Challenge
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and its partner agencies needed to identify immediate and short-term infrastructure requirements to seamlessly connect pedestrians and bicyclists to central Florida’s SunRail commuter rail stations.
Solution
Through coordination between the Kittelson team and local government agencies, we identified and prioritized critical ped/bike connectivity projects to improve transit connectivity within one-half mile of each SunRail station. This included conducting field screenings of critical locations to observe operation and safety characteristics and to identify potential countermeasures and solutions, leading field assessment groups made up of stakeholders to survey each area, and coordinating a diverse, intergovernmental evaluation team to identify ped/bike improvements and prepare individual station area reports. We collaborated with relevant jurisdictions to solidify a complete list of ped/bike improvement projects within each station area and prioritize projects into maintenance-level, short-term, and long-term categories. We also worked with FDOT and local governments to include applicable short-term projects in grant applications and to determine the feasibility of other short- and long-term projects on State facilities.
The Outcome
From Walking to Biking to SunRail-ing
Following prioritization and evaluation, the ped/bike connectivity projects are advancing through the project development process in coordination with local government agencies. These improvements would increase transit accessibility to and from the half-mile station area’s key attractors and generators of transit riders (e.g., large employers, schools, community centers, etc.); increase pedestrian and bicycling connectivity to and from the stations; and incorporate overall urban design techniques that would support walkability, such as building frontages and providing shade.
