Avenues O & P: 53rd to Seawall Corridor Safety Improvements
Facility/Street/Highway
Avenue O & Avenue P
Limits
53rd Street to Seawall Blvd
Description
Install curb extensions, sidewalks and/or a multi-use trail, install ADA ramps, perform traffic signal upgrades, construct storm sewer improvements to accommodate drainage modifications due to improvements made, improve roadway signage and striping for enhanced visibility and safety.
Timeframe
Short Term (0-5 Years)
Estimated Cost
$31,545,000.00
Investment Category-Focused Criteria
Roadway
Major Collector
The Avenue O & Avenue P Corridors serve as the major one-way corridors for residents of the island to navigate from midtown to the east end of the island, all year long, but especially during times of heavy tourism. These corridors provide relief from Broadway or Seawall which are major tourist thoroughfares and serve as local emergency evacuation routes to gain access to the state transportation system on the island. These corridors run through residential neighborhoods, and safety is a primary concern, due to access to individual residences, the presence of Ball High School and other amenities on the island. The infrastructure along these corridors is aging and there are several sags, dips, ruts, etc. translating to the surface due to existing and repaired infrastructure beneath the roadway.
Ave O: N/A, Ave P: 6062 ppl/day
30 years
Fair
Yes
A new pavement condition assessment was performed in 2023. The final report is in DRAFT format and has not been released to the public.
Yes
Other Investment Category Focused Criteria
No
This project is not a freight corridor. Heavy truck traffic on these routes is discouraged due to the residential nature of the corridors. Heavy truck traffic is relegated to the state network that traverses the island.
The land adjacent to these corridors is currently built out since the roadways traverse the some of the older neighborhoods on the island. Therefore, mass redevelopment is not anticipated along either corridor.
The proposed project will improve parking configurations along the corridor and enhance visibility to all users that each corridor is a designated one-way route. The project will also seek to improve safety along the corridor by including traffic calming measures that serve the characteristic of the adjacent neighborhoods.
Pedestrian and bicycle facilities are important aspects of this project. Currently, there are discontinuous sidewalks along the entire corridor, which reduces walkability and bicycling activities. Additionally, there is parallel parking along both sides of the street and numerous residential driveways. These present many hazards for pedestrians and bicyclists alike along the corridor. This desired outcome of this project will enhance mobility and safety for all users of these corridors.
By improving pedestrian accessibility and mobility along these corridors, the City anticipates seeing increased ridership on its municipal transit services directly resulting from the improved accessibility.
Planning Factors Criteria
1. What is the existing fatality crash rate at the project location? Regional crash data is available online on the crash data viewer. H-GAC staff will provide assistance in calculating the crash rates upon request.
2784 crashes per 100 milliion vehicle miles traveled
R = 1055/(5*2.519) = 83.76 crashes per mile
Completing the corridor and creating alternate places for pedestrians and bicyclists to be outside of the roadway will improve safety and reduce potential conflict points where fatalities and incapacitating crashes occur. Additionally, the inclusion of bulb outs, and/or curb extensions at intersections will reduce the length pedestrians need to cross the street. These improvements will also act as a traffic calming device to encourage lower speeds along the corridor.
Resiliency
Medium
Low
This project will include upgrades to the underground drainage conveyance system as well as improvements at the intersections to provide larger inlets to accommodate a greater inflow of water into the system. Given the island’s unique geographic constraints, inclusion of sluice gates or other closure type apparatuses are being considered at the outfall to prevent the system from being inundated dure to tidal backflow.
Access/Connectivity
2850
2516
No
Yes
No
Environmental Justice
2850
3834
1243
1110
488
468
70
This proposed project will enhance mobility and connectivity for all users of the roadway and pedestrian/bicycle network along the affected corridors.
This propsoed project will provide increased connectivity for disadvantaged entities to take better advantage of existing services availabel as well as open opportunities for access to future services offered by the City.
Impacts on Natural and Cultural Resources
The propsoed project corridor lies witihgn an area on the island that has been developed for several decades. Planned work within the corridors lies witihn existing rights of way the city owns and has been previously disturbed throughour time.