The Community Redevelopment Agency allocated funding in the amount of $100,000 for the Federal Highway Gateway Beautification Project in the CRA Budget for FY 2019. The project is consistent with the goals and objectives as set forth in the CRA Plan (see attached excerpt from the CRA Plan). The CRA contracted with engineering consultant Kimley-Horn to prepare landscape design for the Federal Highway Gateway Beautification Project.
The proposed Gateway Beautification Project along NW Federal Highway will create a sense of community pride and welcome visitors. The project boundaries of the proposed improvements on NW Federal Highway will be from the Roosevelt Bridge northern terminus to NW Baker Road, approximately 3,000 feet. The 2018 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) within the project limits was 59,212 vehicles per day. The proposed project will be highly visible to the public and has the potential to generate high economic impact.
The Phase I Gateway Beautification Project along the corridor entails new irrigation system in the median and landscaped median incorporating multiple plantings and colorful materials including royal palms, flowering trees and plants, shrubs and stamped concrete to provide visual enhancements. The Phase II of the project will include gateway signage along primary and local gateway corridors. The gateway signage will benefit the downtown district by helping visitors recognize the arrival into our special historic area.
Within the City, there are three primary gateway corridors including NW federal Highway, SW Federal Highway and S Kanner Highway that provide initial perceptions of the City for visitors and provide access to the core of the City and the downtown area. The visual effect of the City’s primary roadway entrances is important. Not only does the entrance provide a first impression of an area, the entrance advertises and defines what is within that area. The lack of landscaping and visibility of the gateway signage along NW Federal Highway corridor is detriment to the physical appearance of the city’s entryway to the downtown area.
The project area is an important commercial corridor in the CRA. Currently, there are number of vacant parcels and older retail buildings within the project area. This gives the area a blighted appearance, which discourages investment in other properties. Improving the aesthetic character of a primary gateway corridor could encourage infill development and redevelopment of properties along the corridor to include uses such as retail, office, mixed-use development and residential.
Also, there are studies that show that well-planted and maintained landscaping in medians can help reduce driving stress, provide better visual quality, and decrease over speeding, thus improving roadway safety.
Staff compared accident rates on roadway segment with landscaped median versus no landscape improvements. According to the City of Stuart police report there were 185 vehicle accidents on SW Federal Highway from Roosevelt Bridge to Palm City Road (where there is landscaped median) in comparison to 310 vehicle accidents on NW Federal Highway from the Roosevelt Bridge to Baker Road (where there is no landscape improvements in the median) over the five-year period. The landscaping not only contributes to greater aesthetic condition but may contribute to a safer roadway having a positive effect on driver behavior and perception.
Upon completion of the installation (construction) phase the project, the City will maintain the irrigation and landscaping within the median in accordance with the City’s existing maintenance agreement with the FDOT.
Community Redevelopment Board
The proposed landscape plan was presented to the CRB on May 7, 2019. The Board liked the overall landscape design in respect of how it will enhance the gateway corridor. In addition, the CRB requested to identify capital projects and programs for prioritization in the CRA plan. Staff will provide an action plan with a series of projects to assist the CRB/CRA Board in determining prioritized projects and programs to help catalyze redevelopment activities within the CRA.
Attachments:
- 60% Landscape Plan
- Renderings
- Construction Costs
- Project Timeline
- Accident Reports
- CRB Minutes
- Excerpt from the CRA Plan