Florida Department of Transportation
Transportation Statistics Office
STATEWIDE LANE
ELIMINATION
GUIDANCE
Project Overview
INTRODUCTION
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/statistics/tsopubs.shtm
Context
• Local governments and agencies typically request
elimination of through lanes on State roads so that
recovered right-of-way can be used to create space for
multimodal facilities or other features
• Lane elimination projects typically proposed to:
• Create more livable environments
• Contribute to economic development and vitality
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Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale
Photo source: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
4
Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach
Photo source: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
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Edgewater Drive, Orlando
Photo source: Project for Public Spaces
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Purpose of Guide
• Support District development of
a process for reviewing lane
elimination requests
• Provide an example process
• Serve as an informational
resource
• Provide foundation for adoption
of statewide lane elimination
review process
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Scope of Guide
• Supports evaluation of lane elimination requests
proposed for:
•
•
•
•
Creation of space for pedestrian and bicycle facilities
Creation of space for landscaping buffers or medians
Addition of on-street parking
Traffic calming
• Lane elimination to support dedicated transit facilities
is not explicitly addressed but Guide is a relevant
informational resource
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Usage of Guide
• Two main sections
• Example lane elimination review process
• Profiles of issues and concerns associated with lane
elimination projects
• Appendices
• Lane elimination projects in Florida
• Lane elimination impacts (literature review)
• Existing lane elimination processes nationwide
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Acknowledgments
• Guide relies on significant input and direction from
Central Office and District staff
• Additional information provided by Tri-County Regional
Planning Commission in Lansing, MI
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EXAMPLE REVIEW
PROCESS
Desired Example Process
Characteristics
Consistent, predictable, and
repeatable but also flexible
Requires consistency with adopted
plans and programs
Discusses appropriate analysis
years
Applicable to range of roadway
types and cross sections
Includes a review checklist or
review form
Includes specific, detailed review
criteria
Extensible to development of
statewide policy or procedure
Supports FDOT’s Statutory
mandates and Districts’ priorities
Addresses diversion and impacts
on diversion routes
Multidisciplinary
Requires public involvement
Considers freight routes and
freight activity
Multimodal
Requires a funding assessment
Considers evacuation and
emergency response needs
Identifies who has authority to
approve request
Requires commitment of applicant
and partners
Suitable for different time frames
and implementation schedules
Includes coordination with FDOT
Central Office
Includes a review schedule or
timeline
Readily understandable by staff
and applicants
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Roles
• Applicant: the city, county, MPO, TPO, and/or private
entity proposing the lane elimination project
• District Contact: coordinates District’s review activities
and serves as point of contact for Applicant
• District Review Team: formally reviews information,
analyses, and design concepts provided by Applicant
• Central Office Contact: coordinates with District
Contact and tracks Central Office’s participation in
lane elimination request review
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STAGE 1
Applicant contacts District
to schedule meeting.
District provides Lane
Elimination Guide to
Applicant.
Central Office
is notified.
District Contact forms
District Review Team.
Initial Meeting held. District
Review Team determines review
process and methodology for
Concept Report. Applicant
prepares meeting notes.
Applicant provides
preliminary project
information >2 weeks
before Initial Meeting.
District Contact provides
project information to
District Review Team.
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STAGE 2
District Contact provides
Draft Concept Report to
District Review Team.
District Contact provides
consolidated review
comments to Applicant >1
week before Interim Meeting.
Applicant provides Draft
Concept Report >30 days
before Interim Meeting.
Initial Meeting held.
Applicant prepares
meeting notes.
Applicant and District
Contact schedule Interim
Meeting.
Central Office
is notified.
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STAGE 3
Applicant addresses
review comments in
Final Concept Report.
Applicant submits
formal Application
Package to District.
Applicant revises and
resubmits formal
Application Package
to District.
Denial
District assesses
completeness and
acceptability of
Application Package.
District issues
approval or denial
letter to applicant.
District internally
approves or denies
lane elimination request.
Central Office
is notified.
Approval
END
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Communications
Materials
•
•
•
•
Initial meeting checklist
Methodology checklist
Application checklist
Content for:
• Central Office notices
• Review comments letter
• Approval/denial letter
• Copy-able text
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Options for Streamlining
Reviews
• District Review Team might opt to streamline review
process under circumstances such as:
• Low traffic volumes
• No jurisdictional transfer, functional class change, access
management class change, or speed limit change
• Project is consistent with adopted plans and programs
• No design variation or design exception needed
• No impact to SIS, US highway, evacuation route, etc.
• Applicant to provide information in Stage 1 to allow
District Review Team to select appropriate process
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ISSUE PROFILES
Issue Profiles
• Cover topics and concerns that may
be associated with lane elimination
projects
• Provide background information and
links to other information sources
• Get more information about selected
topics
• Adapt the example review process
• Create an alternative review process
There are trade-offs in
addressing all of these
issues.
Some issues are
interrelated.
Successfully addressing
some issues will require
significant lead time.
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Issue Profiles
Safety impacts
Design variances and exceptions
Freight routes/access
Traffic operations impacts
Consistency with plans and
programs
Extra-jurisdictional impacts
Pedestrian and bicyclist activity
Functional classification
Structure/utility impacts
Impacts to transit routing/stops
and ridership
System designation
Costs and funding sources
Impacts on parking supply and
activity
Access management
Community support
Sales tax revenue and property
value impacts
Emergency evacuation and
response
Other issues
Environmental issues
Jurisdictional transfers
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APPENDIX A
Lane Elimination Projects in Florida
Appendix A
• A snapshot of existing and proposed lane elimination
projects in Florida
• Project information includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Status
Location
Purpose
Features and extent
Reported successes and shortcomings
Level of District involvement
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Appendix A (cont.)
• Themes and trends
• Many conversions of 4-lane streets to 3-lane streets
• Most intended to improve pedestrian/bicycle travel
• Many with placemaking, livability, and/or economic
development goals
• After studies identified few shortcomings
• FDOT involved through review of studies and designs,
jurisdictional transfers, and funding
• Some projects first implemented as pilot/temporary
projects
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APPENDIX B
Impacts of Lane Elimination Projects
(Literature Review)
Appendix B
• Summarizes previous studies of lane elimination
project impacts
• Provides brief critiques of previous studies where
warranted
• Information used to create example process and issue
profiles
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APPENDIX C
Existing Processes for Reviewing Lane
Elimination Requests
Appendix C
• Describes five existing formal processes for reviewing
lane elimination requests
• Key findings
• All processes concerned with project funding, community
support, and impacts on traffic operations
• Most are concerned with environmental impacts, safety
impacts, consistency with planned and programmed
projects, and needs of pedestrians and bicyclists
• All suggest features for inclusion in statewide example
process
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Dana Knox
FDOT Transportation Statistics Office
605 Suwannee Street, MS-27
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450
850.414.4728
Dana.Knox@dot.state.fl.us