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Home My WebLink About2007 05 14 Informational 101 Seminole Expressway COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 101 CONSENT INFORMATIONAL X PUBLIC HEARING REGULAR May 14, 2007 Meeting MGR r /DEPT /# Authorization REQUEST: Public Works Department providing the City Commission with information regarding the Seminole Expressway (SR 417) widening project PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the City Commission with information regarding the Seminole Expressway (SR 417) widening project CONSIDERATIONS: . Florida's Turnpike recently completed a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study for the proposed widening of the Seminole Expressway (SR 417) from 4-lanes to 8- lanes from the Orange/Seminole County line to the Rinehart Road interchange. The PD&E study process consists of the analysis of roadway typical section alternatives, an assessment of alternatives to improve the existing interchanges, and an evaluation of the potential social, natural, and physical environmental effects associated with the proposed roadway widening. . City Staff attended a Public Hearing for the project held on April 17, 2007. A copy ofthe Turnpike's newsletter for the hearing is attached for reference. . A Noise Study was completed as a part of the PD&E Study by the Turnpike's engineering consultant, PBS&J. The Noise Study is a concern due to the proximity of several City subdivisions to the Expressway, including Chelsea Woods, Eagle's Watch, and Chestnut Estates. . The results of the noise study are summarized as follows, based on information presented and discussed at the April 17 Public Hearing: o A sound wall will not be provided along the west side of the Seminole Expressway where the roadway is adjacent to the City of Winter Springs. o The Noise Study concluded that portions of the west side of the Expressway meet all technical criteria for warranting a sound wall; however, it does not meet the minimum criteria set by FDOT for being cost effective. Informational Agenda Item 10 I May 14,2007 Page2of2 o According to PBS&J, the maximum allowable cost per beneficiary for a sound wall is $35,000. The impacted City subdivisions bordering the Seminole Expressway do not have a high enough density to meet this cost criteria. o The City of Oviedo subdivision directly opposite of Chelsea Woods on the east side of the Expressway has a higher density and a sound wall is planned along this side. · City Staff formally requested as a part of the Public Hearing record that a sound wall be approved for the project along the west side of SR 417 from SR 434 to the southern boundary of the City limits just south of Winter Springs Boulevard. Staff also requested and received copies of the draft noise study report and the presentation from the public hearing. · The Seminole Expressway widening is not currently funded for design and construction. According to the Turnpike, the earliest the project design and construction could be funded is 2013. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Seminole Expressway Widening Newsletter, March 2007 2. Letter from Florida's Turnpike Enterprise dated May 4,2007 COMMISSION ACTION: " NUMBER: 41 7545-1 This newsletter is the second and final issue of the public information newsletters for the proposed widening of t Seminole Expressway (SR 417) from the Orange County Line (MP 38) to the Rinehart Road Interchange (MP 54). .", P1a~~l~~'iJf ~~~~~ijyg~ The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, initiated a Project Development and Envi- ronment (PD&E) Study in November 2005 to develop and evaluate potential improvements to the Seminole Expressway from the Orange County line to the Rinehart Road Interchange. Traffic projections have indicated that this roadway will need to be widened up to eight lanes to meet future traffic needs. The original PD&E Study conducted for the Seminole Expressway was approved for a six-lane facility. The objective of this Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study is to provide the information necessary for the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise to reach a decision on the type, design, and location of potential improvements to an ultimate eight-lane configuration in an effort to enhance mobility, accommodate expected traffic needs, and improve overall safety along the study corridor. The study process consists of the development and analysis of roadway typical section alternatives for the eight-lane configuration, an assessment of alternatives to improve the existing interchanges and an evaluation of any potential social, natural, and physical environmental effects associated with proposed improvements. This project newsletter summarizes the project status for the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study and provides advance notification ofthe upcoming Public Hearing scheduled for April 17, 2007. ~~~lE.~1F iS~~)f' ,~~~~) The Seminole Expressway is a major urban express- way that serves as the northeast segment of the metro- politan Orlando Beltway System linking the Central Florida GreeneWay (SR 417) in Orange County to Interstate 4 (1-4) in northern Seminole County. The existing limited access facility is a four-lane, north- south toll road throughout the study area. This study involves evaluating the widening of the Seminole Expressway to eight lanes from the Orange County line (MP 38) to the Rinehart Road interchange (MP 54), a distance of approximately 16 miles. There are seven interchanges within the study area including interchanges at A10ma Avenue, Red Bug Lake Road, SR 434, CR 427/Lake Mary Boulevard, US 17/92 (Airport Boulevard), CR 46A and Rinehart Road. The Lake Jesup Toll Plaza, located north of Lake Jesup between SR 434 and CR 427, is the only mainline toll plaza within the project limits and is currently under design to incorporate express toll lanes as part of a separate contract. Improvements to the existing inter- changes and ramp toll plazas were reviewed as part of this PD&E Study. i - Pr-~ct Locatio/( ftfa; . '~'~~:'..IY~'L' w~ i:::.;~(" Intd;cIi' de~,.~*1b; ac~~Mate the proposed widening, to address the future traffic needs and to enhance safety and mobility along the study corridor. These interchange concepts were evaluated to determine the viability of each concept based on several factors includ- ing potential natural and environmental effects, , constructability and cost. These viable interchange alterna- tives were presented at the Public Information Meeting held on October 12,2006. Based on the evaluation of these alternatives and the public input received at the Public Information Meeting and throughout this PD&E Study, a Preferred Alternative has been developed to enhance mobility, accommodate the projected traffic needs, and improve overall safety along the study corridor. The Preferred Alternative will be presented at the upcoming Public Hearing and will be refined based on public input received at the Public Hearing. POTENTIAL EFFECTS _. ,.... .._ d.__, An evaluation of potential social, natural and physical envi- ronmental effects associated with the Preferred Alternative was conducted as part of this PD&E Study. The results of this evaluation will be presented at the Public Hearing. The majority of the proposed improvements will be constructed within the existing right-of-way. Therefore, the potential effects of the proposed improvement to the surrounding environment have been minimized. No businesses or residences are anticipated to be displaced or relocated as a result of the proposed improvements. P UI3L.IC INVdL.:V:I::IVIE::Ni' A Public Information Meeting was held on October 12,2006 to discuss the project status and to offer interested individu- als the opportunity to provide comments. Florida's Turnpike Enterprise remains committed to working with all project stakeholders throughout the remainder of this PD&E Study. Turnpike representatives have made presentations on the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E study to various agencies and groups including the City of Oviedo, the Friends of Lake Jesup, Seminole County and METROPLAN Orlando. The meetings held with METRO PLAN Orlando included presentations to the Board and to each of the com- mittees including the Bicycle/ Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Citizens' Advisory Committee, the Municipal Advisory Commit- tee and the Transportation Techni- cal Committee. Station Rd Gl ~ <:: e Gl E '" u PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULEQ The Florida Department of Transportation, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, invites you to participate in the Public Hearing for the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study. Formal notification letters will be sent to property owners within the study area approximately twenty-one days in advance of the Public Hearing. The Public Hearing will be held on Tuesday, April!7, 2007, from 6:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. at tbe Sanford Civic Center Auditorium, 401 East Seminole Boulevard, Sanford, Florida 32771. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to provide residents, home- owners, business owners and other concerned persons the opportunity to review project information and to contribute to the decision making process by providing comments. The Preferred Alternative, as well as other project information, will be on display at the Public Hearing. A formal presenta- tion will be conducted at 7:00 PM to provide an overview of the project status. Study representatives will be available during the informal portion of the Public Hearing, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and following the formal presentation to discuss project concerns and answer questions. Your input is very important and we encourage you to attend the Public Hearing and share your comments. PRQ....ECT DEVELOPMENT. & ENVIRONMENT STUDY 6/&til1 7#IICo.l S'eetiol( f lCONSTRuaJON I The existing typical section includes two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction separated by a 64-foot median. Paved shoulders are adjacent to the inside and outside travel lanes. P~/().f'ed 7#IICo.l S'eetiol( (6~L().I(e) The original PD&E Study was approved for a six-lane facility. The six-lane typical section involves widening the roadway to the inside 19 feet, closing the median, and constructing a concrete barrier wall to provide a physical separation of opposing travel lanes. The concrete barrier wall will be continuous with intermittent openings for emergency and authorized vehicles only. P~jJ(}.f'ed 7#IICo.l S'eetiolf (8-L().I(e) This PD&E Study evaluated the widening of the Seminole Expressway from six lanes to eight lanes. Construction of the eight-lane widening will be phased, by segment, as traffic demand increases. The eight-lane typical section is accomplished by widening to the outside of the six-lane typical section. The proposed widening will be accomplished within the existing right-of-way to minimize potential effects to the social, natural and physical environments. Right-of-way may be required for interchange improvements. SR417 SEMINOLE EXPRESSWAY WIDENING rFLO-RID~~~l ~I I~~[ . ENTERPRISE i. L:_~__, (Jgefafes fh~ statewide Turnpike System ~s part ~f the FIQr/{i~ {)epartment Ii! !fanspo;!ilril1r. CH,ARlIE CRIST Governor STEPHANIE C. KOPELOUSOS Secretary of Transportation JAMES L. ElY Executive Director Turnpike Headquarters: Mile Post 253. Bldg. 5315 Turkey lake Service Plaia Ocoee. Fl 34761 Mailing Address P.O Box 513059 OCQee, FL 347S1 Tel: 401.532.3999 www.n(lrldasturnpike.com May 4, 2007 Brian Fields, P.E. City Engineer City of Winter Springs 1126 East State Road 434 Winter Springs, FL 32708 Subject: Response to Public Hearing Record Comment Seminole Expressway Widening Project Development & Environment (PD&E) Study From MP 38 to MP 54 Financial Project 10 Number: 417545-1 Seminole County, Florida Dear Mr. Fields: The Florida's Turnpike Enterprise would like to thank you for your interest in the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study. We received your email dated April 24, 2007 in response to the Public Hearing held on April 17, 2007 and would like to take this opportunity to respond to your concerns. The locations of the recommended noise wall areas on the concept plans displayed at the Public Hearing reflect the results of the Noise Study that was conducted in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations Title 23, Part 772, Procedures for Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise and Construction Noise using methodology established by the Florida Department of Transportation (FOOT) in the Project Development and Environment Manual, Part 2, Chapter 17 (FOOT, October 2003). During the formal presentation at the Public Hearing, it was communicated that the recommended noise wall areas are the only locations where noise walls meet the minimum requirements to be considered reasonable and feasible. This PD&E Noise Study was conducted to determine where noise impacts occurred for the 8-lane widening of the Seminoles Expressway. At the locations where traffic noise levels met or exceeded criteria a determination of feasibility and cost reasonableness of noise walls was determined. The locations of the residential areas that met all noise abatement criteria are outlined in the Noise Study Report. The final locations and dimensions of noise walls at these residential areas will be determined during the design phase of this 8-lane widening project. Florida's Turnpike Enterprise will document the commitment to finalize the design of these noise walls as part of the Final State Environmental Impact Report for the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study. Florida's TurnpikE> System: Florida's Turnpike Mainline. Beeline West. Homestead Ex!. Polk Pkwy. Sawgrass Expwy . Southern Connector Ex!. . Suncoast Pkwy. Veterans Expwy. Please note that your comments will be included in the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study official public hearing record. A copy of the Noise Study Report and the Public Hearing presentation is enclosed per your request. Additionally, if you would like more information regarding the traffic noise evaluation process, the Turnpike Enterprise noise video is located on the following internet link under Traveler Information (htto://www.floridasturnoike.comD. Should you have further questions regarding the Seminole Expressway Widening PD&E Study, please contact Henry Pinzon, Project Manager, at (407) 264-3803. Sincerely, /;' ' ibdL) tvL; Catherine J. Bradley, P.E. Interim Manager, Environmental Management Office CB/HP/cc Enclosure