[ad_1]
Originally published on July 19, 2022 by Alex Soderstrom, Orlando Business Journal Staff Writer
Changes to traffic signals and crosswalks may not be huge projects, but they can add up when looking to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in Metro Orlando.
Orange County has funded 37 technology projects from the proposed penny sales tax increase, according to a draft Orange County Transportation Initiative report. Changes to traffic signals and street lights across the county could go a long way toward making the region a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists.
Let’s take a closer look at the five main areas where these projects are planned:
- Symptoms: Changing traffic signs or introducing new signs to improve traffic flow
- Identification: Many of these projects focus on adding passive pedestrian detection to intersections, meaning that crosswalk signals are activated without the push of a pedestrian button.
- Lighting: Implementation of LED- and wifi-enabled modern street lights
- Connected Vehicles; Infrastructure to prepare for the expansion of self-driving vehicles
- Smart Work Zones; Tech
Technology projects can modernize county roads and make them safer for pedestrians, Orange County Transportation Manager Renzo Nastasi said in the Orlando Business Journal’s Community Impact: Transportation Roundtable.
For example, new lights are needed because existing lights are designed to be used by vehicles, he said. “Most of the lights you see out there today are for lighting the street, not for pedestrians.
Nastasi declined to comment on his own transport tax initiative.
Orange County did not itemize project costs in its draft report. However, the proposed tax increase could cover up to $1.6 billion in bicycle, pedestrian and technology projects in the county.
If voters approve the tax increase in November, it will last for 20 years, ending in December 2042. It is projected to generate $600 million annually in transit and infrastructure improvements, or $12 billion over a 20-year period.
The region needs safe roads for pedestrians. Last year, the nonprofit Smart Growth America ranked Orlando the nation’s most dangerous metro for pedestrians. While Daytona Beach tops this year’s rankings, that’s little cause for celebration. Orlando is the nation’s eighth most dangerous metro for pedestrians.
Beyond bikes, sidewalks and technology, tax-related plans include doubling the public bus system’s Lynx fleet and expanding SunRail to seven days a week to routes to Orlando International Airport and Apopka. The county projects total transportation costs of more than $21 billion over 20 years, which could be supported by federal and/or state funds.
[ad_2]
Source link
