Grissom-Widening-PSJ-Fay-30-PER-20250225.pdf

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

RALObaydi Model

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

1.0 Introduction/Executive Summary

2.0 Project Location

3.0 Project Need

3.1 Traffic Impact Study

3.1.1 Existing Traffic Conditions

3.1.2 Improvements Alternatives

3.1.3 Future Traffic Conditions

3.1.4 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities

3.1.5 Drainage

3.1.6 Project Need Summary

4.0 Existing Conditions

4.1 Existing Roadway Characteristics

4.1.1 Functional Classification

4.1.2 Posted Speed

4.1.3 Typical Sections/Existing Conditions

4.1.4 Pedestrian & Bicycle Facilities

4.1.5 Right-of-Way

4.1.6 Horizontal Alignment

4.1.7 Vertical Alignment

4.1.8 Drainage

4.1.9 Geotechnical Data

4.1.10 FEMA Flood Plain

4.1.11 Accident Data

4.1.12 Intersections & Signalization

4.1.13 Existing Lighting

4.1.14 Utilities

4.1.15 Pavement Conditions

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4.2 Environmental Characteristics

4.2.1 Existing Habitats and Landscape Features

5.0 Preliminary Design Analysis and Recommendations

5.1 General Corridor Improvement Recommendations

5.2 Design Speed

5.2.1 Design Criteria

5.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

5.4 Typical Section Alternatives and Cost Estimates

5.4.1 Typical Section Alternatives: from Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road ... 24

5.4.2 Typical Section Alternatives: from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard

5.5 Intersections and Access Management

5.5.1 Crash Data Analysis

5.5.2 Signalized Intersections

5.5.3 Access management

5.5.4 U-turn Movements

5.6 Horizontal Alignment and Right-of-Way

5.7 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

5.8 Stormwater Management Facilities

5.9 Environmental Considerations

5.10 Utilities

5.11 Permitting Requirements

5.12 Project Construction Cost

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1.0 Introduction/Executive Summary

The Grissom Parkway project corridor is a north-south 2-lane Urban Minor Arterial roadway located in Port St. John, Florida that has been identified as the project area for the subject of this study and report. The project corridor is approximately 1.6 miles long. The project limits begin approximately 2000 foot south of the Port St. John Parkway intersection and continues north to the intersection of Fay Boulevard. The road characteristics varies from rural and commercial development along the south, to a residential neighborhood north of the Bridge Road intersection.

DRMP designed the roadway and drainage plans in 1986 for the the existing Grissom Road (this project started east of Industrial Road and extended north to Bridge Road). The roadway was initially designed and constructed as a 2-lane rural section that could be expanded to a future 4-lane rural section. The drainage system was designed with swales that conveyed stormwater to drainage retention/detention ponds with outfalls to canals that ultimately discharge to the St. Johns River. The drainage system ponds were designed and construction to handle the future 4-lane urban typical section drainage. The project was permitted by St. Johns River Water Management District (Permit ERP Permit #16250) in January 1987. Permitting was also obtained through the Florida Department of Environmental Regulations (FDER) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for wetland impacts (as a joint application for a Dredge and Fill Permit). BMEG also designed the roadway and drainage plans in 1999 for the Port St. John Parkway (4-lane urban section). This project connected I-95 to Grissom Parkway. The connection to I-95 has completely changed the surrounding land use associated with both Grissom Parkway and Port St. John’s Parkway. Two businesses that have developed on Port St. Johns Parkway include:

• Port St. John MedFast Urgent Care.

• Parkway Animal Hospital.

As part of the Preliminary Engineering Services, included with this report is a set of 30% review plans which are based upon the results and recommendations of this engineering study. The study included the following Preliminary Engineering Phase services:

• Completion of a Right-of-Way Control Survey and Drawings.

• Completion of a Topographic Survey tied to County established benchmarks.

• Preliminary Utilities Investigation.

• A Geotechnical Investigation/report.

• A Traffic Study.

• Alternative’s analysis to identify design and typical section requirements.

• Preliminary Stormwater Management System Analysis (existing and proposed).

• Preliminary Environmental Investigation.

• Consideration of bicycle and pedestrian facilities for the corridor.

• Completion of a preliminary construction cost estimate.

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The Grissom Parkway corridor engineering study was developed to provide appropriate data information gathering and presentation, engineering analysis of various existing conditions, corridor improvement alternatives analysis, and recommendations for the proposed corridor improvements. Components of the recommended corridor improvements analysis included typical roadway sections, horizontal roadway alignment, turn lane improvements, median opening recommendations, traffic signal recommendations, corridor alignment and existing right-of-way, stormwater treatment facilities, stormwater conveyance analysis, and utility identification. A traffic analysis for the corridor was prepared by Lassiter Transportation Group (LTG), which analyzed several different options for road widening of the corridor. The recommendations for road widening served as the basis for development of the engineering report and 30% engineering plans. Based upon these recommendations, along with engineering assessment by DRMP, Inc., and development of the preliminary (30%) plans, we offer the following primary recommendations;

• Construct a 4-lane rural typical section with a raised grass median, 10’ unpaved inside shoulders and 8’ outside shoulders (with 5’ paved). This typical section matches the original four-lane rural section design proposed back in 1988. This section will be constructed from the beginning of the project to the intersection with Port St. John Parkway.

• Construct a transitional suburban 4-lane typical section with a raised grass median, with 4’ inside paved shoulder and 6’6” outside shoulder with type “F” curb and gutter. This typical section provides the urban context, in this transition segment, which will help in reducing the driving speed. This section will be constructed from the intersections of Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road.

• Construct a 4-lane urban typical section with a bidirectional left turn lane. The 4-lane urban section will provide consistency with the residential area of the corridor and will also help reduce the driving speed due to the urban features presented. This section will be constructed from the intersections of Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard.

• Construct appropriate turn lanes and signalization at major intersections.

• Provide appropriate median openings at strategic locations meeting the FDOT Access Management Guidelines.

• Incorporate a bicycle/pedestrian system consisting of 8-foot wide sidewalks on each side of the roadway (wherever possible).

• Utilize the existing roadway right-of-way width to accommodate the proposed roadway construction and required stormwater treatment facilities.

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• Provide stormwater treatment for the corridor drainage basins. The two existing ponds were sized to handle the stormwater for the proposed improvements. Slight modifications to the existing drainage outfall structures will be required to accommodate the additional impervious surface areas.

• The project area has already been cleared and developed with the original construction of Grissom Parkway. Therefore, the required mitigation for wetland impacts will be reduced because the amount of onsite wetlands is minimal. Preliminary environmental field work has determined that only gopher tortoises are confirmed within the project boundary Permitting, mitigation and offsite relocation efforts will be required prior to construction commencement

The Grissom Parkway corridor improvements project can be constructed faster because the County can build the improvements within the existing right of way. This reduces both the time and cost associated with right of way acquisition that is normally associated with roadway capacity projects.

The preliminary construction estimate for this project is $ 13,927,870

The Grissom Parkway corridor improvements project are significant for the Port St. John Area.

This is a vital transportation connection for both vehicular traffic and pedestrians . The direct link to I-95 to Grissom Parkway corridor via the Port St. John Parkway has increase the future traffic along Grissom Parkway. Current roadway conditions and configurations cannot effectively accommodate the projected future traffic for Grissom Parkway. In order to provide adequate Levels of Service and appropriate intersection capacities vehicular and pedestrian safety, this corridor warrants widening in the manner recommended in this study.

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2.0 Project Location

Grissom Parkway corridor is a north-south 2-lane Urban Minor Arterial Road. Grissom Parkway starts north of SR 528, also known as the Beach Line, and extends north to SR 405. Port St. John Parkway is a minor East-West Urban Arterial 4-lane roadway which connects Interstate 95 to Grissom Parkway. The project limits for Grissom Parkway begins approximately 2000’ south of the Port St. John Parkway intersection and continues north to the intersection of Fay Boulevard.

The road characteristics varies from rural and commercial development, along the south, to a residential neighborhood north of the Bridge Road intersection. Grissom Parkway is located within Port St. John, however the road is maintained by Brevard County. Please refer to the Location Map on the following page for the project location.

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3.0 Project Need

The project need for the Grissom Parkway corridor improvements is primarily driven by the existing traffic conditions and the future traffic projections. A comprehensive detailed traffic study was prepared by LTG. This study analyzed the existing traffic conditions, projected the future traffic conditions and made corridor improvement recommendations for the Design Year 2045.

Additional corridor improvements that contributed to the recommendations of the study included pedestrian and bicycle safety needs. The traffic study information in this section of the report is a general reference and includes excerpts from the traffic study prepared by LTG. A complete copy of the LTG study is attached to this report as Appendix #3.

3.1 Traffic Impact Study

3.1.1 Existing Traffic Conditions

The existing traffic conditions within the corridor study were divided into several roadway segments, as follows (listed from south to north):

• Camp Road to Port St. John Parkway.

• Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road.

• Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard.

• Fay Boulevard to Curtis Boulevard.

The existing intersections within the corridor were also designated as follows (listed from south to north):

• Port St. John Parkway (signalized).

• Bridge Road (non-signalized).

• Miramar Street (non-signalized).

• Carrick Road (non-signalized).

• Fay Boulevard (signalized).

While most of the unsignalized intersections along Grissom Parkway currently operate within the adopted level of service (LOS), the intersection at Bridge Road is operating at a level of service of ‘F’. All of the signalized intersections are operating within the adopted LOS with V/C ratio less than 1.0.

Six levels of service (LOS) categories have been established by Brevard County as standards by which to gauge roadway performance, which are defined as follows.

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LOS – A Free Low, Individual Users, virtually unaffected by the presence of others.

LOS – B Stable flow with a high degree of freedom to select operating conditions.

LOS – C Flow remains stable but with significant interactions with others.

LOS – D High-density stable flow in which the freedom to maneuver is severely restricted.

LOS – E This condition represents the capacity level of the road.

LOS – F Forced flow in which the traffic exceeds the amount that can be served by the roadway.

3.1.2 Improvements Alternatives

One of the most critical components of this study was to determine recommendations for the proposed roadway corridor improvements so that the right-of-way requirements could fully be assessed. The proposed typical roadway section was primarily determined by the results of the LTG Traffic Study and Engineering Analysis. All of the recommended typical sections incorporated 11-foot-wide travel lanes. The corridor transitions from the existing rural typical section to the south, to a suburban section in the middle (north of Port St. John Parkway), and the then to the urban section (north of Bridge Road). All of the proposed typical sections included an 8-foot-wide sidewalk on each side of the roadway.

Various typical roadway sections were considered in determining the ultimate recommendation for the Grissom Parkway Corridor.

The general traffic study findings are summarized as follows:

• No project alternative (no improvements):

The “no project” alternative was discounted as a potential recommendation.

The road segments, signalized, and unsignalized intersection within the project corridor current meet LOS requirements, However, virtually all of the unsignalized and signalized intersection are not expected to meet adopted level of service requirements for the year 2045. All of the roadway segments are expected to operate within the adopted LOS for the year 2045, except the segment between port St. John Parkway and Fay Boulevard.

• Built Scenario One - 2045 Alternative:

Providing the signalization and intersection improvement recommendations

P a g e 10 | 32 as outlined in the LTG Study would potentially result in both the intersections and roadway segment meeting the adopted LOS for the year 2045.

3.1.3 Future Traffic Conditions

The LTG traffic study recommends a 4-lane divided roadway section, coupled with signalization improvements, addition of turn lanes throughout the corridor, and appropriate access management. Providing these improvements will help meet the projected LOS requirements for the year 2045.

Other Supporting Factors

There are other supporting factors to consider that are also important in determining the extent of improvements required for the overall project corridor.

These factors may not independently support the need for roadway corridor improvements along the corridor. However, they are critically needed to improve the safety for both the pedestrians and bicyclists that use the corridor. The addition of street lighting can also improve the visibility for drivers and the safety for pedestrians especially at intersection crossing.

Roadway stormwater conveyance and treatment facilities are also needed along the proposed corridor. This will help facilitate stormwater flow off of the proposed roadway pavement. The addition/modification of existing stormwater ponds will be required for both treatment and attenuation of the increased stormwater amount. These are all very important considerations in determining the need for specific improvements to a roadway corridor.

3.1.4 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities

There are existing sidewalk facilities along the Grissom Parkway, from Fay Boulevard to Bridge Road, that are used by the residents of the adjoining neighborhoods for access to nearby schools and destination points. There is existing sidewalks along both sides of Fay Boulevard, a sidewalk along the south side of Carrick Road and a sidewalk along the north side of Miramar Street.

Sidewalks are also present along Grissom Parkway north of the intersection of Fay Boulevard.

In order to provide connectivity, an 8’ sidewalk will be constructed along both the east and west sides of the Grissom Parkway throughout the project limits.

Please refer to the Existing Pedway Facilities Map on the following page for an illustration of existing sidewalk facilities within the project corridor. Vehicular and pedestrian safety is of utmost importance. Vehicular traffic safety issues are

P a g e 11 | 32 identified in detail within the LTG’s Traffic Study (attached as Appendix #3).

The beginning of the project starts with a high speed 2-lane rural typical section.

We propose to provide widening and resurfacing in the transitional area where the typical section changes from a two-lane section to a to four-lane section. The existing roadway is superelevated through the first encountered curve. We propose to re-design this section of roadway to provide a smoother curve. The existing curve was designed as a rural section utilizing a 60 MPH design speed and a superelevation rate of 0.086.

This was an acceptable design when the roadway was predominately a rural area. The rural design encourages drivers to drive the roadway at higher speeds over the posted speed. Our proposed design in this section will reduce the design speed to 50 MPH and reduce the superelevation rate of the curve to of

0.072. The reduction in design speed will continue past Port St. John Parkway to 45 mph. The design speed through the residential neighborhood will be reduced again to 35 mph.

The recommended corridor improvements will include a 4-lane divided roadway, signalization and intersection improvements, the addition of a pedestrian access network, and construction of a stormwater treatment and conveyance system.

FDOT, Florida Greenbook, ADA, and Brevard County design standards were utilized for the concept design and the 30% plans development.

3.1.5 Drainage

The Grissom Parkway corridor drainage is currently characterized by a sheet flow of surface of stormwater runoff from the existing paved surfaces, into roadside swales, some stormwater piped conveyance systems, and in most instances, open ditch conveyance systems. The northern segment between Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard has virtually no stormwater conveyance or treatment systems.

Residential areas adjacent to the Grissom Parkway corridor also contribute

Existing Rural Section

P a g e 12 | 32 stormwater runoff, which are described in greater detail in Section 4.1.8 of this report. The vast majority of adjacent lands from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard contribute untreated stormwater runoff into the Grissom Parkway stormwater conveyance system. Construction of a 4-lane divided roadway will include construction of an enclosed stormwater conveyance system (stormwater inlets and piping) which would channel stormwater runoff into the existing stormwater treatment ponds. Treatment for the runoff within Grissom Parkway’s right-of-way, as well as the contributing adjacent areas will be provided and the treatment and will meet all applicable Brevard County and SJRWMD requirements. In addition, areas that may be subject to periodic localized flooding after storm events will be provided for with additional stormwater relief based upon current agency design criteria. Providing these stormwater improvements will improve drainage conveyance, treat the runoff, and help minimize potential flooding areas within the corridor.

3.1.6 Project Need Summary

The data collected for the corridor, together with the traffic analysis completed by LTG, clearly indicates the need to widen the roadway to a four-lane divided section to both improve the corridor capacity and public safety. Along with these improvements, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements and “connectivity” are highly recommended, based on the residential nature of the primary corridor segments, and the existence of nearby schools. Drainage improvements will be required.

Lack of Drainage Swales or Stormwater Conveyance

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4.0 Existing Conditions

4.1 Existing Roadway Characteristics

4.1.1 Functional Classification

Grissom Parkway has a federal functional classification as a 2-lane Urban Minor Arterial and is a FDOT Class III roadway. See FDOT classification map in the following page.

4.1.2 Posted Speed

The posted speed limits along the Grissom Parkway corridor are as follows:

Camp Road to St. John Parkway 50 mph

Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road 45 mph

Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard 35 mph

The posted speed limits along the St. John Parkway is as follows:

I-95 to Grissom Parkway 40 mph

All of these sections are posted both northbound and southbound with the same speed limit.

4.1.3 Typical Sections/Existing Conditions

The Grissom Parkway typical roadway section, from the beginning of the project to Bridge Road, consist of a 2-lane asphalt paved roadway, with lane widths of approximately 12 foot. This roadway segment was originally designed to accommodate a future rural four-lane widened section. The existing two-lanes were originally built on the west side of this future 4-lane section with drainage swales. The original typical section was designed as a rural section with 10 inside and outside shoulders and drainage swales (see figure below). The road transitions to the center of the existing right of way as the roadway approaches Bridge Rd. North of Bridge Road the travel lanes are reduced to 11-foot with drainage swales along each side of the roadway.

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The study included a complete Right-of-Way Control Survey and topographic survey of the corridor, as well as a complete geotechnical investigation and environmental assessment (for both wetlands and listed endangered species). The Right-of-Way Control Survey is included as a set of separate plans. The geotechnical report is provided as Appendix #2; and the Environmental Assessments results are presented in Appendix #1 of this report.

4.1.4 Pedestrian & Bicycle Facilities

An existing 5-foot sidewalk was constructed along Grissom Parkway from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard.

No bicycles trails currently exist along the project corridor. An existing 8-foot sidewalk exists on both sides of Port St John Parkway and a 5-foot’ sidewalk exists along both side of Fay Boulevard.

4.1.5 Right-of-Way

The existing Grissom Parkway right-of-way varies in width from 200 foot to 100 foot. From the beginning of the project to Bridge Rd, the right of way is 200 feet wide and from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard, the right of way 100 feet wide.

DRMP, Inc. has prepared a complete right-of-way corridor survey to establish existing right-of-way widths. For specific R/W widths throughout the corridor, please refer to the Right-of-Way Control sheets in the 30% engineering plans. The

Exiting 5 Foot Sidewalk

Existing 1988 DRMP Typical Section

P a g e 15 | 32 following table provides a summary of the right-of-way widths.

Camp Road to St. John Parkway 200 foot of R/W

Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road 200 foot of R/W

Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard 100 foot of R/W

St. John Parkway 150 foot of R/W

4.1.6 Horizontal Alignment

The project begins approximately 2000 feet south of the intersection with Port St.

John Parkway. The Grissom Parkway existing roadway alignment includes a 4-degree curve which transitions the corridor from north-west orientation, to a north-south alignment (north of the Port St. John Parkway intersection). As previously stated, Grissom Parkway was originally designed to be constructed as a future 4-lane rural roadway. The two southbound lanes of this future 4-lane roadway were originally constructed along this section Therefore, the existing asphalt roadway is generally offset to the west of the center of the existing right-of-way. This offset will allow for the transitioning of the north bound roadway from 2 to 3 lanes at the intersection. The widened section continues to the north side for turn lanes at the intersection with Port St. John Parkway. From Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road, the existing roadway alignment gradually shifts to the center of the corridor.

Approximately 500 feet south of the Bridge Road intersection the roadway transition to an urban section. North of the intersection of Bridge Road, the alignment is centered in the middle of the existing right of way. The road is widened by adding one lane in the north and south bound direction until the intersection of with Fay Boulevard. The roadway continues as four lanes past the intersection of Fay Boulevard and then starts transitioning to two lanes to match existing conditions.

4.1.7 Vertical Alignment

The existing profile is typical for rural roadways and is relatively flat along the corridor.

4.1.8 Drainage

Throughout the Grissom Parkway Corridor, there are existing drainage canals intersecting Grissom Parkway. Outfall Basin C-5 intersect the corridor and acts as the receiving canal for the majority of the treated runoff generated by Grissom Parkway and its adjacent contributing stormwater basin boundaries from Pond 10 and Pond 11. The drainage canal on Outfall Basin C-5 generally convey runoff from east to west to an eventual outfall at the St. Johns River. The typical roadway section consists of a 4-lane roadway, with roadside ditches, to ditch bottom inlets (DBI), and cross drains to Pond 10 and Pond 11. These ditches and pipes

P a g e 16 | 32 ultimately convey water to the above-mentioned Pond 10 and Pond 11 that outfalls to an existing canal which ultimately outfalls to the St. Johns River. Pond 10 & Pond 11 were established by Grissom Road Project which was permitted under the SJRWMD ERP Permit # 16250. While Basin Pre Urban South and Urban North consists of the onsite area and residential area. Basin Pre North South outfalls to canal via roadside ditches via storm sewer system which discharges into St. Johns River. Currently there is no stormwater treatment for the conveyance system within the Grissom Parkway Corridor from Basin Pre Urban South and Basin Pre Urban North.

4.1.9 Geotechnical Data

Geotechnical borings were performed by Ardaman and Associates, Inc. to obtain a general sampling of existing soil profiles, soil composition, normal and wet season water table estimations, and evidence of significant deleterious materials such as muck, clay, etc. Generally speaking, the Grissom Parkway corridor the estimated normal seasonal high groundwater level at the boring locations is approximately 2 to 2 ½ feet above the groundwater levels . Typical water table elevations are shown for each auger boring location in the tables included in the attached report, Direct connection to existing intersecting drainage ditches allows for fairly rapid recovery of the existing stormwater conveyance swales and ditches after storm events. Please refer to Appendix #2 for the Geotechnical Engineering Report prepared by Ardaman and Associates, Inc.

4.1.10 FEMA Flood Plain

The project is located on Grissom Parkway, north of Brevard County from the south of Port St. John Parkway Intersection to Fay Boulevard. As stated above the project is bisected by a drainage canal which receives treated stormwater from Pond 10 and Pond 11 from Grissom Parkway corridor. The canal will be impacted by a 100-year storm. The established FEMA Flood Zones for the site are reflected on the exhibit shown below and on the next page. Several portions of the corridor lies in Zone A and outside of the FEMA 100-year flood zone. The FEMA Flood Plain Maps for the project corridor are shown on the next two pages.

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4.1.11 Accident Data

In the last five years there were 117 recorded incidents within the Grissom Parkway corridor between Port St. John Parkway and Fay Boulevard. Most of the collisions occurred at or very close to an intersection, with the intersection of Grissom Parkway and Fay Boulevard having the greatest number of accidents.

The second highest incidents occurred at the intersection of Port St. John Parkway and Grissom Parkway. The crash type with the highest frequency occurred at right-turn collisions, with the second highest being left- turn collisions. Please refer to the detailed Traffic Study Report prepared by LTG), included in Appendix #3, for more detailed information regarding the crash history along the Grissom Parkway Corridor

4.1.12 Intersections & Signalization

The following intersections are signalized within the Grissom Parkway corridor;

• Port St John Parkway

• Fay Boulevard

The following is a list of the existing unsignalized intersections that were analyzed as part of the traffic study prepared by LTG.

• Bridge Road

• Miramar Street

• Carrick Road

All of the above signalized and unsignalized intersections were analyzed in the LTG study, attached as Appendix #3. Please refer to this study for detailed information concerning existing traffic counts and levels of service.

4.1.13 Existing Lighting

There are streetlights located at the intersections of Grissom Parkway and

Fay Boulevard, and Grissom Parkway and Port St. Johns Parkway. For the

Fay Boulevard intersection, there are 4 streetlights located on each signal pole on each corner. For Port St John

Parkway intersection, there are two streetlights on the existing signal poles.

Street Lighting at Fay Boulevard

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4.1.14 Utilities

There are utilities located within and adjacent to the Grissom Parkway Corridor.

Utilities services such as electric power, tv cable, telephone and watermains are prevalent throughout the corridor; starting north of Bridge Rd to the end of the project. All utilities are within the

County’s right of way. Please refer to the Existing Conditions plan sheets contained in the engineering plan documents for detailed information obtained to date regarding the location of existing utilities. Additional utility location verification will be required during the final design phase

(designations and SUE locates).

4.1.15 Pavement Conditions

Generally speaking, the pavement condition within the Grissom Parkway corridor is in good condition. Throughout the corridor there are various pavement sections that were constructed. Both minor and moderate pavement cracking were observed during the field review.

The soil cement base encountered along the project had signs of deteriorating.

Pavement core C-1 is well cemented from a depth of 3 ¾ inches to approximately 5 ¼ inches below the asphalt surface. However, the underlying soil cement base in pavement core C-1 appeared to be poorly cemented and broke apart (when light hand pressure was applied). In pavement core C-3, the soil cement base appeared to be poorly cemented over its entire depth. The soil cement base encountered in pavement core C-5 appeared to be well cemented in the top 6 inches of base material, and poorly cemented in the underlying 6 inches. The following table list the pavement cores performed for this study:

Existing Overhead Electric and Power Poles

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4.2 Environmental Characteristics

4.2.1 Existing Habitats and Landscape Features

The project corridor is generally divided into two distinct sections when considering environmental characteristics and existing conditions. The south section, from the east-west drainage ditch to the southern project limits, has no surrounding development adjacent to the roadway. Natural communities consisting of uplands and wetlands are located along both the east and west sides of Grissom Parkway, with desirable habitat for various wildlife species. There is a wide grassed shoulder in this area that also provides habitat for some species.

In some areas, surrounding native vegetation has expanded into the right-of-way limits and there are trees and shrubs along the perimeter. The north section, from Fay Boulevard to the existing east-west drainage ditch, is completely developed into medium density residential housing. This area has no remaining natural communities and therefore, no environmental concerns. These conditions are further discussed in Appendix #1 of this report.

Core

ID

Lane

Asphaltic Concrete Thickness (inches)

Base Material Thickness (inches)

Apparent Base Material

Type

C-1 Southbound 3¾ 12 Soil Cement

C-2 Northbound 3½ 5½ Coquina

C-3 Southbound 3⅛ 11⅞ Soil Cement

C-4 Northbound 6⅜ 5⅝ Coquina

C-5 Southbound 5 12 Soil Cement

C-6 Northbound 4⅝ 9⅜ Coquina

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5.0 Preliminary Design Analysis and Recommendations

General Corridor Improvement Recommendations

Section 3.0 Project Need, outlines general corridor improvement recommendations:

• Widen Grissom Parkway to accommodate a 4-lane divided roadway with appropriate turn lane and signalization at major intersections.

• Construct open drainage system from the beginning of the project to the intersection with Port St. John. From north of this intersection, construct curb and gutter inlets that out fall directly to an open drainage swale within the right-of-way. North of Bridge Road construct a closed drainage system, consisting of curb and gutters, inlet structures, and piping from Bridge Road to Fay Bouvard.

• Construct sufficient pedestrian and bicycle facilities, with special consideration given to nearby schools and other points of interest.

The above recommendations for roadway improvements were supported primarily by a detailed traffic analysis prepared by LTG, which is attached as Appendix # 3.

5.2 Design Speed

Per the FDOT Florida Greenbook; The “Design speed is a selected speed used to determine the various geomatic design features of the street. Selection of an appropriate design speed must consider the anticipated operating speed, topography, existing and future adjacent land use and functional classification. Consideration must also be given to pedestrian and bicycle usage.

Many critical roadway design features such as sight distance and curvature are directly related to design speed. For this reason, the selected design speed should be consistent with the speeds that drivers are likely to expect on a given street or highway facility.

The design speed shall not be less than the expected posted speed. Once the design speed is selected, all pertinent highway features are related to it.”

The existing posted speed limits on Grissom Road (south to north) are as follows:

Port St John to Bridge Road - 45 mph Bridge Rd to Fay Boulevard - 35 mph

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These posted speed limits have been in effect for an extended period of time and drivers are used to them. A curb and gutter urban section must be utilized for the corridor in areas where the right-of-way width is constrained and to meet clear zone requirements.

The maximum allowable design speed for raised curb and gutter is 45 mph. (per FDOT design standards).

The existing roadway corridor on Grissom Parkway is currently divided into two zones:

the rural section to the south and the urban section to the north. The rural zone was originally designed with a 60-mph design speed. This existing segment contexts allows motorist to drive at the design speed, or at higher speeds. The urban section was designed utilizing a 35-mph design speed.

Our proposed corridor will be divided into three zones: the rural, suburban and urban sections. The first zone will be the rural section and will be redesigned with a design speed of 50 mph. This will match the existing posted speed limit in this section This will also help reduce the superelevation transition rate and will help to slow the traffic speed down prior to the intersection of Port St. John Parkway. The second zone will be a suburban zone and will be designed with a 45-mph design speed. The suburban zone will be a transitional section from the higher speed rural section to the lower speed urban section. The purpose of second zone is to help prepare the drivers to slow down before entering the condensed urban section. This section will also provide visual cues with the addition of regulatory signs, such as Reduced Speed Ahead and the possible addition of rumble strips. These measure will help inform drivers to reduce their speed before entering the urban zone (Zone 3). The posted speed in the suburban zone will be 45 mph matching the existing posting speed. See figures in the following pagesfor speed transition zones:

Design Criteria

DRMP developed the design criteria for the reconstruction sections (suburban and urban). The design criteria is based on the latest FDOT FDM and the Florida Greenbook. Table (5.1) and (5.2) below shows the design criteria:

5.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

As stated previously, there is a substantial need to establish a continuous bicycle/pedestrian system within the Grissom Parkway corridor. Currently, there are existing sidewalk along the east and west side of Grissom Parkway (from Fay Boulevard to Bridge Road).

We recommend the inclusion of an 8-foot-wide sidewalks along both sides of the corridor, in as many locations as possible. The pedestrian facilities must meet the

P a g e 24 | 32 requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Florida Accessibility Code (FAC). At the signalized intersections, appropriate pedestrian signal features and curb ramps will be included and are shown on the 30% plans referenced herein. Appropriate sidewalk ramping, detectible warning surfaces and crosswalk striping will be provided at all intersections and curb connections to side streets.

5.4 Typical Section Alternatives and Cost Estimates

5.4.1 Typical Section Alternatives: from Port St. John Parkway to Bridge

Road

DRMP reviewed and evaluated three typical section alternatives for the roadway segment between Port St. John Parkway and Bridge Road. The typical section will be constructed within the County’s existing right of way for all of the proposed alternatives. We have evaluated the pros and cons for each typical section and compared the cost estimate for each alternative. We also reviewed the original DRMP plans from 1988. Grissom Parkway was originally designed as a two-lane rural section that could be widened to a future four-lane rural section. Findings and comparisons are listed below for each alternative.

• Alternative #1 (Rural Section): This typical section alternative is based on constructing a 4-lane rural typical section with 10’ unpaved inside shoulder and 8’ outside shoulder with 5’ paved. This alternative matches the original four-lane rural section design of the project proposed back in 1988. The existing drainage ditch along the west side of the roadway will remain with minor adjustments and regraded where needed. A new drainage ditch will be constructed along the east side of the new travel lanes. The design speed will be based on 50 MPH and the posted speed limit remaining at 45 MPH. Our intent is to maintain the existing posted speed limits along the project. The pedestrian features will be constructed closer to the right of way on both sides, to provide continuous paths for pedestrian from Port St. John Parkway to Fay Boulevard. This alternative is cost effective, however, maintaining the rural section will not help in reducing the driving speed in this transitional segment of roadway; which enters the residential area with a school zone. Several speed management measures can be implemented to help reduce the driving speed such as reducing the lane width to 11’ and adding speed reduction signs.

• Alternative #2 (Urban Section): This typical section alternative is based on constructing a 4-lane urban typical section with type “E” curb in the median.

The design speed will be based on 45 MPH and posted speed limit will remain at 45 MPH. The 4-lane urban section will provide consistency with the residential area of the corridor and also help reduce the driving speed due to the urban features presented. The pedestrian features will be constructed

P a g e 25 | 32 closer to the right of way on both sides. However, this alternative will cost more to construct because a closed drainage system will be needed to convey the storm water from the roadway pavement to the treatment ponds. A comparative construction cost estimate is provided in Appendix #5

• Alternative #3 (Suburban Section): This typical section alternative is based on constructing a 4-lane suburban typical section, with 4’ inside paved shoulder and 6’6” outside shoulder with type “F” curb in each direction. This option will provide the urban context in this transition segment which will help in reducing the driving speed. The existing drainage ditch along the west side of the roadway will be maintained and new ditch will be constructed along the east side of the new travel lanes. A closed drainage system will be needed to convey the storm water from the roadway pavement to a drainage swale, and then to the existing treatment ponds. The pedestrian features will be constructed close to the right of way. This alternative costs is increased over the rural alternative. It is the best alternative to transition between the rural section to the urban section. However, this alternative will cost more to construct because the addition of curb and gutter, asphalt pavement and the need for a closed drainage system to convey the storm water from the roadway pavement, to drainage ditches and then to the treatment ponds. A comparative construction cost estimate is provided Appendix #5

• Cost Estimate

A rough construction cost estimate has been prepared for the three alternatives for comparison purposes. We also compared the major construction items that resulted in the difference between the three typical sections. The cost estimates were developed based on the FDOT long range estimate for the current fiscal year.

Typical Section

Segment Length

Total Construction Cost

Pavement and Embankment Cost

Drainage Cost

Alternative #1 (Rural Section)

0.55 miles

$1,767,983 $1,158,277 $186,384

Alternative #2 (Urban Section)

0.55 miles

$3,181,825 $1,127045 $845,792

Alternative #3 (Sub- Urban Section)

0.55 miles

$2,956,102 $1,731,610 $485,313

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From the cost estimate above, the urban section is the highest among the three sections. The suburban cost estimate is relatively close. The rural section is the lowest cost alternative. However, it does not function as well in reducing drivers speed or improving safety while entering into the highly urbanized section.

Recommendation:

It is our recommendation to construct a suburban typical section for this roadway segment. This alternative will provide the urban features that can help in reducing the driving speed and make the transition smoother for the drivers as they travel from a very rural portion south of Port St. John Parkway intersection to more of a lower-speed residential area as they drive north toward Bridge Road.

5.4.2 Typical Section Alternatives: from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard

Our recommendation at this segment is to reconstruct the existing two-lane rural section to a four-lane urban section. This section will match the typical section on Fay Boulevard and will fit within the 100’ wide existing right of way. A closed storm water drainage system will be constructed for this segment. See figures next page for the proposed typical sections:

5.5 Intersections and Access Management

The following recommendations are based upon the traffic study prepared by LTG and are intended as summarization of their findings. Please refer to the LTG’s Traffic Study attached as Appendix 3 for a more detailed explanation and analysis.

Crash Data Analysis

The last five years of available crash data was analyzed. The results are summarized below.

• There were 117 recorded incidents within the corridor limits studied. The majority of the incidents occurred within the influence of an intersection.

• The intersection of Grissom Parkway and Fay Boulevard experienced the greatest number of crashes, with the intersection of Grissom Parkway and Port St. John Parkway experiencing the second highest crash occurrences in the corridor.

• The majority of the incidents that occurred within the corridor influence area of an intersection are correctable with auxiliary turn lane provision and improved access management control.

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5.5.2 Signalized Intersections

Currently there are 2 signalized intersections along Grissom Parkway Corridor.

One at Port St. John Parkway and one at Fay Boulevard. As part of the Grissom Parkway Corridor improvements, they will be modified as needed to accommodate the proposed 4-lane divided roadway and intersection improvements; primarily including additional turn-lane improvements. Please see Section 7-Table 16 of the LTG traffic study for the future auxiliary lane recommendations for the intersection of Grissom Parkway with Port St. John Parkway and Fay Boulevard. These recommendations were based upon updated traffic volumes and whether the turn lane improvements will be sufficient to accommodate the projected traffic volumes under the Build Conditions for 2045.

The intersection recommendations are listed below:

Grissom Parkway at Port St. John Parkway:

• Add an eastbound left-turn lane (dual lefts).

• Make southbound right turn channelized and free.

• Four-lane Grissom Parkway south of Port St. John Parkway within the intersection’s influence area.

• Optimize splits.

Grissom Parkway at Fay Boulevard:

• Add an eastbound right-turn lane.

• Restripe the existing eastbound through-right shared lane as a dedicated through lane.

• Add a westbound left-turn lane (dual lefts).

• Make northbound right turn channelized and yield controlled,

• Four-lane Fay Boulevard north of Grissom Parkway within the intersection’s influence area.

• Optimize splits.

5.5.3 Access management

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Access Management Design Criteria was utilized to determine the appropriate driveway connection spacing, median opening spacing and traffic signal spacing throughout the Grissom Parkway Corridor.

P a g e 28 | 32

The selected alternatives chosen for Grissom Parkway, from Port St. John Parkway to Bridge Road, is a suburban four-lane divided suburban roadway which will have an Access Management Classification 3 (restrictive). The selected alternatives chosen for Grissom Parkway, and from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard, is a five-lane urban undivided roadway with Access Management Classification 6 (non-restrictive). The Access Management design criteria for both Access Class 3 and Access Class 6 is listed below:

The LTG Traffic Study recommends a future roundabout at the intersection of Grissom Parkway and Bridge Road. A 4-lane roundabout requires a very large footprint to build. The Florida Greenbook and section C.8.b.6 and NCHRP guide 1043 recommended an inscribed circle diameter (ICD) between 140 ft to 180 ft for multilane roundabout for design vehicle WB-62, we assumed an Inscribed circle of 150 ft in the feasibility study in Appendix #6 of this report. This would impact the 4 residential properties to construct at this intersection. This would also require right-of-way acquisition of these properties for this project. The proposed roadway improvements currently do not require right-of-way acquisition along the project corridor. This will increase both the cost of the project and the project schedule. We recommend that this intersection be treated as a full median opening with turn lanes added on Grissom Road for left turning movements onto Bridge Road.

Additional full median access is proposed at the intersections of Grissom Parkway and Miramar Street and Carrick Road. One future directional median opening is proposed in the roadway segment between Port St John Parkway and Bridge Road. These recommendations are intended to provide the safest possible access to and from Grissom Parkway. Figure below was provided by LTG for Access management.

5.5.4 U-turn Movements

The addition of access management measures needs to provide for a reasonable driving distance and available space to make a U-turn to access restricted driveways. DRMP reviewed the addition of a 15-foot raised median, with median openings, as an access management alternative along Grissom Parkway; from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard with an Access Management Classification 6 (non-

P a g e 29 | 32 restrictive). We ran the AutoTURN design software along this section of Grissom Parkway to test if a U-turning movement was possible with a passenger car at the suggested median openings and turn lanes. We determined that there wasn’t enough pavement width for the passenger car to make a U-turn (Figure below).

The proposed median, median openings and turn lanes per this alternative scenario did not work because U-turns cannot be made to the access the residentials driveways. There was also not enough room for additional pavement width to accommodate the U-turning movement. A bidirectional turn lane is proposed for this section of roadway to provide access to the residential driveway.

The intersections will be striped to provide for turn lanes at the residential streets.

5.6 Horizontal Alignment and Right-of-Way

Based upon the general corridor improvement recommendations and the typical sections the proposed widening and the proposed typical section will fit in within the existing right of way. We do not anticipate that permanent right-of-way acquisition will be required for this project.

The proposed typical section between Port St. John Parkway and Bridge Road. will fit within the existing 200’ of right of way. The proposed urban typical section between Bridge Road and Fay Boulevard will fit within the existing 100’ right of way.

Temporary and/or permanent construction easement may be needed at the intersections of Grissom Parkway and Bridge Road, and Grissom Parkway and Fay Boulevard.

Easements will be identified at the final design phase of this project.

5.7 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

As stated previously, there is a substantial need to establish a continuous bicycle/pedestrian system within the Grissom Parkway corridor. Currently, there are limited areas that have a continuous bicycle/pedestrian facility which accommodates bicyclist and pedestrian travel (Sidewalk exists from Bridge Road to Fay Boulevard).

Challenger 7 Elementary School is located east of Grissom Parkway on Miramar St.

The school has access for students walking or riding their bikes on an existing 5-foot wide sidewalk on both Miramar Street and Rena Avenue. There is a defined need to provide appropriate bicycle/pedestrian facilities for the entire length of the proposed Grissom Parkway corridor. These improvements are needed along both sides of Grissom Parkway due to the volume of children utilizing this corridor to travel to and from school.