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Home My WebLink AboutVII (C) Resolution No. 2003-14, SR50/Florida's Turnpike Interchange Planning Concept Study Agenda 6-03-2003 e Center of Good zi Item VII C Mayor �'D �e Commissioners S. Scott Vandergrift 1r . -. Danny Howell,District 1 �"'� Scott Anderson, District 2 City Manager �,f'� �, )�M"I ' Rusty Johnson, District 3 �I Jim Gleason �� ' ®'°""'"�4► {r Nancy J. Parker, District 4 STAFF REPORT DATE: May 19, 2003 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners THROUGH: Russ Wagner, AICP Community Development Director .L/P. Terry L. James, AICPJ1�'\ Principal Planner SUBJECT: Resolution #2003-14 State Road 50/Florida Turnpike Interchange Planning Concept Study ISSUE: Should the City Commission approve a resolution requesting a "planning concept study' to be undertaken by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise for the State Road (SR) 50-Colonial Drive/Turnpike Interchange impact area? BACKGROUND: The SR 50/Florida Turnpike interchange plays a pivotal role in the City of Ocoee, and has been the subject of traffic studies and numerous meetings with the jurisdictional entities in the recent past. This interchange is functionally obsolete since it does not meet current design standards in terms of lane widths, turning radii, and short ramp lengths that cause serious safety concerns. These safety concerns are greatly increased by the number of large trucks that utilize the interchange. The SR 50/Turnpike interchange is critical because poor traffic conditions can cause impacts that extend far beyond State Road 50 and the Turnpike. These adverse traffic conditions can cause congestion on the Florida Turnpike/SR429-Western Beltway interchange, SR 50-Colonial Drive, and the SR 50/Marshall Farms Road and the SR 50/Maguire Road-County Road 439 intersections. City of Ocoee• 150 N Lakeshore Drive•Ocoee, Florida 34761 phone: (407)905-3100• lax: (407)656-8504 •www.ci.ococetl.us Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners May 19, 2003 Page 2 In addition to the adverse traffic impacts on major roadways, local roadways are also adversely impacted in terms of altered traffic patterns or flows. Drivers attempting to move from the Windermere-Gotha area north to connect with SR 50-Colonial Drive and to access the Turnpike and the East-West Expressway generate "cut-through"traffic. These "cut-through" conditions occur south of the Turnpike on Windermere Road, Tomyn Boulevard, Old Winter Garden Road, Moore Road, Park Ridge-Gotha Road, 61" and 79" Street (in Gotha), Hemple Avenue, Westover-Roberts Road, and Main Street (in Windermere). These altered traffic flows and the resulting congestion are particularly apparent at the CR 439- Maguire Road/SR 50-Colonial Drive intersection as traffic moves from the south to north for better access. These "cut-through" problems were recognized by the OOCEA and resulted in construction of an underpass north of Tomyn Boulevard beneath the eastbound ramp from the SR 429-Western Beltway to the Turnpike. This underpass was created to insure a future north-south connection between Tomyn Boulevard and SR 50-Colonial Drive. Resolution of the above transportation problems have been difficult because these major roadways are under the jurisdiction of different state and local governmental entities: AFFECTED MAJOR ROADWAY RESPONSIBLE JURISDICTIONAL ENTITY Florida Turnpike Florida's Turnpike Enterprise SR 429-Western Beltway & SR 408-East-West Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority Expressway (OOCEA) SR 50-Colonial Drive Florida Department of Transportation-District 5 (FDOT/5) CR 439-Maguire Road Orange County For the City of Ocoee, the continued poor performance of this interchange will adversely impact Ocoee businesses, economic development, and the SR 50/Colonial Drive Activity Center. This Activity Center is critical in the economic development plans for the City; however, the Activity Center has numerous regional businesses, such as the Super Walmart, Health Central Hospital, and the West Oaks Mall. These businesses have regional markets extending far beyond the City of Ocoee affecting economic development in the entire West Orange area. DISCUSSION: Currently, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study for the widening of the Turnpike from four to six lanes from US 192 in Osceola County to SR 50 in Clermont. Within these study boundaries, all interchanges with the exception of the subject SR 50 interchange in Ocoee are scheduled for improvements. Separately, the Florida Department of Transportation-District 5 has started a PD&E Study for the widening of SR 50-Colonial Drive from four to six lanes from the Lake County line to Good Holmes Road. This widening will require the reconstruction and reconfiguration of the SR 50/Turnpike interchange overpass since the six lanes will not safely "fit" under the current interchange overpass. Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners May 19, 2003 Page 3 The City recently met with Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, the FDOT/5, and the OOCEA to coordinate with these separate jurisdictional entities and to discuss the inclusion of the SR50/Turnpike interchange within the Turnpike's current PD&E Study. The Florida's Turnpike Enterprise agreed to perform a "planning concept study" to determine if the SR 50/Turnpike interchange should be included in the Turnpike's current PD&E study. James Ely, the Executive Director of Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, requested that the Ocoee City Commission pass a resolution requesting the "planning concept study'. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that City Commission approve this resolution requesting the preliminary "planning concept study" for the State Road 50-Colonial Drive/Florida Turnpike interchange to determine the need for its inclusion in the Florida's Turnpike current Project Development and Environment Study. Attachment: Resolution 2003-14 O.\Staff Reports\2003\SR03052 CC.doc RESOLUTION NO. 2003-14 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, REQUESTING JAMES ELY,THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE TO CONDUCT A PLANNING CONCEPT STUDY FOR THE STATE ROAD 50- COLONIAL DRIVE/FLORIDA TURNPIKE INTERCHANGE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABLITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the State Road 50/Florida Turnpike interchange is located within the boundaries of the City of Ocoee; and WHEREAS, the increasing traffic volumes including heavy truck traffic at this interchange is causing subsequent congestion throughout the City's State Road 50 Activity Center and West Orange County Area; and WHEREAS, this interchange is functionally obsolete since it does not meet current highway design standards in terms of lane widths, turning radii and short ramp lengths causing increasing safety concerns; and WHEREAS, the planned widening of SR 50-Colonial Drive from 4 to 6 lanes will necessitate reconstruction and reconfiguration of the SR 50/Florida Turnpike interchange; and WHEREAS, the SR 50/Florida Turnpike interchange is the only interchange that is not being studied for improvements in the planned widening of the Turnpike from US 192 to Clermont. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Authority. The City Commission of the City of Ocoee has the authority to adopt this Resolution pursuant to Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Florida and Chapter 166, Florida Statutes. SECTION 2. The City Commission of the City of Ocoee hereby respectfully requests that James Ely, the Executive Director of Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, 1/3 initiate a "planning concept study' for the traffic-impacted area surrounding the SR 50-Colonial Drive/Florida Turnpike interchange in order to determine if this interchange should be included in the current Project Development & Environment Study which will widen and improve the interchanges to the Florida Turnpike from US 192 to SR 50 in Clermont. SECTION 3. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this Resolution is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct, and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion hereto. SECTION 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage and adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of , 200_. APPROVED: ATTEST: CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA Jean Grafton, City Clerk S. Scott Vandergrift, Mayor (SEAL) 2/3 APPROVED BY THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION ON THE ABOVE DATE UNDER AGENDA ITEM NO. FOR USE AND RELIANCE ONLY BY THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA; APPROVED AS FORM AND LEGALITY This day of , 200 FOLEY & LARDNER By: City Attorney 3/3