Pinellas County Safety Initiatives

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1 Florida Department of TRANSPORTATION Pinellas County Safety Initiatives Whit Blanton, FAICP Pinellas County MPO

2 A Distinctive County A unique geography Multi-jurisdictional Key demographics seniors and tourists Redevelop and retrofit

3 Pinellas 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan Goal - Provide for a safe and secure transportation system for all users Objective Reduce the rate and frequency of fatal and incapacitating crashes for all modes of travel Objective Coordinate safe travel to and from schools

4 Increasing Visibility and Predictability

5 ENGINEERING, EDUCATION & ENFORCEMENT 3E APPROACH

6 Safety Engineering Programs Crash Data Management System (CDMS) Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Gulf Boulevard Safety Enhancements Complete Streets Program Corridor Studies & Road Safety Audits/Assessments

7 Crash Data Management System (CDMS) Web-based GIS Analysis Tool and Turn-key Crash Records Management developed by Tindale-Oliver and Associates, Inc. Features: Automated GIS Crash Mapping Crash Record Selection Automated Collision Diagrams Advanced Reporting Data Exports (KML, Shapefile, Scanned Reports, Excel, PDF) Access to Scanned Crash Reports Hot Spot Analysis Counter Measures Crash Rates (intersection and segment) Dashboard

8 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Adopted by the MPO Board in 2009 FDOT staff worked with MPO and Pinellas County to identify several initiatives targeting motorist and pedestrian behavior in high-crash corridors Most Pinellas County pedestrian crashes involve pedestrians attempting to cross major roads These crashes happen at mid block and signalized locations

9 PSAP Key Recommendations Install enhanced mid block crosswalks Install raised medians and traffic control islands along roadways without raised medians Signing, striping, and traffic signal operational improvements to signalized intersections Improve street lighting at signalized intersections, major transit stops, high crash corridors, and mid block crossing locations Pedestrian Safety Audit to precede resurfacing and capacity projects along high pedestrian crash corridors

10 Gulf Boulevard Safety Enhancements Pinellas County initiated a Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Study in 2014 County-maintained section to guide scope of work for a future resurfacing project Goal: improve driver yield rates 30 locations along Gulf Boulevard have treatments in place Standardized mid-block crosswalks using rectangular rapid flashing beacons and pedestrian refuge islands

11 PPC/MPO Complete Streets Program MPO developing competitive grant funding program Objective: Advance one Complete Streets project per year Concept Engineering and Design Construction Criteria: Redevelopment catalyst Land use and code support walkable context Local match Local support

12 Corridor Studies & Road Safety Audits MPO conducts studies with various partners to provide performance and safety information and criteria for managing the transportation network Safety, Management and Operations Study of the Park Boulevard and 113th Street corridors within the City of Seminole Partnering with FDOT on a Safe Access to Transit Study along the U.S. 19 Corridor Participated in over 20 Road/Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Audits since 2008

13 Safety Education Programs Crash Data Report Pedestrian Safety Awareness Week School Transportation Safety Committee Educational Outreach

14 Crash Data Report Published annually using the CDMS and other sources Used by local governments, transportation planners, law enforcement agencies to assist in the planning and/or programming of transportation-related safety projects and targeted law enforcement activities Crash data emphasis areas include aggressive driving, intersection crashes, vulnerable road users, lane departure, impaired driving, at risk drivers, and distracted driving Monitoring intersection and segment crash rates

15 How Do We Use Crash Data? Crash Data Report Long Range Transportation Plan State of the System Report Congestion Management Process Road Safety Assessments Corridor Studies Roadway/Intersection Design Support Signal Warrant Analysis Funding Justifications (FDOT HSIP Grant) Project Prioritization High Visibility Enforcement

16 Pedestrian Safety Awareness Week Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) selected the week at the end of Daylight Saving Time to highlight pedestrian safety Educational materials provided to: Every public school student in Pinellas County Senior centers Law enforcement agencies Local governments and many private schools MPO proclamation, press release and blog post in 2015 Student Poster Contest in 2016

17 School Transportation Safety Committee MPO provides support to the School Transportation Safety Committee (STSC) STSC comprised of 15 local elected officials and school board members to improve school related transportation Pinellas County School Board now zones students for attendance in neighborhood schools close to their homes and no longer buses students living within two miles of their school As a result, more children are walking and biking to school Focus is on educating the public and students on safe behavior while on a street, sidewalk, trail or bus

18 Educational Outreach MPO staff participates in various community events where safety information is distributed to the general public (i.e. brochures, maps, bike lights, etc.)

19 Safety Enforcement & Emergency Response Community Traffic Safety Team Pinellas Trail Security Task Force

20 Community Traffic Safety Team MPO staff chairs the Pinellas Community Traffic Safety Team Members come from diverse backgrounds including local government, FDOT, law enforcement, emergency response and community groups A multi-disciplinary approach helps each team member overcome hurdles by working together to obtain a common goal of making our roadways safer Highway Safety Improvement Program projects (HSIP) must be presented to this group to be eligible for funding

21 Pinellas Trail Security Task Force PTSTF is comprised of law enforcement, emergency response, Pinellas County representatives and MPO staff Monitor trail conditions, forum to share information and address issues related to safety on the Pinellas Trail Traffic accidents Crime

22 Next Steps in Pinellas Vision Zero approach being incorporated into Pinellas SPOTlight Emphasis Area work plans: US 19 Corridor Beach Access Gateway/Mid-County New performance measures will focus on outcomes Initiating project with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) to improve transfer hubs Access Safety Redevelopment for mixed use

23 Florida Department of TRANSPORTATION Questions? Whit Blanton, FAICP Pinellas County MPO