Challenge

The Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida metropolitan area has consistently ranked high as a dangerous area for pedestrians by Smart Growth America in their report, Dangerous by Design. Aware of the safety, mobility, and economic challenges, the Space Coast Transportation Organization (SCTPO) wants to be more proactive in ensuring the health, safety, and welfare for all users within their transportation infrastructure.

Solution

The SCTPO has been investing in safety and mobility alternatives by implementing a complete streets program, the goal of which is to improve safety, increase travel options, and support economic development. Kittelson has been instrumental in helping SCTPO achieve this goal through the following phases:

• Phase 1: Beginning in 2011, Kittelson worked with the SCTPO to facilitate a series of workshops on how to better engage local municipalities on a county-wide complete streets vision; develop policy language; and program $18 million of funding for complete streets projects. Kittelson developed an evaluation methodology for identifying high priority complete streets projects that could be built within a short time frame. As a result of this series of training, the SCTPO and all 16 Brevard municipalities have adopted complete street policies.
• Phase 2: For the selected projects, Kittelson completed five complete streets feasibility studies to recommend design elements that create a complete street that supports the safety and comfort of all users of the roadway. The products included typical sections by block, conceptual plan in CADD, draft design scope, and cost estimates.
• Phase 3: Working with both the SCTPO and the City of Melbourne, FL, the Kittelson Team began an iterative planning and design approach for the implementation of one of the complete street projects: Hickory Street.