Transportation

I.   PURPOSE AND FORMAT

The purpose of the Transportation Element is to plan for future motorized and non‑motorized traffic circulation systems, pursuant to Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 9J‑5,Florida Administrative Code (FAC).  An essential basis for planning these circulation systems is the Future Land Use Element,  specifically the Future Land Use Map.  Clearly, the Future Land Use Map will direct where roadway facilities must be improved and where new roadway facilities may be needed.  The criteria for determining the extent of facilities needed are the adopted level of service (LOS) standards.

Before a local government can responsibly plan for its future, it must assess the capability of its existing transportation system to serve current demand.  It is, therefore, necessary to determine existing levels of service and to identify existing roadway deficiencies within the transportation system. 

The content of this element includes:  (1) an introduction; (2) an inventory and analysis of the existing transportation system, including the Existing Transportation Map; (3) an analysis of future traffic circulation needs; (4) an inventory and analysis of the Public Transportation System; (5) an analysis of the Future Public Transportation System; and (6) a listing of goals, objectives, and policies.

II.  INTRODUCTION

Indialantic-by-the-Sea is an essentially "built-out" community of about 3,000 persons located in southern Brevard County on Florida's east coast.  It is predominately residential, with relatively little commercial development.

As shown on the map (MAP 1), three major streets run through the Town.  The principal east‑west street is Fifth Avenue, also designated as U.S. #192 and classified by FDOT as an arterial street.  It runs from the eastern end of the Melbourne Causeway, which crosses the Indian River Lagoon, to the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a four lane highway divided design within the Town boundaries. It carries heavy commuter and tourist recreational traffic to and from the Melbourne mainland and the beaches and residential communities on the barrier island.

The other two major streets run north and south from Fifth Avenue.  On the eastern side of Town, along the ocean is SR A1A, named Miramar Avenue in the Town; and classified by FDOT as an arterial street.  North of Fifth Avenue, SR A1A (a Principal Arterial) carries commuter and recreational traffic northward to Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Patrick Air Force Base, as well as unincorporated areas.  It is an unlimited access corridor containing four lanes plus a center lane for turns. South of Fifth Avenue, SR A1A (a Minor Arterial) is a two lane roadway, carrying commuter recreational traffic to the community  of Melbourne Beach and continuing southward to Sebastian Inlet into Indian River County and Vero Beach.

Along the western edge of the Town, another north-south, 

two lane street named Riverside Drive, and designated by FDOT as a minor arterial north of U.S. #192, carries traffic northward to heavily developed residential areas in the County and the eastern extension of Melbourne.  South of Fifth Avenue, Riverside Drive, designated a collector, is more of a residential street, providing access to south Indialantic and Melbourne Beach.

Other streets which serve as north-south feeders to Fifth Avenue are Ramona, Palm, and Shannon Avenues.  They connect the network of residential streets to Fifth Avenue.  The residential streets are laid out in east-west and north-south orientation throughout the approximately one square mile area which comprises the Town.

III.INVENTORY OF EXISTING SYSTEM

This inventory of the existing transportation system was prepared as a basis for examining the existing roadway deficiencies and projected roadway needs of the Town's transportation system.  Roads located within the Town include those which are the responsibility of the Florida Department of Transportation (State highway system) Brevard County (County roads), and the Town itself (all roads not privately owned, or included in the above).

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Brevard County, and the Town of Indialantic provided data necessary for the inventory of the existing system.  These data included existing roadway functional classifications and the most recently available traffic volume counts of average daily traffic (ADT).

The Town's roadways were identified as per the FDOT Roadway Functional Classification System, (see Appendix A) as required by Chapter 9J‑5,FAC.  It was found that the Town contains collector and arterial roadways, but does not contain any limited access facilities.  The number of lanes were noted for each roadway type to be utilized later in the capacity analysis for determining the existing levels of service.

Maps were prepared to identify the locations of the existing roadway functional types and the number of lanes (MAPS 1 and 2). Rail lines, ports, airports, high‑speed rail lines, or related facilities are not found in the Town, and were, therefore, not considered.  An inventory and analysis is, also, given of the bicycle and pedestrian ways and the public transit system.

IV.  ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FACILITIES

Levels of Service

Levels of service are a good summary of facility conditions.  The LOS of a roadway (see Appendix B) is often defined as the ability of a maximum number of vehicles to pass over a given section of roadway while maintaining a given operating condition. In order to establish a basis for adopting LOS standards at pursuant to Chapter 9J‑5, FAC, the existing LOS standards for roadways were calculated using the FDOT Level of Service Manual. The FDOT 1995 level of service tables, which take into consideration the number of signalized intersections as well as average travel speed were used to determine capacity available on the segment of roadway.

Laning Description:

All streets in Indialantic, with the exceptions noted below, are two lane streets.

U.S. #192 is four‑laned with grass medians from U.S. #1 to Wave Crest.  In addition, there are stacking lanes to allow left turns at selected north/south streets.

S.R. A1A north to Town limits has five lanes, two north, two south, and one center turn lane.

S.R. A1A south to Melbourne Beach has two lanes.

Wave Crest Street is a one way street from U.S #192 (Fifth Avenue) south to the end of the street where it returns to S.R. A1A.

Wave Crest Street is a two way street from U.S. #192 north, one block, then back to S.R. A1A.

Peak Hour Demand

Average daily traffic (ADT) volumes for roadway segments were derived from the 1996-97 daily traffic volume counts. All counts were obtained from the Brevard County Transportation Element.  In order to obtain the peak hour counts, the ADT volume counts can be multiplied by a factor of 0.092. This technique is considered by FDOT to be an acceptable estimate of peak hour traffic volumes for planning purposes. ADTs were available for all arterial and collector roadways.

Capacity

The capacity of a roadway is often defined as the maximum number of vehicles which have a reasonable expectation of passing over a given roadway section or through a given intersection under prevailing road and traffic conditions during a specified period of time.  The ADT capacities were derived by using Table E-1 for Urbanized Areas contained in the FDOT 1995 LOS manual and by using the Brevard County Transportation Element.  The roadway capacities were ascertained by assuming LOS E as the maximum acceptable capacity of all roadways except U.S. 192 for which LOS D was assumed.  Capacity determination is illustrated by the following example.

1)  U.S. 192 was determined to be a four‑lane divided arterial roadway between S.R. A1A and Riverside Drive.

2)  Table E-1 provided the ADT capacity of 35,700 vehicles for a typical divided arterial with four lanes;

3)  The existing ADT volume for the roadway segment is 21,763 vehicles per day.

4)  Using the LOS table for 0.00 to 2.49 signalized intersections per mile and a four-lane divided facility, it was determined that the LOS was B.

The results of the capacity analysis for determining the existing LOS for all collector and arterial roadways are illustrated in Table 2.

Bikeways/Pedways

The Town has one facility which runs northward through Orlando Park in south Indialantic to Riverside Drive.  It crosses Fifth Avenue and continues northward along Riverside Drive, which continues northward to the Eau Gallie Causeway. The facility separates bicycle traffic from heavily traveled Riverside Drive, and connects with a State maintained path which is located on the south side of the Melbourne Causeway. A second facility has been constructed along the west side of S.R. A1A and runs from the North Town Limits to Fifth Avenue. A third facility will be under construction shortly, and it will run from the North Town Limits to Fifth Avenue on the east side of S.R. A1A.  These facilities are shown on Map 3.

TABLE 2

CAPACITY ANALYSIS OF EXISTING ROADWAY SYSTEM, 1997

Existing

S.R. A1A and U.S. 192 are maintained by the State, N. Riverside by the County and S. Riverside by the Town.

All other are considered "local," have no LOS problems, and are maintained by the Town.

Note: Peak hour values can be obtained by multiplying the ADT by 0.092.

Source: Brevard County Transportation Element and FDOT 1995 LOS manual.

Sidewalks

There are few sidewalks other than on Fifth Avenue which is the central commercial area.  The exceptions to this general situation are 1) the Boardwalk and beach area along Wave Crest,  2) North Riverside in the vicinity of Eastminster church, and 3) North Palm Avenue which leads to Indialantic Elementary School and Hoover Junior High School.

Rights-Of-Way

Rights-of-way are preserved and protected by Town Ordinances and required building line setbacks.

V.   ANALYSIS OF PROJECTED NEEDS

From a traffic viewpoint, the dominant characteristic of Indialantic is its role as a corridor community.  Because of its location at the eastern end of the Melbourne Causeway, astride North Riverside Drive (South Patrick Drive) and S.R. A1A, the Town receives a large volume of commuter, tourist, and recreation traffic unrelated to the population.  Passage of this traffic through the Town imposes a burden of increased law enforcement and maintenance expense.  This situation is a major concern to the Town.

Because of the heavy commuter traffic on Fifth Avenue, the safety of school children who travel across Fifth Avenue from the south to reach Indialantic Elementary and Hoover Junior High School is another major concern.  The installation of raised medians has helped this situation by providing more channelization for vehicles.

Since it is almost fully developed, the Town will not add to the street capacity problem.  However, completion of the second span of the Melbourne Causeway brought increased traffic through the center of Town via Fifth Avenue to S.R. A1A.  This is an ever increasing burden to the Town and a deterrent to the residents in their efforts to maintain the residential character of the Town. Considerable development is occurring to the south of the Town of Melbourne Beach with potential for much more in the future.

Now that the Eau Gallie Causeway bridge, about four miles to the north of Town, has been completed, it is evident that some of the beachside traffic which used to use the Melbourne Causeway uses this bridge.  This has lessened some of the demand on the Melbourne Causeway.

As discussed in other elements of this plan, there is no doubt that a new causeway across the Indian River Lagoon south of the Melbourne Causeway connecting the mainland with the south beaches would greatly relieve the heavy traffic load on Fifth Avenue and S.R. A1A and assist in maintaining or possibly improving the current levels of service.

Traffic on local streets does not exceed capacity, a new pedway has been constructed on the west side of S.R. A1A north of Fifth Avenue, and a new pedway will be constructed, shortly, on the east side.  The current situation is compatible with the small town atmosphere which residents wish to preserve. 

A new traffic signal will be installed at Grosse Pointe Avenue and S.R. A1A at the North Town Limits.

Finally, the Transportation Improvement Program for the Brevard Uban Area FY 1999-2003 has the following projects listed for the Town: installation of a southbound right turn lane at Riverside Drive and U.S. 192 and the resurfacing of S.R. A1A from U.S. 192 south to the Town Limits.

The long range plan for the Metropolitan Planning Organization lists a corridor study for Riverside Drive from U.S. 192 to the Eau Gallie Causeway.  This study would look for alternatives to improve traffic conditions on the roadway without four-laning the facility.

The construction of a bridge over the Indian River south of the Town would alleviate some of the traffic problems on U.S. 192; however, it is highly doubtful that such a project is financially or environmentally feasible.

The level of service standards which the Town will adopt are shown in the next section entitled Goals, Objectives, and Policies.  Certainly, those roads controlled by the State (the Melbourne Causeway, S.R. A1A, and U.S. #192) will have the standards established by the State; however, the Town will set the LOS for its local streets as well as that section of Riverside Drive or which the County has jurisdiction.  The State has set a  minimum LOS standard for U.S. #192 (S.R. 500) at D and for S.R. A1A at E. Fifth Avenue (U.S. #192) could be mutually agreed upon by the Town and the State to operate at LOS E under a Special Transportation Area agreement; however it is not necessary at this time.

Traffic Circulation Level of Service Needs

Because the Town is almost completely built out, it cannot be expected that its local streets will exceed LOS C in the year 2020.  The following table illustrates the capacity analysis for State and County maintained roads based upon the existing plus committed projects network.

TABLE 3

CAPACITY ANALYSIS OF FUTURE ROADWAY SYSTEM, 2020

    Future

S.R. A1A and U.S. 192 are maintained by the State, N. Riverside by the County and S. Riverside by the Town.

All other streets in the Town are considered "local," have no LOS problems, and are maintained by the Town.

Note: Peak hour values can be obtained by multiplying the ADT by 0.092.

Source: Brevard County Transportation Element and FDOT 1995 LOS manual.

VI.  EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DATA

Existing Service

Because most of the residents of the Town do not work in the Town and because the median family income is high, the residents have relied on the automobile as the preferred mode of transportation.

Space Coast Area Transit

The Space Coast Area Transit (SCAT) is the public transportation provider for the County.  This Brevard County governmental department reports to the Community Services Administrator. SCAT provides and coordinates various transportation services including fixed-route, subscription service for various social service agencies, demand responsive service, and vanpool service. According to the 1998-2002 Transit Development Plan, the following describes the services provided:

Fixed-Routes - SCAT currently operates fixed-route bus service on 18 routes, Monday through Friday, with most routes operating during the non-peak hours of the day. The average vehicle is on a fixed-route less than five (5) hours per day.  The majority of the trips are for shopping and medical purposes.  Route #26 serves the beachside and, in the Town, it runs primarily along S.R. A1A and Riverside Drive.

Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) Service These services are also provided and coordinated by SCAT.  These include ambulatory and non-ambulatory services, door-to-door paratransit services, agency and general public vanpool service and subscription service. The CTC coordinates and provides individual, group, and subscription transportation services.  A group trip is one where individuals are picked up at their homes or at a common origin and dropped off at a common destination.  Subscription trips are defined as those made to the same destination three (3) or more times per week.

Seven (7) types of public transportation services are offered to meet the mobility needs of the potential transportation disadvantaged (TD) population, the current TD population, and the ADA eligible population in Brevard County.  These services include:

1.  TD non-sponsored paratransit - This service is not funded by another agency and individuals must request door-to-door service at least 24 hours in advance.  Transportation is generally provided Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M.

2.  Medicaid non-emergency transportation - This service is provided by Coastal Health Ser-vices under contract with SCAT.  Individuals are provided door-to-door service to medical

appointments and Coastal is reimbursed by

Medicaid.

3.  ADA complimentary paratransit - ADA requires that the fixed-route agancy provide compli-mentary paratransit services for ADA-eligible passengers at a comparable level of service.  This service is provided for trips within 3/4 of a mile of a fixed-route during the same days and hours in Brevard County.  This ser-vice must be requested 24 hours in advance.

4.  Agency-sponsored subscription routes - This service is contracted by an agency for its clients who are making a common trip on a regular basis.  Some of the agencies involved include Senior Nutritional Aid Programs, training centers, Easter Seals Center, and Brevard Achievement Center.  This service generally operates between 6:30 A.M. and 6:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.  Clients are picked up at their homes and transported to the centers. 

5.  Agency-sponsored vanpool transportation - This service is available to human services agen-cies.  Agencies may lease vans through this program to transport their clients.  The vans are leased for $575 per month, which includes maintenance, insurance, and administration.

6.  Volunteers in Motion - This program addresses the needs of frail elderly persons with re- spect to transportation, shopping assistance, and even unpacking of groceries.  It is a volunteer program coordinated by a SCAT staff member.

7.  Traditional fixed-route transit - These ser-vices include the previously described SCAT system and the Brevard County School Board Bus system.

Commuter Assistance Program

This program is, also, operated by SCAT and administered by the FDOT.  It was developed to assist local residents and businesses in the establishment and use of alternative transportation modes and other transportation strategies.  Services include vanpooling and ridesharing.

Mass Transit Terminals

There are no such terminals located in the Town or on the beachside.  The closest terminal is located in the City of Melbourne.

Mass Transit Rights-of-Way or Exclusive Corridors

There are no mass transit rights-of-way or exclusive corridors located  with the Town.

VII. EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ANALYSIS

Road Capacity

The fixed-route SCAT system operates during the mid-day off-peak periods for approximately five (5) hours of the day. There is more than adequate capacity on the roadways of the Town for this service.

Operating Capacities

Fixed-route service vehicles can carry up to 32 passengers and the present operational demand is not near this figure. Non-fixed-route service operates on demand only.  The demand has not exceeded the capacity.

Fixed-Route Usage

Route #26 has an average of 5.1 passengers per hour with there being an average of 43 passengers per day.

Non-Fixed-Route Usage

As previously discussed, this service is on a demand basis. It has been estimated that there are approximately 50-75 persons residing in the Town who use this service.

Ridership

Ridership consists primarily of those persons who are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age.  These persons are dependent upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping and social activities.  It, also, includes handicapped children, high-risk or at risk as defined by the Florida Statutes.

Vehicle Availability and Means of Travel to Work

It was estimated in the Brevard County Transit Development Plan that approximately 5% of the households in the County do not have a vehicle available.  It is, also, estimated that approximately one (1) percent of the population of the Town uses public transit.

Population Group Likely to Use Transit Services

The population group most likely to use either the fixed route system or the non-fixed-route system is between 60 and 70 years of age.  This age group amounts to approximately 23 percent in the Town.

Ability of Public Transportation to Serve Existing Land Use

Because the Town is primarily a bedroom community and because the major employers are located outside of the Town, there is not a strong need for public transportation to bring people into the Town to serve non-residential land use.  Based upon the existing demand, the present system serves the existing land use adequately.

Major Trip Generators

The major trip generators within the Town are the small employers and the commercial shopping areas.  The generators outside the Town are as follows:

Adequacy of Transit System to Evacuate the Town

SCAT helps to coordinate all phases of emergency preparedness transportation.  It works closely with the Harbor City Volunteer Ambulance Squad, Coastal Health Systems of Brevard, Brevard County Fire and Rescue, and the Brevard County School District.  It, also, coordinates with the Town of Indialantic Police Department with respect to the transportation of those persons requiring help in evacuating.

VIII. FUTURE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

SCAT Growth Trends

The fixed-route ridership is expected to increase approximately 3.5 percent annually which is the historical growth rate. It can be expected that the growth rate for the Town will be slightly lower than that.  There were 194,262 passenger trips in 1996, and there ae expected to be 270,105 trips in 2002. 

The forecasted increase in passenger trips will not have any significant impact on the roadways of the Town or the area.

Public Transportation and Future

Land Use Compatibility

The level of service of public transportation now and in the future will not have any significant effect on land use, primarily because the Town is almost completely built-out.  There should be no incompatibility between public transportation and future land use.

IX.  GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

Goal 1:

Support a coordinated, well‑integrated, cost effective, and environmentally sound transportation system which will adequately serve current and future needs of the Town.

Objective 1:

Continue to provide for the protection of existing and future rights‑of‑way from building encroachment.

Policy 1.1:   

Continue to enforce the Evaluate existing building setback requirements to make sure that no future right-of-way problems will exist.

Objective 2:  

The Town will continue to evaluate and coordinate its plans with the plans and programs of the Brevard County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Florida Department of Transportation. This will be done at a minimum of every 5 years. on a yearly basis.

Policy 2.1:   

Continue to work with FDOT with respect to Contact FDOT and request that the Town=s have input on future curb cut requests and road projects.

Policy 2.2:   

Work with the Beachside MPO representative to make sure that current MPO plans are available to the Town and that the Town has input into MPO decisions.

Objective 3:  

Provide for a safe, convenient, and efficient motorized and non‑motorized transportation system by working with the State and MPO to correct system  deficiencies stated.

Policy 3.1:   

Continue to maintain an ongoing program which ensures that signing, traffic signalization, laning, and speed limits are conducive to the above objective.

Policy 3.2:   

Continue to provide for additional bike paths and sidewalks where needed.

Objective 4:  

The Town will continue to utilize its Future Land Use Plan to determine future impact on the traffic circulation system.  This will include the densities and intensities of land use defined in the land development regulations.

Policy 4.1:   

Continue to coordinate the Land Use Plan of the Town with that of the County to evaluate additional traffic loading on streets located within the Town.

Policy 4.2:   

Continue to enforce the Establish minimum level of service standards for peak hour traffic on locally maintained streets in within the Town.

Policy 4.3:   

Continue to maintain Riverside Drive north and south of U.S. #192 as 2‑lane collector streets in order to preserve the residential character of the Town.

Policy 4.4:   

Continue to enforce Adopt the following peak hour  adopted level of service (LOS) standards:

                S.R. A1A: LOS E

                U.S. #192: LOS D

                Riverside Drive north of U.S. #192: LOS E

                Local collector streets: LOS C

                Local streets: LOS C

Objective 5:  

In the event that the actual levels of service for roadways shall fall below the levels of service set in Objective 6 of the Capital Improvements Element, the Town shall coordinate with the governmental agency responsible for operation and maintenance of the affected roadway and implement through appropriate ordinances, resolutions, or administrative actions, the following policies:

Policy 5.1:   

Implement appropriate and necessary strategies to mitigate the impact of development within the Town, maintain existing average travel speeds, and prevent further congestion by:

a.  Scheduling signalization;

b.  Management of roadway access where reasonably possible and practical;

c.  Restrict on-street parking when the Town Council finds that restrictions will not disrupt existing commercial business or residences or otherwise cause a deterioration of the small community residential atmosphere of the Town;

d.  Seek to coordinate staggered business hours, especially with large scale employers or traffic generators impacting the affected roadway;

e.  Undertake improvements to local roads parallel to the affected facility with the goal of reducing traffic on the affected facility by providing alternative routes;

f.  Reduce densities or intensities of uses proposed for undeveloped properties which will directly access or are located adjacent to the affected facility or the development of which could significantly impact the affected roadway;

g.  Consider joint funding strategies to provide improved traffic flow on the affected facility; or

h.  Phase development orders for proposed projects.

Policy 5.2:   

Through the plan amendment process, revise the plan level of service standards whenever the roadway is operating at other than the level of service standard adopted by the governmental agency having operational and maintenance responsibility for the affected roadway.  Revisions to the plan goals, objectives, and policies will be supported by adequate data and analysis.  Revisions to the level of service standards will be coordinated with the agency having operational and maintenance responsibility for the affected roadway and demonstrated to be compatible with the agency's level of service standards to the maximum extent feasible as determined by the Town.  Alternatively, the Town may demonstrate that competing state goals, objectives, policies, or directives logically suggest the adoption of a lower level of service standard.

Policy 5.3:   

The Town shall not issue a development order causing the roadway level of service to be further degraded, unless the development order is conditioned on:  a) the applicant improving the level of service to that set in this plan; or b) the availability of assured construction of facilities, all as set forth in Chapter 9J‑5, Florida Administrative Code.

Policy 5.4:   

Once the Town ascertains that a level of service (that is below level of service standards for an affected roadway as set by the governmental agency having responsibility for operation and maintenance for the facility), has been improved to the level of service mandated by said agency, the Town shall revise this plan to be consistent with the new, improved level of service.

Appendix A

FDOT 1997 RECOMMENDATIONS

CURRENT FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FLORIDA PUBLIC ROADS

   All other streets in the Town are designated as local and maintained by the Town.

Appendix B

    The standardized descriptions of service levels used in  transportation planning are as follows:

1. LOS A:  Highest LOS which describes primarily free flow traffic operations at average travel speeds. Vehicles are completely unimpeded in their ability to maneuver within the traffic stream.  Stopped delay at intersections is minimal. 
   

2. LOS B:  Represents reasonably unimpeded traffic flow  operations at average travel speeds.  The ability to maneuver within the traffic stream is only slightly restricted and stopped delays are not bothersome.  Drivers are not generally subjected to appreciable tensions.
   

3. LOS C:  Represents stable traffic flow operations.  However, ability to maneuver and change lanes may be more restricted than in LOS B, and longer queues and/or adverse signal coordination may contribute to lower average travel speeds.  Motorists will experience an appreciable tension while driving.
   

4. LOS D:  Borders on a range in which small increases in traffic flow may cause substantial increases in approach delay and, hence, decreases in speed.  This may be due to adverse signal progression, inappropriate signal timing, high volumes, or some combination of these.
   

5. LOS E:  Represents traffic flow characterized by significant delays and lower operating speeds.  Such operations are caused by some combination or adverse progression, high signal density, extensive queuing at critical intersections, and inappropriate signal timing.
   

6. LOS F:  Represents traffic flow characterized at extremely low speeds.  Intersection congestion is likely at critical signalized locations, with high approach delays resulting.  Adverse signal progression is frequently a contributor to this condition.