoSA.

The term Mobility Institute used for this project does not refer to an organization, but rather to a process of engaging a multi-disciplined team and the community in an intensive week long process to consider multiple perspectives, receive input and the develop conceptual alternatives to address the mobility needs in the CoSA.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 3

Existing Conditions

Study Area Figure 1 shows the study area for this project. Figure 2 and Figure 3 summarize the conditions along each corridor using photos. Figure 4 and Figure 5 summarize the context of each corridor related to the neighborhoods and entry corridors within the vicinity of the project.

Demographics A demographic profile was prepared for the study area comparing the results of the 2000 and 2010 Census. The following summarizes the major findings:

Population

The population of the CoSA was approximately 12,975 people in 2010. From 2000 to 2010, the CoSA population grew by 11.9% (or from 11,592 people to 12,975 people). Other trends include:

ƒ The population is aging. The median age increased from 41.7 to 42.6 years. ƒ The population is becoming more ethnically diverse. The greatest increases in population occurred with populations that identify themselves as Asian (148.2%), Hispanic (81.7%) and other (78.3%). ƒ There are fewer families. About 47% of households identified themselves as families in 2010 vs. 52% in 2000.

Households There were 6,978 housing units in CoSA. About 82% were occupied in 2010.

ƒ The occupancy rate decreased by 5.7% to 82.3%. o 556 vacant units were added, an 81.9% increase. o The season vacancy rates increased by 294.3% ƒ There were 1,200 new housing units in 2010 compared to 2000. About 47% of the housing units were in buildings with 10 or more units. ƒ The CoSA added more rental units in last 10 years. Owner-occupied units are 54.5% of total housing stock vs. 60.5% in 2000. ƒ Over 1,200 new units were constructed between 2000 and 2010, the most of any decade on record. These housing units included o 433 new single-family homes o 576 units in buildings with 10+units, or 47% of all new units ƒ The median value of households increased by $148,100 or 131.3%. This is a 76.8% increase when accounting for inflation. o 573 homes were valued at more than $500,000 vs. 103 homes in 2000. o 64% of homes were valued at more than $200,000 vs. 21.7% in 2000

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 1 Project Location Map Page 4 N N.T.S

Figure King Street and San Marco 2 St. Augustine Mobility Study Page Avenue Corridors 5 N N N.T.S N.T.S

Figure 3 St. Augustine Mobility Study Anastasia Boulevard Corridor Page 6 N N.T.SN.T.S

SANSAN SSEBASTIANEBASTIAN INTERMODALININTETERMRMODODAALL CENTERCECENTNTEERR OPTIONOPOPTITIONON 2

INTERMODALININTETERMRMODODAALL CENTERCECENTNTER OPTIONOPOPTITIONON 1

FUTUREFUFUTUTURERE PPASSENGERASASSESENGGERER RRAILAAIIL

FLAGLER NELMAR MODEL LAND MAGNOLIA TERRACE UPTOWN LEGEND LINCOLNVILLE Gateway

SPANISH QUARTER Neighborhood OLD CITY

Figure King Street and San Marco 4 St. Augustine Mobility Study Page Avenue Context Diagrams 7 N N N.T.S N.T.S

DAVIS SHORES

SOUTH DAVIS SHORES

LEGEND Gateway

Neighborhood LIGHTHOUSE PARK

Figure Anastasia Boulevard 5 St. Augustine Mobility Study Page Context Diagram 8 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 9

ƒ Median mortgage payment increased by 62.7%, a 24.4% increase, when considering inflation. o Households paying over $2,000 on mortgage make up 31.2% of total households, an increase of 371.7% from 2000. o Households that pay 35% or more of income for their mortgage increased from 48.6% compared to 19.9% in 2000. o Median rent payments increased by 48.2% or 13.3% when accounting for inflation. o Households paying over $1,500 in rent increased by 247.5%. o Households that pay 35% or more of income for rent increased to 61.1% from 37.3% in 2000.

Employment Employment increased 13.3% and the unemployment rate remained low at 5.1% but increased from 3.3% in 2000. The following notable changes occurred: ƒ Arts, entertainment and recreation – 58.6% increase ƒ Professional, scientific and management – 36.7% increase ƒ Educational services and healthcare – 14% increase ƒ Finance – 43.6% decrease ƒ Manufacturing – 21.5% decrease ƒ Retail Trade – 1.2% decrease

Mobility Commute times are lowering (diversifying in modes). The mean travel time was reduced by 8.6% to 17.1 minutes. ƒ 391 single occupant vehicles were added to roads ƒ 20.5% increase in users that did not drive alone ƒ 21.5% increase in carpooling ƒ 20.9% increase in working at home ƒ 93.7% increase in other means of transportation

Income The population of the CoSA is becoming both wealthier and poorer. The number of households earning over $200,000 increased by 82.2% (the largest increase by any category) while the number of persons living in poverty increased from 15.8% to 21.1%. When considering inflation, the median household income and the per capita income decreased.

ƒ Median household income increased by 12.6% to $36,424 but decreased by 14.0% when accounting for inflation. ƒ Per capita income increased by 10.6% to $23,485 but decreased by 15.5% when accounting for inflation.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 10

Environmental Features A review of the significant environmental features within the area was performed using geographical information systems databases for the Florida Geographical Data Library. Within the study area there are significant floodplains and wetlands. The entire study area west of the San Sebastian River is a floodplain and much of the area along the Anastasia Boulevard corridor is within a floodplain. The existing wetlands and floodplains are shown on Figure 6.

Significant historical and archeological resources are located within the study area. Figure 7 shows the location of these features and Table 1 summarizes the known resources.

Table 1. Summary of Historic and Archeological Resources

NTS

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 6 Wetlands and Floodplains Page 9 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 7 Cultural Resources Page 10 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 13

Typical Sections

King Street from Palmer Street to Grenada Street King Street is generally a three-lane section with 11-ft travel lanes. One general purpose lane is provided in each direction and a continuous two-way left turn lane is provided in the median. Six foot sidewalks are at the back of the curb west of Riberia Street. East of Riberia Street the most common typical section is a 2-ft buffer located at the back of a granite-shaped curb and a 4-ft sidewalk. Landscaping with shade trees or palm trees is located within the buffer area. Near Flagler College, the typical section changes to provide a 6-ft sidewalk at the back of the curb and gutter section. The King Street Bridge (#780003) over the San Sebastian River was originally constructed in the 1830s. The current bridge is classified as a historic bridge and was constructed in 1949. The bridge has a sufficiency rating of 63.1 and is functionally obsolete. Within the intersection of Ponce de Leon Boulevard, the pavement is concrete. In other locations, the roadway was constructed with asphalt pavement. The existing typical section on King King Street, San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Street is shown in Figure 8. Boulevard are all state-maintained roadways King Street is maintained by the Florida Department of and designated hurricane evacuation routes. Transportation (FDOT) and is designated as SR 5A. This corridor is also designated as an evacuation route by the Department of Community Affairs.

San Marco Avenue from Castillo Drive to Ponce de Leon Boulevard From Castillo Drive to approximately Grove Avenue, this section of San Marco Avenue is generally a three-lane section with 11-ft travel lanes. One general purpose lane is provided in each direction and a continuous two-way left turn lane is provided in the median. There are 6-ft sidewalks at the back of a granite-shaped curb.

North of Rhode Avenue and south of McMillan Street, the roadway is generally a two-lane roadway with 11-ft lanes and 8-ft parallel on-street parking on one or both sides. A grassed buffer between 2-ft and 4-ft wide is located between the curb and the sidewalk. A 4-ft sidewalk is located at the back of the buffer. This typical section is shown in Figure 9.

North of McMillan Street, the section transitions to a two-lane rural section with unpaved shoulders. No sidewalks are provided in this segment.

San Marco Avenue from Castillo Drive to May Street is maintained by the FDOT and is part of the historic and scenic highway designated as SR A1A. This corridor is also designated as an evacuation route by the Department of Community Affairs.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 8 King Street Typical Section Page 15 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 9 San Marco Avenue Typical Section Page 16 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 16

Anastasia Boulevard from Sportina Avenue to the Bridge of Lions Anastasia Boulevard is generally a four-lane divided roadway. The travel lanes are 12-ft wide and the median width varies up to 19.5-ft. There is a divided median north of Anastasia Road or Park Road. South of Anastasia Road, Anastasia Boulevard is a five-lane section with a two-way left turn lane. On-street parking is also provided at several locations along the corridor. Generally there is a 2-ft buffer at the back of curb and a 5-ft sidewalk with a 3.5-ft utility strip behind the sidewalk. The existing typical section with a median on Anastasia Boulevard is shown in Figure 10.

Anastasia Boulevard is maintained by the FDOT and is part of the historic and scenic highway designated as SR A1A. This corridor is also designated as an evacuation route by the Department of Community Affairs.

Congestion With the mix of slower moving vehicles, non- The CoSA adopted a Level of recurring congestion from crashes and the 2 Service (LOS) standard of LOS D number of pedestrian crossings near downtown, for the three entry corridors. the congestion levels are worse than predicted The existing automobile LOS on using traditional methods. these roadways is shown in Figure 11. Table 2 summarizes the automobile LOS for the existing year and the anticipated LOS in future years without any improvements. Table 3 summarizes the bicycle Quality of Service (QOS) and pedestrian QOS for the existing condition and the conditions anticipated in the future. Future years of 2017 and 2035 were selected to evaluate short-term (2017) and long-term improvements (2035).

Within the downtown corridors of King Street and San Marco Avenue significant congestion exists as a result of high volumes and a mix of slower moving vehicles in tourist trams and carriages that is not accounted for in the LOS analysis method used. A vibrant pedestrian and bicycle environment is located downtown. Significant use of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings occurs on King Street near Flagler College, Aviles Street and the Spanish Quarter.

2 LOS is used for roadways to represent the quality of the traffic flow within the roadway environment. QOS is used for bicycles, pedestrians and transit to describe the quality of the facilities or service and the comfort and convenience of the travelers. With each, a grade is assigned from “A” to “F” with “A” being excellent and “F” meaning poor. For automobiles, LOS F represents stop and go conditions and for other modes QOS F represents a lack of accommodation and or conditions which users have determined to not be convenient or comfortable.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 10 Anastasia Boulevard Typical Section Page 17 NTS NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 11 Automobile Level of Service Page 18 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 19

Table 2. Automobile Levels of Service Bi-Directional Peak Hour LOS of Length Volume # Lanes in Segment Roadway Segment Facility Type Existing one K D Existing Year Year Year Year Year Direction (Ft) Year 2017 2035 2017 2035 2011 2011 King Street (SR 5A) to Cuna Street 4-Lane Divided 1,581 1,610 1,882 2 0.097 0.584 1,320 C C C San Marco Avenue Cuna Street to Orange Street 4-Lane Undivided 1,688 1,688 1,921 2 0.097 0.584 1,267 C C C Castillo Drive Orange Street to May Street 2-Lane Undivided 1,419 1,416 1,649 1 0.097 0.584 4,646 F F F Avenida Menendez May Street to SR 16 2-Lane Undivided 1,091 1,154 1,348 1 0.097 0.584 2,904 C C C US 1 to Cordova Street 2-Lane Divided 1,568 1,571 1,833 1 0.097 0.584 3,432 E E F King Street Cordova Street to Avenida Menendez 2-Lane One-Way 621 640 747 2 0.097 1.000 950 C C C Cathedral Place Avenida Menendez to King Street (SR 5A) 2-Lane One-Way 650 698 815 2 0.097 1.000 1,162 C C C Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Boulevard (SR A1A) 2-Lane Undivided 1,794 1,794 1,930 1 0.097 0.584 1,795 F F F Bridge of Lions/Anastasia Boulevard City Limits (Crassoldi Street) to Bridge of Lions 4-Lane Divided 1,850 1,853 2,134 2 0.097 0.584 10,560 B B B SR 207 to King Street (SR 5A) 4-Lane Divided 4,122 4,404 5,151 2 0.097 0.584 3,696 F F F King Street (SR 5A) to Castillo Drive 4-Lane Divided 3,104 3,269 3,822 2 0.097 0.584 3,485 D E F US 1/Ponce De Leon Boulevard Castillo Drive to SR 16 4-Lane Divided 3,322 3,589 4,190 2 0.097 0.584 6,706 C F F SR 16 to San Marco Avenue 4-Lane Divided 2,037 2,212 2,590 2 0.097 0.584 2,693 B B B Lewis Speedway to US 1 4-Lane Divided 2,280 2,444 2,852 2 0.097 0.584 2,006 B B C SR 16 US 1 to San Marco Avenue 2-Lane Undivided 543 563 660 1 0.097 0.584 581 B B B May Street (SR A1A) San Marco Avenue to Vilano Road (SR A1A) 2-Lane Undivided 1,358 1,426 1,668 1 0.097 0.584 9,557 C C F Source: HNTB. Existing volumes were obtained from FDOT Traffic Online Annual Count Reports. Future year volumes are from the 2035 Northeast Florida Regional Planning Model.

Shaded values exceed the recommended QOS standard of D. LOS E is orange and LOS F is red.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 20

Table 3. Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transit Quality of Service Transit QOS of Bike/Paved Buses Bi-Directional Peak Sidewalk Pedestrian QOS of Bike QOS of Segment Length Shoulder per Hour Volume # Lanes Coverage Segment Segment Roadway Segment Facility Type (each K D Coverage Hour direct.) 2011 2017 2035 2011 2017 2035 (Ft) (%) (%) 2011 2017 2035 2011 2017 2035

King Street (SR 5A) to F F F 4-Lane Divided 1,581 1,610 1,882 2 0.097 0.584 1,320 83.0 99.0 0 D D D C C C Cuna Street Cuna Street to F F F San Marco Avenue 4-Lane Undivided 1,688 1,688 1,921 2 0.097 0.584 1,267 76.0 0.0 0 D D D F F F Orange Street Castillo Drive Orange Street to C C C Avenida Menendez 2-Lane Undivided 1,419 1,416 1,649 1 0.097 0.584 4,646 100.0 67.0 3 C C C D D D May Street May Street to D D D 2-Lane Undivided 1,091 1,154 1,348 1 0.097 0.584 2,904 100.0 86.0 2 C C C B B C SR 16 US 1 to C C C 2-Lane Divided 1,568 1,571 1,833 1 0.097 0.584 3,432 97.0 0.0 4 C C C F F F Cordova Street King Street Cordova Street to D D D 2-Lane One-Way 621 640 747 2 0.097 1.000 950 92.0 100.0 2 C C C B B B Avenida Menendez Avenida Menendez to E E E Cathedral Place 2-Lane One-Way 650 698 815 2 0.097 1.000 1,162 69.0 86.0 2 D D D B B B King Street Bridge of Lions to F F F 2-Lane Undivided 1,794 1,794 1,930 1 0.097 0.584 1,795 0.0 0.0 1 F F F F F F Bridge of Lions Anastasia Boulevard Anastasia Boulevard City Limits (Crassoldi Street) to E E E 4-Lane Divided 1,850 1,853 2,134 2 0.097 0.584 10,560 88.0 93.0 1 C C C C C C Bridge of Lions SR 207 to E E E 4-Lane Divided 4,122 4,404 5,151 2 0.097 0.584 3,696 96.0 99.0 1 E E E C C C King Street King Street to E E E 4-Lane Divided 3,104 3,269 3,822 2 0.097 0.584 3,485 47.0 0.0 2 F F F F F F Ponce De Leon Castillo Drive Boulevard Castillo Drive to E E E 4-Lane Divided 3,322 3,589 4,190 2 0.097 0.584 6,706 84.0 63.0 2 E E F D D D SR 16 SR 16 to F F F 4-Lane Divided 2,037 2,212 2,590 2 0.097 0.584 2,693 60.0 60.0 1 D E E D D D San Marco Avenue Lewis Speedway to E E E 4-Lane Divided 2,280 2,444 2,852 2 0.097 0.584 2,006 100.0 89.0 1 D D D C C C Ponce de Leon Boulevard SR 16 Ponce de Leon Boulevard to F F F 2-Lane Undivided 543 563 660 1 0.097 0.584 581 91.0 0.0 0 C C C F F F San Marco Avenue San Marco Avenue to F F F May Street 2-Lane Undivided 1,358 1,426 1,668 1 0.097 0.584 9,557 48.0 42.0 0 E E E D D D Vilano Road (SR A1A) Source HNTB. Data provided by FDOT.

Shaded values exceed the recommended QOS standard of D. LOS E is orange and LOS F is red.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 21

Along San Marco Avenue north of May Street congestion is less of a concern but there are significant opportunities for redevelopment and enhancements along the roadway to create a more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing entry corridor.

In addition, several locations were identified where crash rate experiences exceed the statewide averages. This non-recurring congestion is not part of the LOS determination.

With the mix of slower moving vehicles, non-recurring congestion from crashes and the number of pedestrian crossings near downtown, the congestion levels are worse than predicted using traditional methods.

Excess capacity exists along Anastasia Boulevard. The two-lane Bridge of Lions limits the number of vehicles traveling over the bridge. Eastbound, one of the through lanes is not needed from a capacity standpoint. Westbound, the two lanes approaching the bridge are principally used for queue storage during bridge closures to discourage cut through traffic into the Davis Shores neighborhood.

Safety St. Augustine experiences a higher fatal crash rate per resident than the statewide average in Florida as shown in Figure 12. This rate is likely much higher than average based on the ratio of visitors (3 million) vs. population (12,000) than other cities in Florida.

Crash data was collected for the years 2005-2010. Several locations were identified where the crash rate (number of crashes per million vehicle miles traveled each year) exceed the statewide average.

ƒ King Street from Ponce de Leon Boulevard to the Bridge of Lions. ƒ Avenida Menendez from Cathedral Place to East Castillo Drive. ƒ San Marco Avenue at May Street. ƒ San Marco Avenue at Picolata Road. ƒ San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard (north). ƒ Ponce de Leon Boulevard from King Street to Cincinnati Avenue. ƒ Ponce de Leon Boulevard at Picolata Road.

The locations where the crash rates exceeded the statewide averages are shown in Figure 13.

The crash data collected is summarized in Table 4.

Several locations were identified where the crash rate (number of crashes per million vehicle miles traveled each year) exceed the statewide average.

Source: CityData.com

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 12 Crash Rates Per 100,000 Population Page 22 Below the Statewide Average

Above the Statewide Average

NTS NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 13 High Crash Frequency Locations Page 23 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 24

Table 4. Summary of Crash Data (2005-2010) King Street San Marco Boulevard Anastasia Boulevard Crashes 196 210 123 Drivers Involved 376 395 219 Injuries 110 126 115 Fatalities 1 3 1 Pedestrians Involved 12 12 4 Pedestrian Injuries 11 7 4 Pedestrian Fatalities 0 2 0 Bicyclists Involved 13 13 9 Bicyclist Injuries 10 11 7 Bicyclist Fatalities 0 1 0 Source: HNTB. Data provided by FDOT Crash Analysis Reporting System.

Public Transportation System The public transportation system in St. Augustine is operated by the Sunshine Bus Company (www.sunshinebus.net). The Sunshine Bus Company is a public transportation van system operated through a partnership with the St. John’s Council on Aging and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. The Sunshine Bus Company operates six different lines and a connector route all of which service different areas of St. Augustine.

The Sunshine Bus is a fixed route service although travelers can alight or board the bus at any street corner located along the route. This makes the Sunshine Bus an efficient option for those who do opt to utilize the system. At just $1.00 each way, riding the Sunshine Bus is an economical choice for either the residents or visitors to St. Augustine. Figure 14 shows the Sunshine Bus Company routes.

Bicycles A bicycle plan was completed by the CoSA and North Florida TPO in 2011 and identifies recommended improvements for bike lanes, construction of bike lanes, signs and future pathways. Figure 15 shows the recommended bicycle improvements. A copy of this plan is provided in the appendices.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 14 Sunshine Bus Routes Page 25 NTS Source: St. Augustine Bike Plan, 2011

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 15 Bike Routes Page 26 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 27

Trams and Private Transit A key element in understanding the traffic congestion issues and unique conditions that exist within downtown St. Augustine along San Marco Avenue and King Street is the operation of tram tour vehicles and other commercial transit vehicles. These operators are not regulated by the CoSA or other agencies and include businesses such as the following:

St. Augustine Black History Tours P. O. Box 4335, David E Northup Tours Saint Augustine FL 1093 A1A Beach Boulevard Saint Augustine FL TLC Central Inc. 231 Estancia St, George Korey Saint Augustine FL Casino Tours 610 20th Street Southern Carriages and Distribution Saint Augustine FL 239 San Marco Ave Saint Augustine FL St Augustine Sightseeing Train (City Marina) 170 San Marco Avenue Tour Saint Augustine Inc. Saint Augustine FL 4 Granada Street Saint Augustine FL TLC Central Inc. 231 Estancia St Ghost Augustine - Ghost Tours Saint Augustine FL 162 St. George Street, Suite 19 Saint Augustine FL Tour Saint Augustine Inc. 4 Granada Street Beverly Reese Tours Saint Augustine FL 221 Hawthorne Road Saint Augustine FL Tour Vans St Augustine 393 El Rey Avenue Captain Ron's Charters LLC Saint Augustine FL 101 Coastal Hollow Circle Saint Augustine FL Old Town Trolley Tours 167 San Marco Ave Ripley’s Red Train Tours and Ghost Tours Saint Augustine, FL 170 San Marco Avenue St. Augustine, FL

The most prominent tram operators are the Old Town Trolley and Red Train. These trams operate with a typical frequency of 15-25 minutes. A total of 8-12 trams operate at any one time. Figure 16 summarizes the published routes of these major tram services.

NTS NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 16 Major Tram Routes Page 28 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 29

Origins and Destinations

Major Attractions As part of the review of the existing conditions, the following major attractions were identified:

ƒ The Old Jail Complex ƒ Visitor’s Information Center/Parking Garage ƒ Old Drug Store/Tolomato Cemetery (optional) ƒ City Gates/St. George Street ƒ Spanish Quarter/Pirate Museum ƒ Hypolita/St. George St. ƒ Churches ƒ Villa Zorayda ƒ Lightner Museum ƒ Dow Museum ƒ San Sebastian Winery ƒ Whetstone’s Chocolate Factory ƒ Central Plaza ƒ Oldest House ƒ City Marina ƒ Castillo de San Marco ƒ Ripley’s Believe it or Not ƒ Mission of Nombre de Dios ƒ The Old Senator ƒ Fountain of Youth

These major attractions are shown on Figure 17.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 17 Major Attractions Page 30 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 31

Travel Patterns Using information provided in the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Model (NERPM), a travel demand forecasting model prepared by the North Florida TPO, an understanding of the traffic patterns can be derived. The NERPM used the 2005 Census to identify areas of homogeneous land uses and divides these areas in to traffic analysis zones. Within each of these traffic analysis zones the population and employment are estimated. Then using data from North Florida and other metropolitan areas, trip productions and attractions are then estimated. Trip productions are where trips begin and trip attractions are where they end. The productions and attractions are not specific to any mode. This data is forecast into the year 2035 to analyze future traffic patterns. Using this information, Figure 18 through Figure 21 were prepared for the year 2005 and the forecasted conditions in 2035 to show the population, employment and major trip productions and attractions as reported in the NERPM.

The most common mode of transportation to work in St. Augustine is to drive alone in a car and the most common commute time is less than 15 minutes as summarized in Table 5 and Table 6 below.

Table 5. Mode of Transportation to Work Mode of Transportation Saint Augustine Florida United States Car, Truck, Van to Work 5,590 82.66% 7,472,988 91.12% 125,034,525 87.32% Public Transportation to Work 94 1.39% 136,710 1.67% 6,356,526 4.44% Other Transportation to Work 750 11.09% 270,095 3.29% 5,727,496 4.00% Work at Home 329 4.86% 321,905 3.92% 6,068,117 4.24% Source: CLR Research, 2010 Census

Table 6. Travel Time to Work Travel Time to Work Saint Augustine Florida United States Travel Time Less than 15 Min 3,058 47.53% 1,657,792 21.04% 34,641,939 25.26% Travel Time 15-29 Min 1,777 27.62% 2,932,563 37.22% 49,562,476 36.15% Travel Time 30-59 Min 1,191 18.51% 2,653,314 33.67% 40,350,740 29.43% Travel Time 60+ Min 408 6.34% 636,124 8.07% 12,563,392 9.16% Source: CLR Research, 2010 Census

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 18 2005 Population and Employment Page 32 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 19 2005 Productions and Attractions Page 33 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 20 2035 Population and Emplpoyment Page 34 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 21 2035 Productions and Attractions Page 35 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 36

Land Use Data on the existing and future land uses within the CoSA was compiled and analyzed. Figure 22 shows the existing land use zoning and Figure 23 shows the proposed land use adjacent to each of the corridors.

In addition to inventorying the existing land use, we also identified underutilized and vacant parcels along the corridors. Underutilized parcels are parcels where the building value is less than 30% of the total property value (land plus buildings). These locations are shown in Figure 24.

Parking A parking inventory was prepared by the CoSA and a map summarizing the location of surface- street and garage parking is provided in Figure 25.

Along San Marco Avenue between Castillo Drive and May Street there are 99 northbound on- street parking spaces and 56 southbound on-street parking spaces.

Bridge of Lions One significant contributor to congestion levels in St. Augustine is the schedule for opening the Bridge of Lions for navigation and closing the bridge to traffic. The existing regulations governing the operation of the bridge is published in 33 CFR 117.5 and 117.261 which states

The draw shall open on signal; except that, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. the draw need open only on the hour and half-hour; however, the draw need not open at 8 a.m., 12 noon, and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays the draw need only open on the hour and half-hour.

These openings were reported to take between 8 and 15 minutes and with the potential of the bridge being closed to traffic once every 15 minutes depending on navigation needs, these are significant interruptions to traffic flow within the CoSA. Local residents and business owners reported queues extending to west of Flagler College on King Street, north to the Uptown area on San Marco Avenue and south of Matanzas Road on Anastasia Boulevard.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 22 Existing Land Use (Zoning) Page 37 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 23 Future Land Use Page 38 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 24 Underdeveloped and Underutilized Lands Page 39 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 25 Parking Inventory Page 40 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 41

Mobility Strategies in Similar Cities

The mobility strategies of similar cities to St. Augustine: Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Nantucket, Massachusetts; Key West, Florida; French Quarter in New Orleans; and Old San Juan Puerto Rico were reviewed using internet searches and interviews. Including these cities in no way implies that CoSA provides the same experience to the visitors or the quality of life of their residents. Their selection was made simply to illustrate how communities that are tourist destinations, based on their history and the scenic nature of their community, and are home to residents, address their mobility needs.

Table 7 summarizes the size (area and population), number of tourists who visit each year and the population living within these similar areas. Table 8 summarizes the mobility strategies used within these areas.

Including these cities in no way implies that CoSA provides the same experience to the visitors or the quality of life of their residents. Their selection was made simply to illustrate how communities that are tourist destinations, based on their history and the scenic nature of their community, and are home to residents, address their mobility needs.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 42

Table 7. Characteristics of Peer Destinations Location Urban Form Area Residents History Visitors (miles2) (per year)

St. Augustine 1.7 4,900 ƒ Founded in 1565 3 million Spanish ƒ Spanish colonial Quarter ƒ National Historic Landmark ƒ Grid street pattern

Charleston 1.7 9,400 ƒ Founded in 1670 4 million ƒ English colonial ƒ Grid street pattern ƒ National Historic Landmark

Savannah 6.8 22,000 ƒ Founded in 1733 5 million ƒ English colonial ƒ Olgethorpe City Plan ƒ Grid street pattern ƒ National Historic Landmark Nantucket 2.5 7,500 ƒ Founded in 1641 6 million ƒ English colonial ƒ Highly seasonal population ƒ Island community ƒ Grid street pattern ƒ National Historic Landmark French Quarter 0.7 3,800 ƒ Primarily built during Spanish 6 million New Orleans rule 1764-1803 ƒ Spanish and French colonial ƒ National Historic Landmark ƒ Corridor oriented area with surrounding grid Old Town 0.8 6,000 ƒ First visited in 1521 4 million Key West ƒ Founded in 1821 ƒ No formal city plan until 1870s ƒ Spanish and English colonial ƒ National Historic Landmark ƒ Corridor oriented area with surrounding grid Old San Juan 0.7 unknown ƒ Founded in 1521 1.5 million Puerto Rico ƒ Spanish colonial ƒ National Historic Landmark ƒ Grid street pattern

Source: HNTB, City-data.com, Wikipedia.com

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 43

Table 8. Mobility Strategies Strategy St. Augustine Charleston Savannah Nantucket French Quarter Key West Old San Juan Infrastructure Asphalt roadway 9 9 9 9 9 9 Cobblestone roadways 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Narrow roadways with ROW constraints 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Heritage signing and wayfinding 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Modes Mixed auto, bus and bike travel lanes 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Bus or tram only lanes 9 Bike lanes 9 Pedestrian malls 9 9 9 Free transit/trams 9 9 9 9 Private transit/trams with fare 9 9 9 9 9 9 Public transit/trams with fare 9 9 9 Jitney/carriage transit with fare 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Tour buses (large vehicles) 9 9 9 9 9 Private segway or moped tours 9 9 9 9 9 Private tour routes regulated 9 9 9 9 License fee required for private tours 9 9 9 Private tour routes are franchised or bid 9 Parking On-street metered parking 9 9 9 9 9 9 Parking garages and lots 9 9 9 9 9 9 Remote parking garages and transit 9 9 9 9 9 9 Parking restrictions 9 9 9 9 9 Special event parking management 9 9 9 9 9 Trucks Truck routes 9 9 Truck restrictions (No semitrailers) 9 9 9 9 Truck loading restricted times 9

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 44

Summary of Needs

Based on the review of prior studies, interviews with key stakeholders, field reviews and the results of the public information meetings conducted as part of this project; the following summarize the needs, issues, problems and objectives to meet the mobility needs within the CoSA.

Each of the three corridors has a different urban character:

ƒ King Street is divided into two segments, west of Ponce de Leon Boulevard and east of Ponce de Leon Boulevard. West of Ponce de Leon Boulevard, the area is experiencing a revival of investment and a resurfacing and sidewalk project was recently completed. East of Ponce de Leon Boulevard, King Street is the historical gateway into the CoSA and transitions from a suburban character to a downtown character as you approach the eastern limits of this project at Flagler College. ƒ San Marco Avenue north of May Street represents mid-20th Century suburban development with a mix of light industrial, commercial and retail land uses. South of May Street, the corridor includes Uptown - an established town center with retail, restaurants and entertainment. The Historic Downtown Parking Garage and Visitor’s Center is located on San Marco Avenue south of West Castillo Street where San Marco Avenue changes names to Castillo Drive. ƒ Anastasia Boulevard is a divided urban highway with a mix of land use types typical of mid-20th Century development that includes restaurants and retail land uses with front parking. The residential neighborhood of Davis Shores is behind the commercial and retail.

Needs Common to All Corridors ƒ Closures of the Bridge of Lions result in significant delays and queues. As the primary route linking Anastasia Island and St. Augustine Beach to downtown, minimizing the delays associated with these openings is an essential element of a congestion management strategy for CoSA. ƒ The entry corridors of King Street, San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard are state- maintained roadways and the entry corridor standards developed for these facilities by the CoSA have features that conflict with the FDOT design standards and policies. Coordination of these standards is needed prior to implementation.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 45

Needs Associated with King Street and San Marco Avenue ƒ The CoSA’s downtown historic area is very compact with narrow streets. Limited opportunities exist to widen or expand roadways through right-of-way acquisition because of the unique historic fabric of this community. ƒ The unique architectural and historical heritage of the CoSA shall be maintained in any recommendation and enhancements needed to achieve the entry corridor standards are needed. ƒ Parking is seen as a valuable commodity for area business owners, and on-street parking may be a limiting factor to reconfiguring the existing roadways to optimize traffic flow. ƒ The LOS based on traffic counts on King Street and San Marco Avenue south of May Street are reported to be LOS C by the FDOT. However, the delays on these facilities represent LOS F conditions during weekday and weekend peak periods based on travel speed. ƒ Tram operators have a significant impact on traffic flow and congestion. ƒ Large commercial vehicles (tractor trailers and tour buses) damage the curb and gutters because of the limited turning radii within the CoSA as a result of the compact urban environment. ƒ Tourism drives many of the traffic, commercial and economic issues within the CoSA. Strategies to manage this traffic and to support the needs of local residents and businesses are a key objective of this project. ƒ Pedestrians crossing King Street near Flagler College were reported to be a safety and traffic concern. Providing safe and efficient access is a priority. ƒ Significant interest in bicycle lanes was reported throughout the study and in prior projects. ƒ Alternatives developed should not limit accommodations or access to a future passenger rail intermodal facility along the Florida East Coast Railroad (with either Amtrak or commuter rail). ƒ Along San Marco Avenue north of May Street, there are significant underdeveloped and underutilized properties where reinvestment in the transportation infrastructure with urban amenities could attract redevelopment.

Needs Associated with Anastasia Boulevard ƒ Although the traffic on Anastasia Boulevard is not as significantly congested as on the other entry corridors, the Bridge of Lions is a two-lane capacity constraint for the northern terminus of this project. ƒ One of the major challenges with Anastasia Boulevard is that there is an inconsistent urban character within the corridor. In some sections there is a raised median with landscaping and in other sections there is a continuous two-way left turn lane. On- street parking exists in some segments and a bicycle lane exists in others. The corridor is disconnected both physically and visually from downtown core of St. Augustine by the Bridge of Lions and the character of the urban uses are substantially different.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 46

ƒ Several major event destinations are located along this corridor that result in the need for additional parking along the corridor in the form of on-street or off-street parking. o Alligator Farm and Zoological Gardens o St. Augustine Amphitheater o St. Augustine Lighthouse o Schools o Anastasia State Park o Conch House Restaurant which hosts several major events ƒ Anastasia Boulevard serves as a “beach route” where many travelers pass through the Davis Shores area and other communities to the south headed toward the Anastasia Island State Park or St. Augustine Beach. Slowing these drivers and creating more of a town center feel could provide the catalyst for new redevelopment and to sustain existing developments within the area. ƒ There are underdeveloped and underutilized properties where reinvestment in the transportation infrastructure with urban amenities could attract redevelopment.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 47

Alternatives Considered

Alternatives Recommended from Prior Projects Several prior studies recommended mobility improvements that were not implemented based on funding or other considerations. These recommendations are summarized below. Copies of these studies are provided in Appendix A. These recommendations are summarized on Figure 26.

Entry Corridor Design Standards In 2000, the CoSA established design standards and an ordinance regulating design standards for these corridors including King Street, San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard. These standards are intended to assist property owners, developers and the CoSA by identifying appropriate and compatible options for rehabilitation and new construction. Site development and building standards, an application process, enforcement and other materials are provided as part of the guidelines.

Standards are provided for

ƒ Paving ƒ Landscape Materials ƒ Lighting ƒ Utilities ƒ Traffic Signals ƒ Site Furnishings ƒ Crosswalks, Intersection Treatments and Street Paving ƒ Transit Facilities ƒ Gateways ƒ Road Standards

This document also references several other standards and guidelines that will apply to this project.

ƒ Landscape Ordinance (Ordinance 87-34) ƒ Advertising and Signs (Chapter 3) ƒ Sidewalk Construction (Chapter 22, Section 31-38) ƒ Underground Placement of Utilities (Ordinance 82-10)

N N.T.SN.T.S

TRAMTRAM INTERMODALININTETERMRMODODAALL PP&R&R CENTERCECENTNTEERR OPTIONOPOPTIT ONON 2

TRAMTRAM INTERMODALININTETERMRMODODAALL P&RP&R CENTERCECENTNTER OPTIONOPOPTITIONON 1

FUTUREFUFUTUTURERE PPASSENGERASASSES NGNGERER RRAILAAIIL

LEGEND Entry Corridor Standards Dedicated Bus Lane Transit/Tram Route (Mixed Use) Park and Ride Bike Lane Sharrow Lane Sidewalk Widening Intersection Treatment Wayfinding

Figure Composite of Prior Recommendations 26 St. Augustine Mobility Study Page 48 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 49

A complete copy of the standards is provided in the appendices. The CoSA standards for the entry corridors apply to the facilities that are the focus of this project: King Street, San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard. These corridors are state-maintained facilities and several elements of these guidelines are in conflict with the FDOT’s standards (the use of pavers at intersections).

Based on a review of these standards, it is our understanding that we can use architectural pavers or stamped asphalt on the side street approaches outside the FDOT right of way, but not on the state-highway crossings. The local agency has to pay the incremental costs of the construction and agree to maintain the crossing where pavers are constructed. Concrete crosswalks are not allowed where there is currently asphalt pavement because of issues with the joints between concrete and asphalt pavement. Ponce de Leon Boulevard and King Street from west of Ponce de Leon Boulevard to the San Sebastian River bridge are currently concrete pavement. Using architectural pavers in this area is not recommended by FDOT because of their skid resistance performance on high speed roadways such as Ponce de Leon Boulevard.

Parking and Transit Circulation Plan (Transit Greenway Plan) Several alternatives to address the needs for travel alternatives within the CoSA were evaluated as part of this study. The recommended alternatives included:

ƒ Construction of what is now known as the Historic Downtown Parking Facility near the Visitor Information Center and improvements to North Castillo Drive which is now complete. ƒ Implementation of dedicated bus lanes on Castillo Drive and Avenida Menendez (not completed). ƒ Operations of a transit circulator route from the Visitor Information Center along Castillo Drive, Avenida Menendez, Cathedral Place/King Street, King Street, Martin Luther King Avenue, Bridge Street and Cordova Street (was implemented through a pilot project but discontinued). ƒ Additional parking was proposed at Lightner Museum, surface parking lots and Waterfront Park (not completed).

SR A1A Scenic Highway Master Plan The FDOT designated "Scenic and Historic A1A" as a Florida Scenic Highway in January 2002. Anastasia Boulevard from the CoSA limits to the Bridge of Lions and Avenida Menendez, Avenida Menendez from the Bridge of Lions to Castillo Drive, Castillo Drive from Avenida Menendez to San Marco Avenue, San Marco Avenue to May Street and May Street to the Vilano Bridge are designated as SR A1A through the project study area. Specific recommendations for the corridor within the CoSA include:

ƒ Introduce raised landscaped medians along SR A1A. ƒ In coordination with other roadway improvements or work within the ROW, relocate utility lines underground where possible. If the main lines cannot be relocated, bury connections that extend across the roadway.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 50

None of these improvements were implemented.

SR 5A Traffic and Safety Study This study evaluated and recommended traffic and safety improvements on King Street from Ponce de Leon Boulevard to Charlotte Street including a number of short-term improvements such as international pedestrian signals, pavement marking modifications, installing speed tables, and access management improvements. The study recommendations were not implemented.

Transit Development Plan A St. Johns County Transit Development Plan was completed in 2011 included the following recommendations:

ƒ Operate fixed-route bus services on San Marco Avenue, King Street and Anastasia Boulevard and other corridors. ƒ Purchase 15 buses. ƒ Construct three intermodal centers. ƒ Construct 2 park-and-ride lots. ƒ Install 20 bus shelters. ƒ Install 30 bus stops with seating and an additional 20 bus stops without seating.

These recommendations were not implemented.

US 1 Mobility Study A study was completed in 1999 that included evaluating mobility strategies along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and in downtown St. Augustine. This study had the following recommendations, none of which have been implemented.

Urban Design This study recommended a unifying urban design scheme to provide smooth transitions from suburban places to the unique, historic urban core as follows:

ƒ Improve pedestrian and bicycle access and intersection designs to better incorporate pedestrian and bicycle lanes. ƒ Develop distinguishing typical sections to create a sense of place and gradual arrival and departure for the downtown CoSA including incorporation of street trees, street furniture, sidewalks and bikeways. ƒ Remove of parallel parking on Ponce de Leon Boulevard. ƒ Develop a unified signing system. ƒ Restrict new access to the Ponce de Leon Boulevard corridor. ƒ Control future growth, including patterns on infill development. ƒ Support and encourage neighborhood identification.

From an urban design viewpoint, neighborhood identity, respect for privacy and territorial demarcation is desirable. Cut through access in neighborhood areas are undesirable and a

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 51

studied process for closing access to Ponce de Leon Boulevard to prevent cut through traffic was recommended.

Other recommendations to establish a single urban design vocabulary included:

ƒ Continuous sidewalks. ƒ Bikeways. ƒ Street trees (palm and flowering). ƒ Uniformity of sign design and controls. ƒ Street furnishings. ƒ Signal and intersection design. ƒ Tram and transit stops.

Traffic and Transportation The following summarizes the traffic and transportation related improvements recommended related to this project:

ƒ Convert the on-street parking near the downtown area to a bicycle lane. ƒ Close median openings and unneeded access points. ƒ Add turn lanes at intersections. ƒ Develop a Downtown Tram System with park-and-ride lots. The system will include directional signing to encourage tourists to use the remote lots and the tram service to access downtown. ƒ Complete the sidewalk system on Ponce de Leon Boulevard. ƒ Beautify the six gateway corridor intersections: o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at Castillo Drive o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at King Street o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at San Carlos Road o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at SR 16 o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at San Marco Avenue o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at SR 207 ƒ Operate of a North Circle Transit Route. ƒ Bury utilities along Ponce de Leon Boulevard and the entry corridors to improve the appearance of the corridors.

These recommendations were not implemented.

Amtrak Station/Passenger Rail The North Florida TPO, with the CoSA, is also conducting a study to evaluate alternate locations to develop an intermodal center that would include commuter rail proposed by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and intercity rail passenger services provided by Amtrak.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 52

Alternatives Considered but not Advanced A wide range of alternatives were considered as part of the brainstorming sessions conducted during the project. Some of these concepts were presented as part of the public meetings conducted on each corridor and others were eliminated by the technical team based on the potential benefits and impacts. Table 9 summarizes the alternatives considered that were eliminated. The check marks indicate where the alternative was considered on each corridor. The viable alternatives are discussed in greater detail later in this report.

Table 9. Summary of Alternatives Considered and Not Advanced King San Marco Anastasia Downtown Alternative Concepts Basis for Elimination Street Avenue Boulevard (Area) Entry corridor design ƒ Not consistent with the FDOT design standards (pavers) across 9 9 9 standards for architectural pavers state routes ƒ Public controversy Dedicated transit ( public 9 9 ƒ Parking impacts on San Marco bus or tram) lanes Avenue ƒ A pilot project with public transit Operations of public 9 9 shuttle services was previously transit in mixed traffic implemented but not continued ƒ Other studies are on-going Future intercity passenger addressing this alternative and 9 9 rail services locations for a future intermodal facility ƒ Public controversy Remove left-turn lanes 9 ƒ Business impacts ƒ Public controversy One-way operations 9 9 ƒ Business impacts ƒ Public controversy Remove on-street parking 9 9 ƒ Business impacts ƒ Public controversy Reversible operations 9 9 ƒ Business impacts Water taxis for Downtown 9 ƒ Financial feasibility Expand pedestrian malls 9 ƒ Public controversy Urban design treatments ƒ Violates FDOT design standards on Ponce de Leon 9 9 Boulevard Roundabouts on Ponce de ƒ Not viable based traffic operations 9 9 Leon Boulevard analysis Source: HNTB

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 53

Long Term Alternatives

This section includes a summary of the alternatives were selected as viable alternatives by the project team with input from the public during the Institute. Following a description of the conceptual alternatives, an evaluation of each of these alternatives is presented based on additional analysis performed following the Institute workshops.

City Gateways To manage traffic and to establish gateways into the CoSA, entry gateways are proposed. These locations are shown on Figure 27.

King Street at Avenida Menendez At the intersection of King Street at Avenida Menendez a modern roundabout and landscaping are proposed to provide a stronger gateway feature to the entrance of the city.

The FDOT recently completed the construction of the Bridge of Lions and made intersection improvements at this approach to the bridge. Therefore, the proposed roundabout is considered a longer term alternative. The roundabout configuration proposed uses bypass lanes to optimize the traffic flow at the intersection. The roundabout is anticipated to operate at a similar level of performance as the intersections recently constructed.

A conceptual plan of this roundabout is provided in Figure 26 and a perspective of the roundabout is provided in Figure 27.

No detailed traffic analysis of this alternative was performed.

Roundabout Not Feasible

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 27 City Gateways Page 54

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 29 King Street at Avenida Menendez Perspective Page 56 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 57

San Marco Avenue at May Street At the intersection of San Marco Avenue and May Street a roundabout with urban design features and landscaping are proposed as a long-term improvement.

This intersection was identified as a high-crash location and the LOS at the intersection is currently a LOS F as a result of the close spacing of the signal at San Carlos Avenue and May Street. The proximity of these intersections with a significant demand for vehicles from May Since the prior study in the 1990s, drivers, Street to travel to Ponce de pedestrians and bicyclists are more familiar with Leon Boulevard using San modern roundabouts. Carlos Drive is a major contributor to the delays at the intersection.

In prior studies, a roundabout was previously studied at this intersection. Since the prior study in the 1990s, drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists are more familiar with modern roundabouts. As part of the prior study community concerns were expressed regarding pedestrians at the roundabout considering the proximity of the intersection to the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. To mitigate these concerns, pedestrian actuated signals are proposed on each of the approaches to the roundabout with median refuges to enhance safety for vulnerable users.

A conceptual plan of this roundabout is provided in Figure 30 and a perspective of the roundabout is provided in Figure 31.

This alternative will likely require additional rights of way.

ƒ Davenport Park, a public park, is a protected land use under Section 4(f) of the 1966 Department of Transportation Act (PL 89-670). Impacts to the park should be avoided. ƒ North of May Street, a vacant parcel is owned by First Coast Development. A minor “corner clip” of this parcel will be required. If this option is advanced by the CoSA for a future project, advance purchase of the right of way may be warranted. ƒ South of May Street, the vacant parcel is owned by the FDOT and would be available for transportation use. ƒ Along East San Carlos Avenue East, minor rights of way may be required. ƒ Along San Marco Avenue on the south side of the proposed roundabout, a corner clip at Duncan Donuts may be required. ƒ No assessment of the need for stormwater management facilities (treatment or retention/detention) was considered. The potential to create a compensatory stormwater treatment pond at the intersection of San Marco Avenue and Ponce de Leon Boulevard is discussed later in this report that could be used as part of a stormwater management strategy for this project.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 31 San Marco Avenue at May Street Perspective Page 59

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 60

The LOS associated with the roundabout alternative is summarized in Table 10.

Table 10. Operational Analysis - San Marco Avenue and May Street Roundabout Location LOS Avg. Control Delay AM PM AM PM San Marco Avenue at San Carlos-May Street Roundabout B D 13.6 33.2 Source: HNTB

A short-term improvement at this location that involves constructing traffic signals is discussed later in the report which can improve traffic and safety. This alternative approach does not require rights of way. In the long term, the community desires to have a stronger urban design treatment to establish a sense of place for the urban core and Uptown neighborhood.

San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard A roundabout with urban design features and landscaping is proposed at the San Marco Avenue and Ponce de Leon Boulevard intersection.

The intersection modifications proposed are to combine the various channelized movements at the intersection to create a single conventional intersection with gap acceptance turn lanes. This intersection was identified as a high-crash frequency location. A more conventional intersection (with potentially the need for a signal) will improve the traffic flow and safety. A roundabout was not a viable traffic operations solution on Ponce de Leon Boulevard.

South of the intersection, a gateway is proposed. This feature would provide a median sufficient to establish a strong entry gateway feature in a roundabout configuration or an alternate configuration where the gates are featured more prominently than today. This feature could serve as an anchor to redevelop the north San Marco Avenue area.

Figure 32 provides a plan view of this intersection with a roundabout and a signalized intersection at Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Table 11 summarizes the operational analysis.

Table 11. Operational Analysis - San Marco Avenue and Ponce de Leon Boulevard Roundabout Location LOS Avg. Control Delay AM PM AM PM San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard Roundabout A A 6.0 6.7 San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard- Signal B B 17.3 17.3

A review of the peak hour queue lengths from the signal were performed to ensure the signal queues would not spillback into the roundabout. The queue lengths are:

ƒ Westbound Left Turn – 85-ft ƒ Southbound Left Turn – 200-ft ƒ Northbound Right Turn – 250-ft

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 32 San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Boulevard Plan Page 61 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 62

King Street at San Sebastian River King Street serves as one of the primary entry corridors for the historic CoSA. As travelers enter the CoSA from Ponce de Leon Boulevard, they cross the San Sebastian River and there are transitional land uses including the Flagler College dormitories (formerly the headquarters of Florida East Railway), Whetstone Chocolate Factory, the San Sebastian Winery and shopping areas before you reach Granada Street at Flagler College and the Lightner Museum. Providing a strong gateway feature as an urban design element would reinforce with travelers they are entering the urban core. The east end of the San Sebastian Bridge is the proposed location for consideration as part of the repair or replacement of the King Street San Sebastian Bridge in the future.

A concept drawing of the proposed gateway feature is shown in Figure 33.

King Street at Ponce de Leon Boulevard During the public involvement process for this study, requests were made by the public to consider an entry feature into West St. Augustine along King Street from Ponce de Leon Boulevard as well. A roundabout was evaluated at the intersection of King Street and Ponce de Leon Boulevard that would serve this purpose as well as the gateway to the east, but was determined to not be a viable traffic operation solution since a two-lane roundabout is required. In the future, other urban gateway features commensurate with the redevelopment that is occurring in this area may be considered.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 33 San Marco Avenue at May Street Perspective Page 63 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 64

Town Centers Town centers are proposed at two locations along the entry corridors: in the Uptown neighborhood along San Marco Avenue and east of the Bridge of Lions on Anastasia Boulevard.

The location of the town centers is shown on Figure 34.

The “town center concept” is best described as “a place” where people engage in a range of community interests such as shopping, dining or entertainment. They typically have a strong pedestrian component and a coordinated approach to development. This study focused on the street environment and providing the mobility to support town centers, but a more comprehensive plan will be needed in the future to guide land use redevelopment, urban design features, public spaces and amenities, parking guidelines, architectural vocabulary, storefront guidelines, streetscape elements, etc.

Uptown Uptown St. Augustine is popular with art lovers and antique shoppers during “Uptown Saturday Night”. Every month antique dealers and art galleries in the Old City’s San Marco District hold the popular event Uptown Saturday Night which combines a festive party atmosphere with hospitality and special deals. Uptown Saturday Nights takes place the last Saturday of the month and is one of the most popular events in the Old City. San Marco Avenue comes to life with lively street music and art lovers come to explore the area. Galleries, antique stores and shops between Ripley’s Museum and the Mission of Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine’s San Marco Shopping District stay open.3

Uptown is located between the historic district of St. Augustine and May Street along San Marco Avenue. This area is an important shopping and entertainment district for the local residents. The businesses within this area also rely heavily on pass through tourists who shop at the businesses. Limited on-street parking was a significant concern for the local businesses. The following elements were proposed on San Marco Avenue during the workshop:

ƒ Use angled parking (or reverse angle parking) on alternating blocks to increase the on- street parking available. Using angled parking in this configuration will result in the need to reduce the posted speed limit on San Marco Avenue (SR A1A) in this segment. Additional safety evaluation of angled or reverse parking strategies is needed. ƒ Use curb extensions to expand the pedestrian environment and narrow the streets at the intersections to make cross-walks shorter. Curb extensions can also provide new space for amenities such as bicycle racks, benches or landscaping. ƒ Construct street lighting for pedestrians and vehicles.

3 http://coastalcompanion.com/florida/st-augustine/uptown-saturday-night/

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 34 Town Center Locations Page 65 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 66

The following exhibits summarize the proposed town center concept on San Marco Avenue:

ƒ Figure 35 is a typical section of the proposed Uptown Town Center. ƒ Figure 36 shows a plan view of the alternating block angled parking concept with curb extensions. ƒ Figure 37 is an artist’s rendering of the Uptown Town Center.

If angled parking could be constructed, increased parking could be achieved (based on an average block length throughout the corridor from Castillo Drive to Ponce de Leon Boulevard).

Table 12. Change in Parking with Angle Parking Segment Existing Angled Northbound 99 301 Southbound 56 186 Total 155 487 Source: HNTB

However, additional coordination and analysis is needed before angle parking can be implemented. The FDOT prepared design guidance on the use of parking in roadway rights of way as part of the Florida “Greenbook” Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highway as follows:

On street parking is important in the urban environment, both for the success of those retail businesses that line the street, and to provide a buffer for the pedestrian and to help calm traffic speeds. When angle parking is proposed for on street parking, designers should consider the use of back in angle parking in lieu of front in angle parking. Back in angle parking has the following advantages:

ƒ Loading and unloading passengers naturally encourage passenger movement towards the sidewalk. ƒ Loading and unloading from the trunk or tailgate occur at the sidewalk.

These standards are applicable to neighborhood streets where the design speed is 20 miles per hour. Additional coordination with the FDOT is needed to consider angle or reverse angle parking along this corridor and the change in the design speed. Since San Marco Avenue is used for local access and Ponce de Leon is the principal north-south through route diverting through and high-speed traffic to Ponce de Leon Boulevard may be an attractive option.

The traffic volumes on San Marco Avenue exceed the minimum recommended volumes to implement angle or reverse angle parking used by other municipalities (typically reverse angle parking should be implemented on facilities with less than 1,000 vehicles per day). Therefore this alternative is not recommended for advancement.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 35 San Marco Avenue Typical Section Page 67 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 36 Alternating Block Angled Parking Page 68 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 37 Uptown Town Center Page 69 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 70

Because of the uncertainty associated with constructing angle parking at this time, an alternate town center plan was prepared using parallel parking with curb extensions. This alternative is shown in Figure 38-40.

Davis Shores Davis Shores was founded by D.P. Davis in 1925 to develop the area for housing, a casino, yacht club, roman pool and golf course. The land bust in 1925 ended his dream. The large lots, wide boulevards, winding streets and cul-de-sacs make the neighborhood unique. Most of the homes started out as small two-, or three-bedroom concrete block homes, built after the post World War II boom. Davis Shores has great access to all of the festivities, cultural events, and wonderful restaurants in St. Augustine. Surrounded on three sides by water, it is a peaceful neighborhood where residents enjoy nature. The community is very friendly and a lot of the people who live in Davis Shores enjoy taking a stroll or biking in the neighborhood. There are parks in the community and great local restaurants and bars. There are beautiful views of the Intracoastal Water Way, the Bridge of Lions and Salt Run, where many people enjoy the views. Davis Shores is home to the Alligator Farm, the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Amphitheater.4

Over time Anastasia Boulevard has become fragmented from an urban design perspective. The Bridge of Lions splits the community from the historic city and several roadway modifications have resulted in a discontinuous section of the roadway. In addition, traffic flows are constrained by the two-lane Bridge of Lions.

Although additional analysis and coordination is needed with the FDOT to fully evaluate the feasibility of this concept on state roads, the following elements are proposed on Anastasia Boulevard:

ƒ Remove one of the two eastbound travel lanes and convert the right of way to a linear park, or greenway. ƒ Provide on-street parking (parallel preferred by the local residents). ƒ Construct street lighting for pedestrians and vehicles.

With the development of a multiuse path, urban amenities and other enhancements can be implemented to create a strong anchor for the community.

Figure 41 is a typical section of the Davis Shores area. Figures 41 through 44 are the plan view layouts for David Shores. Figure 45 is an artist’s rendering of the David Shores area.

4 http://www.annvanfleet.com/ann-vanfleet.aspx

Comments were received by the public that parallel parking eastbound is preferred to a bicycle lane. Bicycles would be provided accommodations within the Linear Park multiuse path. NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 41 Anastasia Boulevard Typical Section Page 74

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 45 Davis Shores Town Center Page 78 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 79

Remote Parking and Transit Circulator Previously, the CoSA had implemented a pilot transit shuttle service from the Historic Parking Garage to locations within the downtown area that was not successful. However, with the 450th Commemoration approaching, using remote parking and a transit circulator is one option that is available for short-term or special event use during peak periods. With this circulator, we identified the following potential off-street parking needs and or stops for consideration

ƒ Parking o Ponce de Leon Boulevard at San Marco Avenue surface parking lot o Passenger Intermodal Station parking (future) o Historic Parking Garage o West King Street Parking Garage ƒ Attraction Stops o Mission Nombre de Dios o Visitor Information Center o Castillo de San Marcos o Plaza

Figure 46 shows these locations and the possible routing of a traffic circulator.

Tram vehicles, such as the Red Train, are not permitted to use Ponce de Leon Boulevard, so if trams were used to implement this route, an alternative should be considered.

Alternate Route 2 1 7

5 8. Plaza stop 8. Plaza garage (concept) St. parking 7. WestKing 6. Fortstop(existing) station (concept) 5. Alternaterail information center (existing) 4. Visitor stop (concept) Dios de 3. Nombre station stop (concept) 2. Rail (concept) garage Marco parking 1. US1/San Locations: Off-Street Parking 3 4

6 8

N N.T.S

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 46 Remote Park and Ride Circulator Page 80 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 81

Economic Benefits Analysis An analysis of the potential economic benefits that could be generated from these long-term investments was performed by assuming that the investment would stimulate development of the undeveloped and underutilized corridors so that the improved property value would be such that the building value would be 30% of the land value.5

The total potential economic benefits of the improvements will result in an annual increase of land values of $3.1 million on San Marco Avenue and $0.7 million along Anastasia Boulevard. These increases in land values will contribute an additional $60,000 and $15,000 in property taxes respectively each year to the CoSA. Over a 20 year life span, this results in a total economic benefit of $76 million and an increase of $1.5 million in property taxes. The supporting data is provided in Appendix B.

Over a 20 year life span, this results in a total

economic benefit of $76 million and an increase of $1.5 million in property taxes.

Evaluation Matrix Table 12 provides a qualitative evaluation matrix for each of the long-term strategies. Table 13 provides a summary of the estimates of costs. Table 14 summarizes the basis of the conceptual cost estimates.

5 An underutilized parcel was determined using a ratio of 30 percent of the building value to the total value of the parcel. This method does not account for any increases to property values of properties that are currently developed and therefore it is a conservative approach.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 82

Table 12. Evaluation Criteria Long-term Alternatives Bridge of Lions Davenport Park San Marco Avenue Gateway at King Street Gateway Uptown Davis Shores Remote Parking and Rotunda Rotunda North Ponce de Leon Boulevard At San Sebastian River Town Center Town Center Transit Circulator Criteria Measurement Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z Transportation Traffic Operations Effect on roadway delays ~ z z ~ ~ z Safety Predictive crash rates z z z ~ ~ Urban Design Compliance with standards z z z z z z Parking capacity Change in number of parking spaces z z z Parking utilization Anticipated increase in parking utilization z z z Bicycle Quality of Service (QOS) QOS per FDOT Multimodal Areawide LOS ~ ~ z z Pedestrian QOS QOS per FDOT Multimodal Areawide LOS ~ ~ z z z Transit QOS QOS per FDOT Multimodal Areawide LOS ~ ~ z z z Environmental Right of Way Impacts to number of parcels z ~ z z z z { Relocations No. of parcels requiring relocation z z z z z z z Natural Environment Fatal flaw evaluation z z z z z z z Cultural Resources Fatal flaw evaluation z z z z z z z Urban Form and Design Consistency with Neighborhood Goals z z z z z z Branding and Character z z z z z z Opportunities for Public Amenities z z z z z z Economic Development Redevelopment Potential Vacant or underutilized parcels ~ z z z z Benefit-Cost Ratio Societal benefits/costs ~ z z z z Job Creation Jobs created ~ z z z z Costs Capital Costs Sketch level costs ~ ~ ~ z z z ~ Operating and Maintenance Costs Sketch level costs ~ ~ ~ z z z ~ Program Costs Sketch level costs ~ ~ ~ z z z ~ Revenue Revenue Potential – Property Values Change in property taxes ~ z z z z { Revenue Potential – Increased Tourism Change in sales and bed taxes ~ z z z z z Return on Investment (ROI) % return for 20 year life cycle ~ z z z z ~ Notes: (1) Blank values represent no change in the existing condition.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 83

Table 13. Summary of 20-year Life Cycle Cost Estimates Total Right of Way Support Costs Total Capital Operating and Total Program Construction Costs Maintenance Life Cycle Costs Bridge of Lions Roundabout $1,200,000 $420,000 $1,620,000 $10,000 $1,630,000 San Marco Avenue at Ponce de Leon Roundabout $1,800,000 $180,000 $1,980,000 $20,000 $2,000,000 San Marco Avenue at May Street $1,140,000 $263,368 $399,000 $1,802,368 $20,000 $1,822,368 King Street Gateway Features $240,000 $84,000 $324,000 $5,000 $329,000 Uptown Center $3,300,000 $424,200 $3,724,200 $80,000 $3,804,200 Davis Shores Town Center $1,320,000 $222,600 $1,542,600 $40,000 $1,582,600 Remote Parking and Transit Circulator $240,000 $84,000 $324,000 $324,000 Total $9,240,000 $263,368 $1,813,800 $11,317,168 $175,000 $11,492,168 Source: HNTB

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 84

Table 14. Summary of Cost Estimates Assumptions Location Basis of Estimate General Cost estimates are conceptual only based on other similar projects. Intersection improvements assume mast arm signal construction. Costs for public art commissions can vary widely based.

Bridge of Lions Rotunda $750,000 for multilane roundabout Davenport Park Rotunda $500,000 for single lane roundabout San Marco Avenue North $900,000 for new intersection with mast arms Uptown $1.2 million per mile for town center construction at 0.8 miles Davis Shores $1.2 million per mile for town center construction at 0.4 miles Remote Parking and Transit $20,000 per parking space at 100 parking spaces 4 buses at $300,000 Assumes use of land may available through the construction of the improvements at Ponce de Leon Boulevard and San Marco Avenue Support Costs 35% of construction for preliminary and final design Operations and Maintenance Costs $20,000 per signal for 20 year period in Present Day Costs (PDC) $10,000 per roundabout for 20 year period in PDC $100,000 per mile for 20 year period in PDC Assumes the vehicles will be franchised and not purchased or publically operated. Right of Way Costs San Marco Rotunda right of way costs based on 135% of assessed value Remote parking and transit circulator assumes 10 acres at $10 per square foot with 135% mark up. The exact parcels for acquisition are were not identified. Source: HNTB

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 85

Short-Term Alternatives

The following improvements were identified as short-term projects that could be advanced in time for the CoSA’s 450th Commemoration. Many can be performed in concert with the long- term alternatives previously presented.

Roadway Alternatives

Intersection Improvements at San Marco Avenue and May Street This intersection was identified as a high-crash location and the LOS at the intersection is currently a LOS F as a result of the close spacing of the signal at San Carlos Drive and May Street. The proximity of these intersections with a significant demand for vehicles from May Street to travel to Ponce de Leon Boulevard using San Carlos Drive is a major contributor to the delays at the Reconfiguring these intersections intersection. could result in an 83% Short-term traffic operations and reduction in travel delays. safety alternative for consideration involve:

ƒ Remove the traffic signal at San Marco Avenue and San Carlos Drive. ƒ Make the intersection of San Carlos Drive a right-in and right-out only movements. ƒ Construct a new signal at San Marco Avenue and Dismukes Street. ƒ Construct a new signal at Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Dismukes Street. ƒ Restripe San Marco Avenue between San Carlos Drive and May Street to remove the options for left turns from San Carlos Avenue. ƒ Restripe San Marco Avenue between May Street and Dismukes Street to provide left turn storage in both the southbound and northbound direction.

A concept layout for this alternative is provided on Figure 47.

This alternative showed significant benefits from reduced traffic delays as summarized in Table 15. Reconfiguring these intersections could result in an 83% reduction in travel delays.

Extend Median on Anastasia Boulevard Along Anastasia Boulevard south of Anastasia Road to Casanova Road (city limits) a continuous two-way left turn lane exists. We recommend construction of a raised median to provide continuity in the typical section though out the city limits. A median will also improve safety and provide opportunities for landscaping within the roadway environment. The proposed typical section for this alternative is provided on Figure 48. Concept plans are provided in Figures 49 and 50.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 87

Table 15. Summary of Operational Analysis – San Marco Avenue at May Street, San Carlos Road and Dismukes Street Existing Proposed AM Peak PM Peak AM Peak PM Peak Delay Delay Delay Delay LOS LOS LOS LOS (sec) (sec) (sec) (sec) Ponce de Leon Boulevard at Dismukes Street 1.1 A 1.0 A 11.8 B 14.3 B Ponce de Leon Boulevard at San Carlos Road 14.7 B 17.6 B 1.3 A 10.3 * B San Marco Avenue at San Carlos Road 205.7 F 309.9 F 1.3 A 1.6 * B San Marco Avenue at May Street 17.0 B 26.4 C 16.2 B 20.3 C San Marco Avenue at Dismukes Street 0.9 * A 1.2 * A 8.4 A 9.8 A TOTAL 239.4 - 356.1 - 39.0 - 56.3 - Total Percent Reduction in Delay - - - - 83.71% - 84.19% - Source: HNTB

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 48 Anastasia Boulevard Median Extension Page 88

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 91

Transportation Systems Management and Operations

Coordination of Bridge Closures Typical bridge closures last 8 minutes or more and create significant congestion and queue spillback throughout downtown and extensive queues on Anastasia Boulevard east of the bridge. Significant discussion during the public involvement meetings for this project involved coordinating with the US Coast Guard on the timings of bridge closures and with FDOT on the duration of the openings.

In addition, several members of the community requested the CoSA work with The Pirate Ship: Black Raven tours to develop an alternate docking configuration, route or timings for the vessel to reduce the number of bridge closures and the impacts on traffic.

The CoSA committed to pursue this coordination during the public meetings.

Coordination of Signals along King Street Eight traffic signals are located along King Street corridor:

ƒ King Street at Ponce de Leon Boulevard. ƒ King Street at Malaga Street. ƒ King Street at Riberia Street. ƒ King Street at Martin Luther King Street. ƒ King Street at Cordova Street. ƒ King Street at St. George Street. ƒ King Street at Avenida Menendez. ƒ Avenida Menendez at Cathedral Place. ƒ Cathedral Place at St. George Street.

These locations are shown on Figure 51. Currently, each of these traffic signals run free and is not coordinated with the adjacent signals. Based on preliminary analysis, if the signals were coordinated, the total delay along King Street could be reduced by as much as 28% during the AM peak and 26% during the PM peak as shown on Table 16.

The communications infrastructure and management of the signal systems will require additional considerations. Ultimately, a fiber optic network connection to the FDOT District 2 regional traffic management center is recommended where these systems can be remotely operated and managed.

If the signals were coordinated, the total delay

along King Street could be reduced by as much as 28% during the AM peak and

26% during the PM peak.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 51 Locations of Coordinated Traffic Signals Page 92 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 93

Table 16. Change in Delay for Coordinating Traffic Signals on King Street Existing Proposed AM Peak PM Peak AM Peak PM Peak Delay Delay Delay Delay LOS LOS LOS LOS (sec) (sec) (sec) (sec) King Street at Ponce de Leon Boulevard 35.6 D 47.5 D 26.3 C 37.6 D King Street at Malaga Street 16.6 B 28.1 C 14.5 B 20.3 C King Street at Riberia Street 15.0 B 20.1 C 11.2 B 17.8 B King Street at Martin Luther King Street 12.1 B 13.6 B 10.5 B 13.0 B King Street at Cordova Street 46.2 D 42.5 D 15.3 B 19.0 B King Street at St. George Street 3.8 A 2.7 A 5.1 A 4.9 A King Street at Avenida Menendez 22.2 C 35.0 D 20.6 C 28.0 C Avenida Menendez at Cathedral Place 29.0 C 39.8 D 25.9 C 29.7 C Cathedral Place at St. George Street 4.7 A 6.2 A 2.6 A 3.2 A TOTAL 185.2 - 235.5 - 132.0 - 173.5 - Total Percent Reduction in Delay - - - - 28.73% - 26.33% - Source: HNTB

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 94

Bridge and Parking Information System ITS Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can be used to enhance traveler information associated with bridge closures and parking. To provide this information, four arterial Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) are proposed to provide information to travelers when congestion is anticipated so that an alternate route may be chosen.

ƒ Ponce de Leon Boulevard north of Rambla Street ƒ Ponce de Leon Boulevard north of Rhode Avenue ƒ San Marco Avenue east of Magnolia Avenue ƒ On Anastasia Boulevard at Anastasia Road/Park Road

These DMS will provide information to travelers so they can make alternate route choices when the Bridge of Lions is closed to traffic. For example, a traveler destined for St. Augustine Beach could by-pass the Bridge of Lions and use the SR 312 Bridge to the south.

These locations are shown on Figure 52.

The bridge closure advisory DMS could also be used to provide information on parking as part of an overall ITS parking management system.

Advanced parking management systems provide parking information using signs that typically have both passive and active components. The passive component provides simple directions to parking facilities, such as with an arrow that was constructed as part of the Heritage Signing Project in 2011. The active component supplements the passive component to advise the traveler of the availability of spaces at the facility. These signs can be used to inform drivers of parking available in the Historic Parking Garage, surface lots or on-street parking within areas of CoSA such as Uptown.

Special street-level DMS designed for providing parking information on the parking management systems can be used for parking management signs in addition to the arterial DMS proposed for the bridge closure information system. Figure 53 provides a conceptual sketch plan of where these signs could be located and the type based on signs from the San Jose California Historic District.

One challenge with implementing an ITS system for bridge closures and parking information is the communications infrastructure that will be needed. A communications link between the bridge tender office and the DMS will be required. Aerial fiber optic connections or wireless communications should be considered to avoid right of way and utility impacts. A link to the road weather information system located on the Bridge of Lions should also be considered for future connections. Similar to the bridge closure advisory DMS, communications infrastructure and sensors will need to be installed to provide the information for the parking DMS and the arterial DMS located on the key corridors. Ultimately, a fiber optic network connection to the FDOT District 2 regional traffic management center is recommended where these systems can be remotely operated and managed.

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 52 Locations of DMS for Bridge and Parking Information Page 95 NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 53 Locations of Street Level Parking Information Signs Page 96 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 97

Parking Pilot on San Marco Avenue During the Institute workshops, one of the short-term improvement strategies Implementing the proposed parallel parking presented was to use pavement strategy identified as a long-term alternative markings to reconfigure San could be done using pavement Marco Avenue today and achieve the additional parking spaces and markings alone. a town-center feel.

Since reverse angle parking is a new strategy within the area, this would also allow for the CoSA to test and evaluate reverse angle parking for the safety, traffic and parking benefits. In the future, if the angle parking is not successful, the pavement markings can be removed and the parallel parking configuration can be restored. If angle parking is effective, the additional urban design features proposed with the long-term strategy could be implemented when funding becomes available. To ensure the public and local business understand it is a pilot project, installing ground mounted signs is recommended to communicate the change as a pilot project.

Based on a more detailed evaluation and assessment, the traffic volumes on San Marco Avenue exceed the minimum recommended volumes to implement angle or reverse angle parking used by other municipalities (typically reverse angle parking should be implemented on facilities with less than 1,000 vehicles per day). Therefore this alternative is not recommended. However, implementing the proposed parallel parking strategy identified as a long-term alternative could be done using pavement markings alone.

Implement a “Universal” Tram Route to Minimize Use of Entry Corridors After evaluating the various alternative tram routes and understanding their effect on traffic flow, a consolidated or universal tram route is proposed that will limit the traffic impacts of the trams on the entry corridors. A concept of this route is shown on Figure 54. The proposed route would maintain access to many of St. Augustine’s historical and architectural attractions while enhancing the overall traffic flow. The universal route could be implemented through a franchise/lease agreement.

HQ 11 *Assumes the direction of Granada is reversed is Granada of thedirection *Assumes Youth20. Fountainof Senator19. TheOld Nombre deDios 18. Missionof Not or Believe it 17. Ripley’s de San 16. CastilloMarco Marina 15. City 14. OldestHouse 13. Central Plaza Factory Chocolate Whetstone’s 12. Winery Sebastian San 11. Museum10. Dow 9. Lightner Museum Zorayda 8. Villa 7. Churches George Hypolita StreetandSt. 6. Spanish5. Quarter/Pirate Museum Gates St.George at Street 4. City Drug Store and TolomatoOld Cemetery3. (optional) Info Center andVisitor’s Parking2. Garage Complex 1. TheOldJail Locations Candidate Stop 12 19 7 1 18 3 8 20 2 4 9 17 6 10 5 13 16 15 14

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 54 Unified Tram Route Page 98 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 99

Improvements to Support the 450th Commemoration

Bicycle Tours Tourism is one of St. Augustine’s largest employers, creating jobs and contributing to the local economy. One potential growth area in tourism associated with mobility is bicycle touring. Bicycle touring has contributed to tourism in other areas with significant impacts:

ƒ In Wisconsin, bike tourism is estimated to contribute $1.5 billion to the state’s economy every year. ƒ In Portland, with its well-established bikeway network, a survey found that 78% of visitors said that the city’s bicycle-friendly reputation played a role in their decision to travel there. Bike-share systems can change a visitor’s experience of a city.6 In Portland, with its well-established bikeway

Approaching bicycle tourism in a network, a survey found that 78 percent of coordinated way can provide significant visitors said that the city’s bicycle-friendly benefits to the economy of St. reputation played a role Augustine and St. Johns County. With the region’s unique urban environment in their decision to travel there. and the natural beauty of the beaches and St. Johns County, bicycle tourism is an attractive market.

Establishing a system of bicycle tour routes will benefit both tourists and residents through creating a safer bicycling environment, more travel choices and a more economically viable place to live. Figure 55 shows a concept of a bicycle tour that could support the 450th Commemoration.

One element several members of the public identified during the public meetings that would further support establishing bicycle tours is installing of additional bicycle racks through the community to make bicycling more convenient.

6 http://grist.org/biking/2011-06-06-the-grand-tour-how-bike-tourism-helps-local-economies/

1 2 3. Davis Shores and Lighthouse Park Lighthouse DavisShoresand 3. OldCity and Lincolnville 2. NorthCity and Magnolia 1. Bike Tour Locations: 3

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 55 th Bicycle Tours for 450 Commemoration Page 100 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 101

Walking Tours Similarly, walking tours provide an excellent way for visitors to understand and appreciate the CoSA’s historic, architectural and environmental resources. Several private walking tour companies are operating within CoSA:

ƒ http://www.staugustinecitywalks.com/ ƒ http://www.staugustinehistorictours.com/ ƒ http://www.staugustinetours.com/

To enhance mobility and support the 450th Commemoration, additional wayfinding is recommended to support designated walking tours. The walking tours identified are focused on smaller neighborhoods historic districts to provide for convenient walking for the public. These tours can be combined with the CoSA geocaching program as well.

Figure 56 provides a concept of how the walking tours could be organized to support the 450th Commemoration.

Evaluation Matrix Table 17 provides a qualitative evaluation matrix of the long-term strategies. Table 18 summarizes the estimated costs. Table 19 summarizes the basis of the conceptual cost estimates.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7.Lighthouse Park 6.Davis Shores 5.Lincolnville 4.Old City South 3.Old City North 2.North City and Uptown 1.Magnolia andNelmar (1-3 miletours): Tour Locations 7

NTS

St. Augustine Mobility Institute Figure 56 th Walking Tours for the 450 Commemoration Page 102 St. Augustine Mobility Institute 103

Table 17. Evaluation Criteria Long-term Alternatives San Marco Avenue Extend Median on Coordinate Traffic Signals Bridge and Parking Reverse Angle Universal Tram Bicycle and at May Street Anastasia Boulevard On King Street Information System Parking Pilot Route Walking Tours Criteria Measurement Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good Poor Fair Good { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z { ~ z Transportation Traffic Operations Effect on roadway delays z z z z z Safety Predictive crash rates z z z z Urban Design Compliance with standards z z Parking capacity Change in number of parking spaces z Parking utilization Anticipated increase in parking utilization z Bicycle Quality of Service (QOS) QOS per FDOT Multimodal Areawide LOS z z Pedestrian QOS QOS per FDOT Multimodal Areawide LOS z z z Transit QOS QOS per FDOT Multimodal Areawide LOS z z z z Environmental Right of Way Impacts to number of parcels z z z z z Relocations No. of parcels requiring relocation z z z z z Natural Environment Fatal flaw evaluation z z z z z Cultural Resources Fatal flaw evaluation z z z z z Urban Form and Design Consistency with Neighborhood Goals z z z Branding and Character z Opportunities for Public Amenities z Economic Development Redevelopment Potential Vacant or underutilized parcels z z Benefit-Cost Ratio Societal benefits/costs z Job Creation Jobs created z Costs Capital Costs Sketch level costs ~ z z Operating and Maintenance Costs Sketch level costs ~ z z Program Costs Sketch level costs ~ z z Revenue Revenue Potential – Property Values Change in property taxes Revenue Potential – Increased Tourism Change in sales and bed taxes z Return on Investment (ROI) % return for 20 year life cycle z Notes: (1) Blank values represent no change in the existing condition.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 104

Table 18. Summary of 20-year Life Cycle Cost Estimates Total Right of Way Support Costs Total Capital Operating and Total Program Construction Costs Maintenance Life Cycle Costs San Marco Avenue at May Street $720,000 $252,000 $972,000 $40,000 $1,012,000 Anastasia Boulevard Median $378,000 $132,300 $510,300 $10,000 $520,300 US Coast Guard $0 $0 Bike Racks $15,000 $1,500 $16,500 $1,000 $17,500 Traffic Signal Coordination $50,000 $0 $150,000 $200,000 $1,000 $201,000 Bridge Closure and Parking Information $525,000 $52,500 $577,500 $70,000 $647,500 System On-Street Parking Information $400,000 $50,000 $40,000 $140,000 $5,000 $145,000 Universal Tram Route $25,000 $2,500 $2,500 $5,000 $7,500 Reverse Angle Parking Pilot on San Marco $360,000 $126,000 $486,000 $15,000 $501,000 Avenue Bicycle Tours $18,000 $6,300 $24,300 $1,000 $25,300 Walking Tours $18,000 $6,300 $24,300 $1,000 $25,300 Total $2,509,000 $50,000 $769,400 $2,953,400 $149,000 $3,102,400 Source: HNTB

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 105

Table 19. Basis of Estimates Location Note General Cost estimates are conceptual only based on other similar projects. Intersection improvements assume mast arm signal construction. Costs for public art commissions can vary widely based.

San Marco Avenue at May Street $400,000 for three new mast arms at two signals, resurfacing and median construction. Anastasia Boulevard Add median at $50 per linear foot and 1.2 miles Bridge Closure and Parking Info 7 DMS at $75,000 On-Street Parking Information Based on Seattle downtown parking information system Universal Tran Route No costs, through franchise agreement only. Reverse Angle Parking Pilot $300,000 per mile at 0.8 miles Operations and Maintenance Costs $20,000 per signal for 20 year period in Present Day Costs (PDC) $100,000 per mile for 20 year period in PDC $10,000 per DMS for 20 year period in PDC Source: HNTB

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 106

Public Involvement

Public involvement was an integral part of the preparation of this study. More than 200 people attended meetings to provide input and their ideas on how mobility could be improved. Five public meetings were held:

ƒ Kickoff - Monday September 17, 2012 at 2 p.m. ƒ King Street - Tuesday September 18, 2012 at 5 p.m. ƒ San Marco Avenue - Wednesday September 19, 2012 at 5 p.m. ƒ Anastasia Boulevard - Thursday September 20, 2012 at 5 p.m. ƒ Wrap Up - Friday September 21, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.

Appendix C contains the following documentation of the meetings:

ƒ Meeting invitation and mailing list for invitations. More than 1,000 property owners were identified using the St. Johns County Property Appraisers database. ƒ Public notices were made through an article in the St. Augustine Record on September 12, 2012 and the CoSA staff sent emails to CoSA staff to neighborhood associations, interested parties and business organizations beginning on August 31, 2012. ƒ Presentations from the public meetings are provided. ƒ Written comments received during meetings are included. ƒ Email comments received are summarized and included. ƒ Related media (newspaper, on-line and television) are summarized.

The themes and comments made during each meeting are summarized below.

Kickoff Meeting As part of the agency kickoff meeting, a brief presentation of the project purpose, approach and agenda, summary of prior studies, and two strawman7 alternatives were offered to initiate the discussion on viable alternatives.

Forty-two members of the public signed in during the meeting, although more persons attended. During the meeting, the attendees were asked about their project priorities from a list of evaluation factors that were provided. The top three priorities identified were:

7 A strawman alternative is a concept or idea deliberately set up to be weakly supported, so that it can be easily be evaluated and removed from consideration if appropriate.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 107

ƒ Mobility 38% ƒ Economic benefits 22% ƒ Aesthetics/urban design 18%

Other issues discussed during the meeting included:

ƒ Minimize cut through traffic. ƒ Assess parking issues on street and how to increase use of the Historic Parking Garage. ƒ Consider pedestrian crosswalks and signals at locations such as Aviles Street and King Street. ƒ Identify potential funding mechanisms.

King Street Meeting As part of the King Street meeting, a brief presentation of the project purpose, summary of prior studies, and alternatives for consideration were presented. Thirty-six members of the public signed in during the meeting, although more persons attended. The themes of the comments received during the workshop included:

ƒ Restrict or discourage cut-through traffic in neighborhoods. ƒ Increase access to parking - off-street surface/structured parking in and near downtown geared to local residents. ƒ Limit cut through traffic. ƒ Conduct origin/destination studies. ƒ Maintain driveway access which is key for businesses. ƒ Encourage redevelopment of West King St. including consider moving government facilities such as the Post Office or City Hall from downtown. ƒ Regulate Bridge of Lions lifts. ƒ Control locations of horse carriages. ƒ Regulate trams drop-off and pick-up locations. ƒ Limit frequency, route and scheduling of trams. ƒ Maintain or reconstruct sidewalks on King Street. ƒ Increase and improve access to transit. ƒ Synchronize traffic signals. ƒ Consider strategies to address local school traffic. ƒ Create signalized pedestrian crossings near Flagler College. ƒ Consider Charleston and Savannah as peer communities.

San Marco Avenue Meeting As part of the San Marco Avenue meeting, a brief presentation of the project purpose, summary of prior studies, and alternatives for consideration were presented. Fifty-four members of the public signed in during the meeting, although more persons attended. The themes of the comments received during the workshop included:

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 108

ƒ Restrict or discourage cut-through traffic in neighborhoods. ƒ Improve signal timing on Ponce de Leon. ƒ Support the concepts for a roundabout at San Marco Avenue and May Street. ƒ Support angle parking on San Marco Avenue. ƒ Reduce the duration of the lift operations on the Bridge of Lions. ƒ Regulate the time of openings for the Bridge of Lions. ƒ Support the concept of West Castillo Drive being four lanes. ƒ Consider providing more bicycle parking. ƒ Consider adding angle parking along San Marco Avenue. ƒ Consider how implementing these projects prior to the 450th Commemoration can occur. ƒ Provide recommendations on how St. Augustine receives state or federal funding for these ideas prior to 450th Commemoration. ƒ Provide an economic impact analysis prior to making decisions. ƒ Eliminate one-way alternatives. ƒ Provide analysis to demonstrate modifications will not route potential customers away from San Marco Avenue.

Anastasia Boulevard Meeting As part of the Anastasia Boulevard meeting, the project purpose, prior studies summary, and alternatives for consideration were presented. Twenty-two members of the public signed in during the meeting, although more persons attended. The themes of the comments received during the workshop included:

ƒ Restrict or discourage cut-through traffic in neighborhoods. ƒ Consider building a causeway around town to relieve traffic from the Bridge of Lions. ƒ Regulate deliveries and semi-trailers in and around downtown to help mitigate congestion. ƒ Regulate the regularly scheduled “pirate ship” sailing tour (Black Raven Tours) to eliminate openings of the Bridge of Lions during peak automobile traffic. ƒ Increase the median size on Anastasia Boulevard and other pedestrian amenities to make it easier for pedestrians to cross. ƒ Mark pavement markings to assist vulnerable road users with mid-block pedestrian signals. ƒ Consider pedestrian actuated crossings like the ones used in Europe and International Drive in Orlando. ƒ Maintain the number westbound (towards the Bridge of Lions) auto travel lanes on Anastasia Boulevard to discourage cut thru traffic through Davis Shores and reduce the ability of vehicles to access business during bridge closures. ƒ Oppose angled parking on Anastasia Boulevard which could be dangerous due to traffic volumes and travel speeds. ƒ Avoid reducing the automobile LOS, particularly westbound.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 109

ƒ Avoid extending the bicycle sharrow lane on the Bridge of Lions. ƒ Support landscaping and beautifying the streetscape. ƒ Consider trolleys (vintage streetcars) to provide a transportation alternative and reduce the carbon footprint.

Wrap-Up At the Wrap-up meeting, the results of the prior meetings, alternatives considered and the viable alternatives were presented. Forty-three members of the public signed in during the meeting, although more persons attended. The themes of the comments received during the workshop included:

ƒ Add Charleston, Savannah and Nantucket as peer communities. ƒ Support roundabout gateways. ƒ Support extending medians on Anastasia Boulevard. ƒ Support provided increased parking on San Marco Avenue. ƒ Support the pedestrian and transit elements of the alternatives proposed. ƒ Consider short-term beautification of roadways. o Add palm trees along King Street east of Ponce de Leon. o Support landscaping and urban design shown along San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard. ƒ Advance the recommendations to coordinate with the US Coast Guard and the Black Raven Pirate Ship to reduce the impacts of Bridge of Lions openings. ƒ Consider adding a signalized pedestrian crossing at King Street and Aviles Street. ƒ Concerns about too much of a focus on urban design elements rather than automobile congestion in the recommendations. ƒ Provide cost information and funding opportunities for the alternatives presented. ƒ Consider developing a uniform parking meter card throughout the CoSA. ƒ Provide information on the effects of the implementation of the viable alternatives. ƒ Consider creating additional urban design features on West King Street and a gateway feature west of Ponce de Leon Boulevard. ƒ Make the report available to the public.

A question was asked about why the study did not consider King Street east of Cordova Street or Avenida Menendez. These facilities are being evaluated as part of a separate project for the National Park Service as part of the Bayfront to Castillo Phase 2 study.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 110

Potential Funding Sources

A variety of revenue sources are available to local governments as summarized in the North Florida TPO’s 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan.

Federal and State Funding Sources

Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) The program encourages regional planning by providing state matching funds for improvements to regionally significant transportation facilities identified and prioritized by regional partners. TRIP funds are to be used to match local or regional funds on a 50/50 basis or to match up to 50% of the total project costs for public transportation projects.

Highway Safety Grant Program Overview The Florida Department of Transportation Safety Office (FDOT) administers funding for various grant programs that address traffic safety priority areas. Grants are awarded on a Federal fiscal year basis (October 1 - September 30) and can be funded for a maximum of three consecutive years in a given priority area. Grant awards are administered following the apportionment of federal funding to the state each year. Any delay in funding apportionment will subsequently affect FDOT's ability to administer grants beginning October 1st of each year.

Local Funding Sources A variety of revenue sources are available to local governments as summarized in the North Florida TPO’s 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan. Table 20 identifies which taxes are in place and to what level they are imposed in each county.

Table 20. Existing Taxes in St. Johns County Tax Description St. Johns Maximum Levied Remaining First Local Option Gas Tax (cents/gallon) 6 6 0 Second Local Option Gas Tax (cents/gallon) 5 0 5 Ninth-Cent Gas Tax (cents/gallon) 1 0 1 Constitutional Gas Tax (cents/gallon) 2 2 0 County Gas Tax (cents/gallon) 1 1 0 Municipality Gas Tax (cents/gallon) 1 1 0 Local Infrastructure Surtax / Small County Surtax 1% 0% 1% Charter County Transit System Surtax N/A N/A N/A Source: 2035 North Florida TPO Long Range Transportation Plan

Table 17 provides a summary of optional transportation revenue sources being utilized in St. Johns County.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 111

The following summarize the opportunities for the CoSA or St. Johns County to increase revenues for transportation.

Local Option Gas Taxes (LOGT) In 1983, the Florida Legislature provided local governments with a major new source of revenue called the Local Option Gas Tax (LOGT). Up to 11 cents per gallon may now be levied to help fund a variety of transportation projects. These include the First LOGT (six cents) enacted in 1983, and the second LOGT (five cents) enacted in 1993. While St. Johns County currently collects LOGTs, the proceeds are commonly used for operations and maintenance activities as opposed to funding capacity improvements.

Second LOGT (Five Cents) The 1993 Florida Legislature extended the scope of the Local Option Gas Tax to include an additional fuel tax of up to five cents per gallon on motor fuel, including gasohol. Diesel fuel is not subject to this tax. Implementation of the second tax of one to five cents per gallon requires a majority plus one vote of the county commissioners. The proceeds of the tax must still be shared with municipalities, either by a mutually agreed upon distribution scheme, or by using the state formula. Pursuant to Section 336, Florida Statutes, local governments may only use revenues from the tax for transportation expenditures needed to meet the requirements of the capital improvements element of an adopted comprehensive plan. The Second Local Option Gas Tax has not been implemented in any county within the North Florida Region. Therefore, additional revenues are available for transportation projects with the implementation of up to five cents in St. Johns County.

Ninth-Cent Gas Tax The Ninth-Cent Gas Tax was initially authorized in 1972 by the Florida Legislature. The tax is limited to one cent per gallon on highway fuels. Originally, the tax could be proposed by a county’s governing body, but it had to be approved by the electorate in a countywide referendum. The 1993 Florida Legislature allowed a county’s government body to impose the tax by a majority plus one vote of its membership, without holding the referendum.

Counties are not required to share revenue from the Ninth-Cent Gas Tax with municipalities; however, the proceeds of the tax may be shared with cities in whatever proportion is mutually agreed upon, and used for county or municipal transportation purposes. Clay and Nassau Counties currently charge a ninth-cent tax on all motor fuels. Duval and St. Johns Counties could realize additional revenues by implementing the Ninth-Cent Tax on motor fuels.

Bond Issues Local governments are given the authority to issue General Obligation and Revenue Bonds. General Obligation Bonds are secured by full faith and credit of the issuer (a pledge of the issuer’s ad valorem taxing power). Revenue bonds are payable from a specific source of revenue and do not pledge the full faith of the issuer. These bonds must be approved by popular vote and can be used to fund major transportation projects.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 112

Impact Fees and Local Government Transportation Concurrency Transportation impact fees and performance standards place the burden of improvements on new developments. Impact fee ordinances and local government transportation concurrency requirements oblige new developments to pay a fair share for costs of improving existing roads or constructing new roads made necessary by new developments.

Ad Valorem Taxes According to Florida Statutes, local governments may levy ad valorem taxes on property subject to the following limitations:

ƒ Ten mills for county purposes. ƒ Ten mills for municipal purposes. ƒ Ten mills for school purposes. ƒ A millage fixed by law for a county furnishing municipal services. ƒ A millage authorized by law and approved by voters for special districts (e.g., the municipal services taxing units discussed above).

Local Option Sales and Local Infrastructure Surtax The Local Option Sales Tax (also known as the Local Government Infrastructure Surtax) can be levied by county governing bodies at a rate of ½ % or 1% up to 15 years. It is typically put in place through a countywide referendum. The tax applies to all purchases subject to the regular 6% sales tax, except for sale amount purchases exceeding $5,000. Tax proceeds can be expended only to plan and construct infrastructure, or to acquire land for public recreation, conservation, or to protection of natural resources.

Currently, St. Johns County does not impose any portion of the Local Option Sales Tax. Therefore, St. Johns County can implement the Local Infrastructure Surtax up to 1%.

Overlay District Tax increment financing overlay districts can be used to develop the financing needed to construct these improvements through assessments on property values. It is our understanding there are existing tax overlay districts within the CoSA and this may not be a viable option.

Franchising An innovative financing strategy that could be used to develop franchises is an invitation to negotiate. The CoSA could solicit proposal that could include a franchise fee and designated levels of service to provide

ƒ Operations of a tram service to remote parking lots during special events or other designated service times. ƒ Operations of walking or bicycle tours in exchange for establishing wayfinding needed for the tours.

Other communities, such as Key West franchise all tram tour operations.

St. Augustine Mobility Institute 113

Next Steps

This project provided a conceptual planning evaluation of a number of different alternatives to address mobility and support economic development throughout the CoSA. Based on the alternatives identified in this study, additional engineering is needed to assess the full feasibility of these strategies. A detailed funding plan and applications for grant funding programs should also be considered. The strategies that were identified as viable alternatives to advance as part of this project include:

Long Term Strategies Gateways

ƒ Bridge of Lions. ƒ Davenport Park. ƒ San Marco Avenue North. ƒ King Street.

Town Centers

ƒ Uptown Center. ƒ Davis Shores Town Center. ƒ Remote Parking and Transit Circulator.

Short Term Strategies Roadway

ƒ San Marco Avenue at May Street. ƒ Anastasia Boulevard median extension.

Transportation Systems Management and Operations

ƒ Bridge Closure and Parking Information System. ƒ On-Street Parking Information System. ƒ Reverse Angle Parking Pilot on San Marco Avenue. ƒ Universal Tram Route.

Enhancements for the 450th Commemoration

ƒ Bicycle Tours. ƒ Walking Tours.