New traffic patterns discussed at meeting

The BID (Business Improvement District) Board met at City Hall last night along with people from the City and County and lots of citizens, who filled the chamber.

The new proposed traffic pattern changes were discussed.

Phase one is the sidewalk project, which is a go and which will not change the traffic flow. All the bricks will be replaced with a different type of brick, which will allow for tree root growth and even allow pressure cleaning without disrupting the bricks or the sand below. And best of all, it should be stable and help to avoid the many trips and falls that happen on almost a daily basis.

The first phase will start on Commodore Plaza, Fuller, Virginia and Florida Avenue. Eventually the whole Grove will have new sidewalks. Phase one is scheduled to start in August and end in mid-December, weather permitting. The second phase will include widening sidewalks on Main Highway and possibly other areas, and this will affect the actual street scape.

The controversial part is the changing of street traffic patterns, to allow for more pedestrian traffic. If you click on the image here, it will open much larger and show you the new idea.

The county was asked to do a study of this new plan. They won't know if the plan will work until the study is done.

The idea is to eliminate turns which will allow for a more pedestrian friendly village. Traffic coming from South Bayshore Drive, up McFarlane will only be allowed to turn onto Main Highway. Traffic on Grand Avenue, will not be allowed to cross to Main, it would have to remain on Grand. To get to Main Highway from Grand Avenue, Commodore Plaza would be used.

A large plaza-type walkway will overtake one large area near the center of town, on Main Highway. The new plaza would also eliminate traffic lights at the triangle -- Main, Grand and McFarlane -- and only have a crosswalk light where needed. Traffic is expected to flow smoothly without any red light stops. A traffic round about was considered, but there is not enough room there without knocking down buildings, so that was scrapped.

A possible round about would be placed at Mary and Grand, probably to eliminate current stop sign runners. New bike lanes would be in the street, rather than on the sidewalk, and would extend all the way from South Bayshore Drive, up McFarlane, along Main Highway, to the Playhouse area.

One concern is the elimination of up to 18 parking spots on the street. The solution is for people to use the hundreds of spots available in parking lots and garages surrounding the area.

Monty Trainer, BID board member, put it this way: "Wake up Coconut Grove. Start walking," meaning use the garages and surface lots and walk to your destination in the village.