Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway
Corridor Advisory Committee (CAC)
Minutes
Regular Meeting at
URS Corporation
th
7 Floor Board Room
7650 West Courtney Campbell Causeway
Tampa, Florida
May 9, 2008
10:00 a.m.
Attending:
Jessica White, Senior Planner, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
Gabor Farkasfalvy, Project Manager, Florida Department of Transportation
Theo Petritsch, Transportation Engineer, Sprinkle Consulting
Susan J. Miller, Bicycle/Pedestrian Planner, Pinellas County MPO
Chris Weber, Director of Transportation, Westshore Alliance
Gena Torres, Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator, Hillsborough County MPO
Ricardo Feliciano, Jr., Office of Planning & Development, Florida Department of Transportation
Christine Commerce, Executive Director, Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful
Ron Gregory, Vice President, URS Corporation
Lauren Brooks, Planner, URS Corporation
Rich Clarendon, Multimodal Planning Manager, URS Corporation
Michael Palozzi, FDOT GEC Support, PBS&J
Linda Saul-Sena, Councilwoman, Tampa City Council
Shannon Niles, Transportation Planner, PBS&J/FDOT
The minutes of the March 14, 2008 meeting were approved with no corrections.
Old Business:
1.
Update report on the FDOT Cross Causeway Trail Feasibility Project
Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked if a Coast Guard permit will be needed for the bridge. Mr. Farkasfalvy
replied that the bridge questionnaire has been sent to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), but
FDOT has not yet received a reply. Councilwoman Saul-Sena suggested that sometimes having a
political person ask questions can get things moving. Mr. Farkasfalvy stated that the normal time
frame for review is thirty days and FHWA has had the questionnaire for approximately fifteen days. If
after the thirty-day review period no response has been received, then FDOT will request someone
else get involved.
Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked if everyone had received a copy of Mr. Jonson’s comments regarding
the Final Draft Project Concept Summary Report of the Feasibility Study. She suggested a way to
proceed might be to send these comments to the consultant. Mr. Farkasfalvy asked if she wished to
cover all of the comments at this time because the original letter was addressed to Bob Clifford and he
is working on an official response. Councilwoman Saul-Sena stated the purpose of this meeting was
to discuss these comments. Mr. Farkasfalvy stated he could provide the group with the comments he
wrote to Mr. Clifford, but he is not certain what Mr. Clifford plans to do with those comments. Mr.
Palozzi suggested that before discussion of Mr. Jonson’s comments, perhaps Mr. Farkasfalvy could
give some background information on the project’s status since there are some new meeting
attendees. Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked if a copy of the draft Feasibility Study was available for
review. Mr. Farkasfalvy stated it had been released through the consultant’s FTP site and a review
copy is also available at FDOT. Councilwoman Saul-Sena stated she thought that in preparation for
the upcoming public workshops that the Westshore Alliance should have a copy available, also the
Planning Commission. It was decided to place the document back out on the consultant’s FTP site
and those who did not print it the first time would be able to do so now. Mr. Palozzi indicated the
document is quite large and Councilwoman Saul-Sena inquired about the executive summary. Mr.
Farkasfalvy stated it is located at the beginning of the study and can be downloaded on its own, or you
can download whatever sections of it you wish. Several at the meeting expressed that they had
problems creating the required pass code necessary in order to download any or all of the document
was mentioned. Mr. Gregory reported that he met with John Doran, City of Clearwater councilman and
member of the CAC. Councilman Doran felt the outreach for getting this information to people was
complicated because of the convoluted business of creating a pass code. He gave up trying to get to
the document to print it for himself. Councilman Doran asked Mr. Gregory to convey to the CAC his
desire to have hard copies of the study available for the City of Clearwater and Pinellas County to be
placed at either the chamber of commerce building or the Christian college, or at least at city hall or the
Planning Commission. Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked if the most efficient action to take right now
would be to give Mr. Farkasfalvy a list of several places to send the document. He agreed to this. He
also added that FDOT has a policy that they do not post anything on any website, and that they do not
have a website for their projects. When he suggested this study be placed on the FTP server, he ran
into opposition internally because FDOT did not want it available to just anyone. They wanted just the
people to whom it was to be released to have access and that is why they password-protected it.
Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked why this was so when this is a public project. Mr. Farkasfalvy stated
it was a management decision. Councilwoman Saul-Sena expressed the need to get this information
out to the general public for review since the public meetings are coming up soon. She also added that
having public meetings is not just a step to check off in the process, but is an opportunity for the people
to actually come out and see what the project is all about and determine whether it is what they
perceived it to be or not. She asked what is to be done when the study does not reflect the concerns
of the people who requested this study in the first place. Mr. Farkasfalvy replied that is why the study
has been made available to everyone on CCSH CAC so they can read it and make comments. She
asked what the best way is to make comments and Mr. Farkasfalvy replied they should read the report
and turn comments back to FDOT. The group decided to make a list of the organizations/locations
that should receive a copy of the draft feasibility study.
Mr. Farkasfalvy reported that two public meetings have been scheduled, one of them at the Westshore
Mall. Councilwoman Saul-Sena remarked that the mall is quite large and it would be beneficial to state
where in the mall the meetings will be held. Mr. Farkasfalvy stated there is space in the middle of the
mall next to the management office. The Hillsborough meeting is scheduled for May 19 and he stated
they are in the process of putting out public announcements. Mr. Palozzi indicated that there will be a
series of signs directing the public to the meeting place. A previous FDOT public had been held near
Saks Fifth Avenue. Ms. White inquired whether the meeting scheduled for Clearwater Christian
College would be in the cafeteria. Mr. Farkasfalvy replied it will be held in Building D and that the
information is available in the newsletter.
Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked if a person comes to this meeting what will their experience be. Mr.
Feliciano replied that they will have handouts available, signs illustrating where the information will be
and pictures of the proposed changes. There will also be a presentation and comment forms for
citizens to submit their ideas. Mr. Farkasfalvy added that it will be a typical workshop format with
stations set up with the graphics, the plans, cross sections, the matrix showing the selections and there
will be FDOT consultant staff present, as well. Addressing the consultant, Councilwoman Saul-Sena
asked why more of the goals, objectives and strategies put forth by the CCSH CAC have not been
highlighted more extensively in the draft study. Mr. Theo Petritsch, Sprinkle Consulting, explained that
they are a sub-consultant to The LPA Group and their input was sought because they do a great deal
of bicycle/pedestrian design across the country. Discussion followed regarding shared use as opposed
to multi-use trails and preserving the aesthetic values of the Courtney Campbell. Mr. Petritsch stated
that they would be presenting, at the public meeting, a bare bones, connect-the-dots, that uses existing
funds. Mr. Farkasfalvy added that it is not necessarily a bare bones version, but staging is also being
looked at, so a portion of the project can be built initially, but as funds become available it can be
expanded upon. Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked how a person could indicate that is what they want.
Mr. Farkasfalvy replied that they can look at material that will be on display, as well as the PowerPoint
presentation. Mr. Palozzi referred to the comment period, where this group could formalize a letter and
submit it. Councilwoman Saul-Sena asked if the consultant considered talking to the CCSH CAC
group before preparing the report. Mr. Farkasfalvy stated they have attended whenever a meeting was
held. Councilwoman Saul-Sena referred to Michelle Greene who originally attended the early meetings
and stated she believed Ms. Greene understood what the group wanted. She stated the CAC wants
something user friendly and shady and not more pavement. Susan Miller indicated she was involved
when the application was written for the feasibility study and upon recommendation from Ms. Greene’s
office, the application was written with the focus of the study being on getting across the bridges, not so
much on the Causeway land portions. Because of that, she feels the option being offered here is
pretty attractive. Mr. Farkasfalvy interjected that he realizes Ms. Greene was the person who attended
the meetings, but it was FDOT who wrote the scope to the consultant, and the scope was defined as
the engineering requirements necessary to add a bicycle/pedestrian facility for the entire project length.
He added that FDOT recognized the financial constraints, which is why there is an option to use the
existing project with some improvements to overcome the huge price tag that comes with the separate
facility.
Mr. Gregory asked if the bridge was designed for vehicular travel and if so, where is the comparison of
a more conventional trail loading that does not support a fully loaded fire truck and rescue vehicle as
opposed to two people with a gurney? And regarding the issue about the span arrangement, there are
prefabricated pedestrian and trail bridges that could be used on the wider span, so if this bridge is
designed for vehicular loading, which drives the cost up, where is the comparison with a truly
pedestrian bicycle bridge that would be used in its place? Mr. Petritsch replied that Astro Bridge
Structures Design Guide, which requires that pedestrian bridges be designed for the classic opening
day (people elbow to elbow with the mayor cutting the ribbon), and as it turns out that is an 85 pound
per square foot loading which is the same as a bridge for a vehicle, although it is not designed for
vehicular loading. Mr. Gregory pointed out this would send the cost way up, and he would like to know
where are the analysis and engineering cost estimate of an alternative to that because there are
facilities like that throughout the state. Mr. Petritsch stated there is not a bridge for pedestrians being
paid for by FHWA that does not meet those design standards. Mr. Farkasfalvy confirmed that federal
standards must be met. Mr. Gregory stated that in this study there is not a comparison of a viable
funding option or staging implementation that reflects anything other than federal funding. Since this is
a feasibility study, why are all of the options not being considered? Councilwoman Saul-Sena stated
the whole point from the beginning has been how to maximize public opportunities. She criticized the
consultants for not coming to the CCSH CAC with that perspective and for not talking with the people
who obtained the funding to hire them in first place. She feels the whole study has been a
communication disaster because a great deal of money has been spent looking at something that the
CAC was not asking them to look at. She asked if the best course of action might be for she and Mr.
Jonson to speak with Bob Clifford and explain what it was the CAC thought it was asking for. She felt
the meeting should be held soon with Mr. Clifford and that the CAC should not wait until July for its next
meeting. Based on Mr. Jonson’s draft comments, Mr. Gregory felt the public meetings should go on as
planned, but that conclusions cannot be drawn from the public meeting input unless the results of
those analyses are presented at another meeting. He feels a re-evaluation of options needs to occur.
Another issue that concerns him is when he contacted LPA regarding the newsletter he was told they
had mailed 300 copies. He did not receive a newsletter in the mail and asked if there was anyone else
who did not receive one. Some received an e-mail, Councilwoman Saul-Sena received a newsletter,
but many did not receive anything. Mr. Gregory stated he would be interested to see who is on the
mailing list.
Mr. Palozzi pointed out that all of the comments received as a result of the public meeting are going to
be sent back to the consultant for them to address, which will result in the final document. He felt if the
CAC has concerns after reviewing the document, those concerns must get into the public record.
According to Mr. Farkasfalvy, the comment period ends ten days after the public meetings are held.
Councilwoman Saul-Sena felt the CAC should meet again before June 5. Mr. Palozzi stated it is very
important that those attending today’s meeting, and others, to be certain to get a copy of the draft
study and develop their comments based upon whatever agency or group they represent. After that,
they need to compose letters expressing their concerns. Councilwoman Saul-Sena stated she felt the
CAC should meet again on May 30 here in the URS board room at 10:00 a.m. to discuss the need to
formulate an official CCSH response.
2.
Presentation on the Westshore Area Pedestrian System Needs Assessment and
Implementation Plan Addendum
Lauren Brooks, URS Corporation, reported The Westshore Alliance is creating an extension of the
Plan done in 2005. The point of the addendum is to focus on the areas not included in the approved
Plan, which is essentially the Rocky Point area but also includes the areas between Himes and Dale
Mabry, between Kennedy and Hillsborough and then along Hillsborough Avenue. She assured the
CAC members that the trail along the Causeway is their number one project. Ms. Brooks referred to
the handout which contains a schedule of meetings that includes the MPO meetings, CCSH CAC
meetings, Westshore Alliance Transportation Committee and FDOT. Councilwoman Saul-Sena made
the suggestion that the graphic show the extended area in a different color from the original plan. Mr.
Gregory indicated that Ms. Brooks will be the project manager working with Chris Weber, and that if
anyone had any comments to be sure and submit them to either she or Chris Weber.
3.
Update on sponsor renewals
Jessica White reported that since the last meeting four sponsorship renewals have been received.
TBE Group - $2,500; The Grand Hyatt, Tampa International Airport, City of Clearwater and The LPA
Group all are silver sponsors at $500 each. So far there has been no response from Clearwater
Christian College, Hillsborough County MPO or from Pinellas County MPO. Gena Torres stated she
would find out who to contact with Hillsborough County MPO. Councilwoman Saul-Sena stated she
would check on the City of Tampa.
4.
Update on Brochure distribution
Mr. Palozzi reported he brought a supply of the printed brochures to the meeting of February 8 and Mr.
Jonson and several others took them to key distribution places in the Courtney Campbell area, i.e., the
Tourist Information Center on the Causeway, Tampa International Airport, the Hyatt and the Westshore
Alliance.
New Business:
5.
Report from State Scenic Highway Conference held 5/1/08
Mr. Palozzi reported that he Mr. Jonson attended the first day and there were approximately 100
participants from around the state. He stated that many ideas were presented and that there are a lot
of grant opportunities but not a lot of funding behind those grants. Councilwoman Saul-Sena noted
that mention was made in the minutes from the previous meeting the CAC was going to attempt to get
the Courtney Campbell included in the state-wide scenic highway brochure, and she asked if that had
been accomplished. Mr. Palozzi replied that the Courtney Campbell has been included and has a one
and a half page description of the scenic highway. This brochure will be distributed state wide, or at
least regionally.
Councilwoman Saul-Sena commended Mr. Palozzi for his idea of developing a planning calendar to
more easily facilitate the preparation of the CCSH CAC annual report. Mr. Palozzi added that such a
calendar would also aid during the year in keeping track of events such as clean-ups, public meetings,
etc. Councilwoman Saul-Sena suggested having contact information, probably websites, so visitors
and/or locals could be in touch with various organizations represented on the CCSH CAC. Mr. Palozzi
indicated he would work on a draft. Other ideas were discussed regarding website links and updates.
6.
Other items from the group
Christine Commerce reported that they worked with 150 students from Madison Middle School on April
rd
3 to do a clean-up along Ben T. Davis Beach during which time they collected approximately 500
pounds of trash. She believed some of the young people involved were from underprivileged families
and this may have been the first time they had ever been to the beach. The Great American Clean-up
went really well between volunteers and the Tampa Bay Parrothead Club they had 218 volunteers.
They were out on the Courtney Campbell Causeway and collected 6,788 pounds of trash. Ms.
Commerce stated her concern with what is going on with the Causeway is they are finding some very
weird things, e.g., a cauldron and a cross and other sacrificial-type items. There will be another cleanup next week with approximately 60 students from Learning Gate.
There being no further business, Councilwoman Saul-Sena adjourned the meeting.
Next Meeting: Friday, May 30, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.