Letter to Sarasota Planning: Traffic and construction

It is time that health and safety be at the front end of ANY building proposal and approval process. Although there are other health and safety needs, the traffic issue needs to be on the forefront. Nothing should be considered or approved without a thorough look at the proposed impact on traffic. The data is there but hasn't been used in that fashion. It's time that the County and the FDOT traffic and accident data be studied together for this purpose. 

It must become a priority component of the building approval process.
If you have thoughts on how to make this happen, I am all ears.
This step is a win win for all. The developers can't say it's a costly study because it isn't and the data just needs to be pulled in that fashion so the planners shouldn't complain either and the residents and visitors all benefit. And instead of spending additional tax payer dollars to modify high accident intersections and roads after a tipping point of accidents occur, new building will be approved on the merits of it not adding further burden to high traffic/ high accident areas. 

I have yet to hear any good reason why this shouldn't happen. 

The only feedback I have gotten is that one entity feels this change fits better with another entity. In other words they say, I don't know what to do with this and it looks like it's someone else's problem to fix. Please take this on! 

Sincerely, 

Vicki Nighswander MAT, MPH

Shoot first, aim later?

Letter to Ray Eubanks, of the state Dept. of Economic Opportunity from Vicki Nighswander:

Dear Mr. Eubanks, 

Safety and health are constantly brought up at County land use hearings, MPO meetings and other county and city update meetings as a paramount driving factor in considerations. However, the consequences of growth have not been embraced and brought into the decision making processes. The Comprehensive Plan is like a bible for planning purposes. It brings up and defines the communities unique variables. 

What is needed now more than ever is a dynamic process of needs assessment of the consequences of growth, not just for Sarasota County, my adopted home, but throughout this state that is experiencing huge growth and development. I would like to suggest an additional chapter for each county that requires ongoing needs assessment re. the community consequences of growth and sets plans in motion to make sure there is no further negative impact. 

Case in point in the building and development approval processes that attention be paid to not further impacting on proximity intersections that are already experiencing significant crashes. The crash data and the building approval process must start meshing. Entrances and exits from new developments and buildings must be evaluated so that the locations put the least amount of added density on already congested and high accident areas. Then it can be said for this one factor safety has been addressed. When you don't look at the ecological factors of building and development, you are missing the boat when it comes to safety and the broad spectrum of health as well. The environment has been forgiving but with growth it's reaching its saturation point and negative impacts are the result. 

Please consider a dynamic health and safety analysis on an ongoing basis focusing on the consequences of growth defined by each community on an ongoing basis. Safety and health as primary concerns of communities must be more than words. 

Here's another case in point for my area. New building has been proposed and approved for areas adjacent to I-75. The County has its traffic crash data, the state has its data. It's not put together as a health and safety concern as there is no doubt that a new community right next to a state highway with entrances and exits within a mile will cause further congestion let alone more accidents in the area. But that issue wasn't even addressed. The data wasn't put together on the County vs the State Rd intersections. I heard no discussion other than once again those in authority exclaiming that safety is first on their minds. MPO is forced into addressing accident intersections after the incident to figure out how to improve the intersection, change light patterns, change sidewalks etc. When all of this could have been thought out initially when lives and money can be saved. There is enough data out there to be on the front end of safety and health in the building approval process.

Thank you for your consideration.
The consequences of growth are upon us. 

Sincerely,
Vicki Nighswander MAT, MPH

Cattlemen Rd. at Bee Ridge Rd. in Sarasota - a perilous intersection.

"There is no doubt that a new community right next to a state highway with entrances and exits within a mile will cause further congestion let alone more accidents in the area."

Proposed offramp delivering cars to Walmart and Wilkinson Rd., Sarasota. 

 "All of this could have been thought out initially 

when lives and money can be saved."

More retrofitting on Bee Ridge Rd.