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Highlands County Feasibility Study Public Meeting September 17, 2024

FPID #: 449503-1

WHY A HIGHLANDS COUNTY FEASIBILITY STUDY

Regional Growth

• Centrally located between major metropolitan areas
• Proactively planning to accommodate future growth

Safety and Mobility Challenges

• Increased truck traffic
• oConflicts with pedestrians/bicycles
• Limited evacuation and detour routes

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FEASIBILITY STUDY

DISTRICT ONE

Highlands County FEASIBILITY STUDY FPID: 449503-1

SEPTEMBER 2024 DRAFT

Scope:

US 27 from CR 17 to SR 17 in Highlands County

Assess need for future improvements within Highlands County with a focus on:

Safety to identify high crash locations

Traffic to evaluate capacity additions

Freight movement

Alternative route for detours and evacuation Local plan review to ensure consistency

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Highlands County Feasibility Study Findings

POPULATION TRENDS

Highlands County is expected to see a 54% increase in population.

SAFETY FREIGHT

EVACUATION/DETOURS

12 miles of US 27 have crash rates above the statewide rate.

US 27 serves as a major freight corridor carrying up to 43% truck traffic. EVACUATION ROUTE

Limited parallel facilities to US 27 exist. Potential 67-minute detour to the nearest alternative route. TRAFFIC CONGESTION

TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Multiple segments of US 27 have more vehicles (up to 20% more) than can be accommodated.

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FUTURE YEAR BUILD OUT CONSIDERATIONS

• Portions of US 27 will be at or near capacity in 2045
• oIncreased truck traffic
• Adding lanes to US 27 will not fix the problem:
• oNew development will erode capacity initially gained from additional lanes
• oImpacts up to 304 parcels
• oEstimated project cost: $120 million

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SAFETY

• Most crashes are in urbanized areas (Sebring and Avon Park)
• The fatal crash percentage is four times the national average
• oLack of continuous bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure identified as a contributing factor
• Projected crashes with an additional lane:

TOTAL CRASHES DOWN

WRONG-WAY CRASHES UP PEDESTRIAN CRASHES UP

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EVACUATION AND DETOURS

• Regional transportation network does not have the capacity to handle evacuation traffic
• Lengthy detours if portions of US 27 are closed

DETOUR AND EVACUATION ROUTES

DETOUR 1: SR 64 TO SR 66

Additional Travel Time (mins) 30

Additional Distance (miles) 30.7

DETOUR 2: US 98 TO SR 70

Additional Travel Time (mins) 60

Additional Distance (miles) 55.6

DETOUR 3: SR 70 TO SR 31 to CR 74

Additional Travel Time (mins) 67

Additional Distance (miles) 58.9

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FEASIBILITY STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS

SEPTEMBER 2024 DRAFT

FEASIBILITY STUDY > RECOMMENDATIONS

The need for the project is based on:

LAND USE CHANGES

TRAFFIC CONGESTION

SAFETY

PD&E Study from SR 66 to US 98

FEASIBILITY STUDY > RECOMMENDATIONS

The need for the project is based on:

NETWORK RESILIENCY

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

FREIGHT MOBILITY

PD&E Study from SR 70 to SR 66

FEASIBILITY STUDY > RECOMMENDATIONS

祝 🌙 🎉

Identify operational improvements on US 27

Integrated adjacent project coordination

Setup for future change in character

Mobility Analysis

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Community Engagement

September – 2024

Highlands County Feasibility Study Public Meeting:

• In Person – September 17^{th}
• Virtual – September 19^{th}

November 2024 – May 2025

PD&E Study from SR 66 to US 98

Visioning Workshops

• In Person & Virtual
• Four Locations: Two PD&Es & Two Mobility Analysis Visioning Workshops

PD&E Study from SR 70 to SR 66

Workshop Locations

Lake Wales

Sebring

Wauchula

Arcadia

Mobility Analysis

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Next Steps

PD&E SR 70 to SR 66 Visioning Workshop In-Person - November 19, 2024 Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan St, Arcadia, FL 34266

Virtual Self-Guided - November 20 – December 4, 2024

PD&E SR 66 to US 98 Visioning Workshop ☐ In-Person / Virtual – Early 2025 (Location and Dates: TBD)

Mobility Analysis Visioning Workshops ☐ In-Person / Virtual – Spring 2025 (Location and Dates: TBD)

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For Project Information Contact:

David Long, Project Manager (813) 334-7056 David.Long@dot.state.fl.us Project Website: https://www.swflroads.com/proj

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