TRANSPORTATION [TRA]
Pinellas County’s multimodal system of roads, bridges, trails, sidewalks, buses, airports and waterways makes the movement of people and goods possible. The planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of our transportation facilities is the largest annual expenditure the County makes – evidence of the importance of transportation to our basic health, safety and welfare.
The County has expanded road capacity to meet increasing demand, to the point that we have few physical places left to provide additional lanes. While we continue to implement our long-range transportation infrastructure plans, we must focus on the efficient use of existing capacity, maintenance needs, and enhancing mobility for all.
Mobility is more than the movement of people and goods, it provides multiple quality options for people to access places and services necessary for a healthy, productive life. Factors that contribute to the quality of access to facilities include: safety; time; reliability; affordability; and convenience.
The goals, objectives and policies of this chapter support meeting the mobility needs of all and connecting people with vital goods and services, housing, jobs, education, workforce development, and recreational and cultural opportunities through high-quality transportation options. This effort relies on strong coordination with the County’s local, regional, State and Federal partners.
Everyday Actions
- If you can walk or cycle there, do it! Completing short trips by walking or cycling can improve your health and reduces traffic demand and air pollution.
- Ride together whenever possible. Too many cars on our roads only have one person in them. Single-occupancy motor vehicles are the least efficient use of transportation capacity. Drive efficiently and combine multiple errands into one trip.
- Try some alternatives to being stuck in traffic on your commute to work. Sharing a ride to work with a co-worker or taking transit are great opportunities to reduce demand during peak times. Changing your working hours to off-peak hours and working remotely some days can also help reduce demand on the system.
- Maximize the efficiency of home deliveries. Ask to have all your packages sent in one shipment and with minimal packaging when shopping online. Selecting longer shipping time options often allows for more efficient planning for truck deliveries.
Did you know?
Approximately 54% of Pinellas County’s population is either under the age of 18, over the age of 65, or has a disability. Transportation options other than driving can greatly enhance the mobility of these populations. (http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/pinellascountyflorida)
Adults need at least 2.5 hours (150 minutes) a week of aerobic physical activity. Replacing short driving trips with walking or cycling is a great way to improve your health and help reduce traffic congestion.
Goals, Objectives, Policies & Strategies
PROVIDE A SAFE, CONVENIENT AND ENERGY EFFICIENT MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.
Develop and maintain a multimodal transportation system that:
- Minimizes the potential for transportation related deaths and serious injuries;
- Provides transportation options that increases mobility for all users, and reduces dependence on single-occupancy motor vehicles;
- Adapts to changing needs, vehicles and technology; and
- Efficiently utilizes existing capacity and rights-of-way.
Establish safety as the County’s number one transportation priority and commit to a “Vision Zero” approach to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on the Pinellas County transportation network.
Collaborate with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Forward Pinellas, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, emergency services and transportation providers to implement a multi-disciplinary approach to multimodal transportation safety.
Collaborate with FDOT, Forward Pinellas and local partners to implement a coordinated program to:
- Uniformly document transportation related crashes, injuries, and deaths;
Monitor high crash locations using metrics such as frequency and rate; - Identify and design physical and operational improvements to alleviate hazardous conditions;
- Fund and implement crash reduction improvements; and
- Monitor and adaptively manage improvements.
Develop, fund and implement a continuous, adaptive and comprehensive transportation facility maintenance program to provide safe operating conditions for all.
Develop, fund and implement a program for improving street lighting on County transportation facilities to conform with the Pinellas County Transportation Design Manual, FDOT design criteria, and best practices, with priority and special consideration given to street lighting transportation facilities with high nighttime crash rates adjacent to schools, school bus and transit stops, school walk paths, crosswalks and areas of high pedestrian and cyclist activity.
Educate the public and decision-makers about successful safety measures implemented locally or elsewhere as relevant examples of success.
Take a complete streets approach towards mobility to safely meet the modal needs of all users regardless of age or ability.
Assign modal priorities for all County facilities and work with Forward Pinellas and municipalities to define and map modal priorities for County facilities.
Establish context-sensitive design standards and features based on the modal priority map and implement identified multimodal improvements through the Resurfacing, Restoration and Rehabilitation (3R) program, reconstruction and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
Develop multimodal performance standards based on context and modal priority for all County transportation facilities. Monitor and adaptively manage transportation facilities to meet these performance standards.
Plans, policies and projects must consider:
- “Middle modes” such as golf carts and scooters;
- Service and emergency vehicles;
- Transit service and access;
- The movement and delivery of goods; and
- Emerging transportation modes and technology.
Identify multimodal improvements in Unincorporated County through existing and future community plans.
Prioritize closing existing gaps in the multimodal network.
Prioritize the provision of shade on sidewalks, trails and multiuse paths through measures such as tree planting, site plan design, street furniture, and other features that provide shade.
Implement methods to reduce operating speeds on and around facilities with high volumes of vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
Provide viable transportation options to meet the needs of all.
Collaborate with Forward Pinellas, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), municipalities and community partners to identify the diverse transportation needs in our community and address transportation inequity.
Coordinate with Forward Pinellas and PSTA to implement the Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan and address the mobility needs of the transportation disadvantaged community.
Maintain an inventory of transportation disadvantaged communities in Unincorporated County and advertise the availability of service through the Pinellas County Transportation Disadvantaged Program.
Consider diverse transportation needs in the development and implementation of County facilities, plans and programs.
Prioritize public transit and assist in the development of a modern, efficient, and equitable transit system that offers viable alternatives to single-occupancy motor vehicle travel.
Collaborate with FDOT, PSTA, Forward Pinellas, and other state, regional and local partners to:
- Connect people to activity, employment and education centers through transit;
- Implement transit service priority in more corridors;
- Explore opportunities to utilize waterways for mass transit; and
- Evaluate alternatives to provide dedicated rights-of-way for transit, emergency, and high-occupancy vehicles.
Provide safe access to transit through roadway design, site plan and right-of-way utilization.
Collaborate with PSTA, Forward Pinellas, and municipalities to:
- Increase transit ridership through promotion, incentives and education; and
- Develop multimodal “first and last mile” solutions to improve access to transit.
Partner with PSTA to improve the efficiency and usability of transit through the implementation of corridor and community-based plans.
Consider implementation of an incentive program for County employees to commute to work using public transportation, and support private sector employers and institutions in the development of similar programs.
Encourage active transportation to improve public health and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Prioritize the safety of cyclists and pedestrians in the development of new trails and evaluation of existing trail infrastructure and connections to develop a network that provides a safe and viable transportation alternative to automobile travel.
Collaborate with Forward Pinellas, PSTA, the Pinellas County School Board, other local schools, and municipalities, to increase safe active transportation and transit opportunities to educational facilities.
Develop and implement an incentive program for County employees to utilize active transportation alternatives to commute to work.
Upgrade transportation management systems and communication technologies to safely and efficiently maximize capacity for all users.
Integrate transportation management technologies to improve safety and efficiency.
Implement initiatives to:
- Plan for infrastructure and technological improvements necessary to accommodate advances in vehicle and communications technology, such as automated driving systems;
- Promote a shared mobility approach;
- Collaborate with local, regional and state partners to develop regulations and guidance for the implementation of emerging technologies and complementary land use and site development practices. Pursue opportunities to integrate advanced traffic management systems with connected vehicle technologies, active transit signal priority, artificial intelligence-driven software, cloud-based traffic management platforms, and interagency data sharing.
Continue to collaborate with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), FDOT, Forward Pinellas, PSTA and municipalities to implement the Pinellas County Long Range Advanced Traffic Management/Intelligent Transportation Systems (ATMS/ITS) Master Plan as amended and enhanced.
Collaborate with Forward Pinellas and municipalities to maintain and adaptively manage a comprehensive traffic management system through the deployment of ITS technology.
Use ITS for information gathering and incident management.
Collaborate with FDOT, Forward Pinellas, PSTA, municipalities and other affected agencies to implement non-roadway ITS improvements, such as user-enabled pedestrian and vehicle technology.
Promote ride-sharing.
Coordinate with the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA) and other agencies and partners to promote and provide ride-sharing opportunities.
Consider the implementation of an incentive program for County employees that share rides to work.
Collaborate with FDOT, Forward Pinellas and committees, PSTA, and municipalities, to develop and implement Advantage Pinellas – Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and develop an interconnected multimodal network.
Work cooperatively to develop and implement Advantage Pinellas to adaptively address long-term multimodal transportation needs.
Maintain membership on the Forward Pinellas and PSTA Boards and actively participate in Forward Pinellas advisory committees.
Fund and construct projects to address multimodal network deficiencies.
Develop redundancies in the transportation network to improve reliability and provide alternative routes.
Cooperate with partners to develop intermodal centers and address service gaps.
ESTABLISH A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS EFFICIENT LAND USE PATTERNS.
Advance (re)development patterns that reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and are transit supportive.
Encourage location efficiency and “park once” development.
Implement neighborhood-based plans, form-based codes and other standards that balance the interaction of transportation facilities, land development, and economic activity.
Encourage and maintain areas of vertically-integrated mixed-use.
Coordinate decisions on Future Land Use Map (FLUM) amendments with mobility needs.
Use the FLUM as the basis for forecasting multimodal travel demand.
Require (re)development to provide safe and efficient on-site traffic flow.
Utilize the Land Development Code to ensure that (re)development:
- Provides safe and efficient on-site traffic flow;
- Provides context-appropriate car and bicycle parking facilities;
- Provides safe pedestrian access to and within the site; and
- Provide for freight traffic, deliveries, rideshare, and pick up and drop off activities in the site development review process.
Manage safe access to transportation facilities to improve mobility.
Utilize the Land Development Code to manage and consolidate access to public roadways.
Administer and apply access management standards through the site plan and right-of-way utilization review process.
Maintain and preserve right-of-way for existing and future transportation facilities, stormwater, utilities and other public uses.
Identify and preserve existing and future transportation right-of-way.
Map existing and future multimodal corridors and right-of-way needs.
Coordinate with municipalities and other public agencies to preserve and maintain existing and future corridors.
Right-of-way designated in this Comprehensive Plan for public use must not be vacated except where a clear, significant, and overarching public interest can be demonstrated.
Utilize the Land Development Code to preserve public rights-of-way.
Evaluate alternatives and establish policy for alleyways in Unincorporated County.
CREATE A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT ADVANCES A SUSTAINABLE LOCAL ECONOMY, ENHANCES ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ATTRACTS NEW EMPLOYERS AND BUSINESS EXPANSION.
Provide multimodal transportation facilities that connect housing, employment centers, educational facilities, activity centers, and intermodal centers to advance the foundation for a thriving economy.
Coordinate transportation decision-making and sound investments with economic development, land use, infrastructure, housing, resiliency, workforce and community development goals.
Advance multimodal transportation projects that support economic development opportunities through targeted funding and adaptive planning and programming.
Collaborate with major employers and the business community to identify and address transportation issues related to workforce recruitment and retention, goods movement, and other economic concerns.
Stimulate economic development through the growth and expansion of the St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport in a manner that minimizes adverse impacts to the natural and human environment and is coordinated with federal, state, regional, and local agency plans and regulations.
Develop and maintain the St. Pete-Clearwater Airport Master Plan and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Layout Plan, incorporated by reference.
Expand the landside and airside capacity of the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport to meet future demand.
Implement the St. Pete-Clearwater Airport Master Plan and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Layout Plan in accordance with the Joint Airport Capital Improvement Program Schedule.
Coordinate with FDOT, Forward Pinellas, PSTA and other partners to identify and implement transportation improvements to improve access between the Airport and employment, activity, housing and intermodal centers.
Seek diversification and expansion of revenue sources for the Airport through the utilization of land within and adjacent to the airport.
Ensure that airport operations are compatible with surrounding land uses and the natural environment and protected from encroachment.
Direct new or expanded airport facilities away from environmentally sensitive areas.
Review proposed development in the vicinity of the airport to ensure compatibility with environmental quality, airport operations, surrounding land uses, and impacts to the surface transportation network.