AM wants more info, input before ‘Reimagining Pine Avenue’

When is more not enough?

A presentation Aug. 19 of five options for “Reimagining Pine Avenue” left Anna Maria commissioners wanting more.

The plan was for commissioners to hear options from Gerry Traverso at the culmination of his three-month study of issues impacting safety and traffic flow on Pine, Spring and Magnolia avenues and Gulf Drive and South Bay Boulevard in Anna Maria. Traverso is vice president of transportation engineering for George F. Young Inc., a St. Petersburg-based engineering and surveying company, which was contracted by the city for the task.

Commissioners said Traverso’s plans require more data about the impact each option would have on traffic, delivery vehicle accessibility and seasonal adjustments for visitors.

Option 1

The first option presented had the fastest implementation time, lowest cost and least disruption to businesses as it only called for additional pavement markings and two crosswalks on Pine Avenue for about $85,000.

At a cost of about $45,000 per road, Spring and Magnolia avenues also would get four new crosswalks.

Traverso said the option did not solve parking issues, make provisions for pedestrians, address bicyclist and motorist safety concerns or issues of poor sightlines at driveways and cross streets.

Option 2

Traverso’s second option would add to option 1 buffered bike lanes in both directions on Pine Avenue, create a continuous sidewalk and alleviate sightline issues by shifting parking closer to businesses for about $524,000.

The city could opt to use a permeable surface for the bike lanes and sidewalk to bolster stormwater mitigation.

Traverso said a downside is the plan would eliminate some on-street parking and it “conflicts with multiple driveways on both sides of the road.”

Additionally, the option recommends sharrow markings — indicating lanes are shared between motorists and bicyclists — and sidewalk gaps on Spring Avenue for an estimated $152,353.

Magnolia also would get sharrow markings and sidewalk gaps for about $391,424 and, for $832,646, bike lanes could be added in both directions.

Option 3

A third option, estimated to cost $1,719,583, would create sidewalks on both sides of Pine Avenue, add 8-foot-wide two-way bike lanes on one side of Pine and increase the number of crosswalks.

Spring and Magnolia would receive the same treatments as with the second option.

Option 4

For about $2,018,627, the fourth option would add on-street parking and delivery areas and sand and shell sidewalks would be replaced with a continuous concrete sidewalk.

Sightline issues would be alleviated by utilizing planters, bollards or other immovable decorative options to prohibit parking close to driveways.

The option would not provide dedicated bicycle lanes.

Spring and Magnolia would receive the same treatments as recommended in option two.

Option 5

The most expensive option, estimated to cost $2,226,626, would make Pine and Magnolia avenues one-way streets, add sidewalks and bike lanes, add on-street parking, reduce parking near driveways and add crosswalks.

There would be no changes to Spring Avenue with this alternative.

From design and permitting to the conclusion of construction, the timeline for the plans ranges from about seven months to as long as 36 months.

“Getting people out of the streets benefits everybody,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said.

But how it’s done has to be thoughtful and take into account the surges of visitors during the different seasons.

Traverso said he would have the additional information commissioners requested within a couple of weeks and another public meeting would be scheduled at that time.