Community Friendly Arterial:Redesigning Urban ArterialsTo Support Redevelopment Initiatives

This case study shows how balancing community character, access to local retail, and regional mobility can lead to efficient infrastructure investments that support redevelopment and reuse. Glatting Jackson worked with the City of Winter Park, Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to develop a design plan for Orlando Avenue (US 17/92), a five-lane regional arterial that serves as a community street for local businesses and residents. The solution acknowledges regional transportation needs while providing access to businesses and addressing safety concerns of pedestrians and cyclists. Through a combination of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, new local roadways, streetscape improvements, and access management, the design promotes redevelopment, reduces travel delays, and improves safety. Unique from conventional FDOT projects, the Orlando Avenue project encouraged the department to work outside the conventional process to create a context-sensitive design. Through an integrated urban design and transportation solution, FDOT and the City of Winter Park redefined “access management” by identifying a number of driveway consolidations, cross access easements, roadway connections, and new parallel roadways. To reduce delays at major intersections while supporting local redevelopment, FDOT agreed to construct a network of local roads designed to leverage redevelopment. As part of the partnership, the City of Winter Park agreed to construct other local investments, such as parallel roadways and bicycle facilities.