Commission approves TPO grant application to study Moody Boulevard safety and multimodal options; commissioners urge feasibility study before design

The City Commission unanimously approved Resolution 2025‑34 to place a Moody Boulevard (U.S. 1 / John Anderson Highway corridor) redesign concept on the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization's (TPO) prioritized project list for consideration of feasibility‑study funding.

City staff and the city manager told commissioners this step is an application only: if the TPO funds the city, money would support a feasibility study and concept planning, not construction. The city manager said the concept draws from the 2003 charette and the 2006 downtown master plan and stressed that "if approved tonight, the concept was first presented back in February to you, and we were instructed to bring back a formal grant application. If you approve this tonight, the city will submit this grant application, which will put us on a list for potential funding to do a feasibility study for this project." The manager and staff repeatedly noted the 4 PM Monday TPO application deadline.

Commission debate focused on major design choices in public circulation about the corridor — in particular whether the city should consider reducing lanes or otherwise changing Moody’s configuration. Commissioner Cooley asked directly: "Is anybody up here on this board interested in turning 100 into a 2 lane road? Because I am not." Commissioner Spradley said he could support a feasibility study to test alternatives but stressed the commission was not voting to change the road tonight.

Public speakers included local residents and transportation advocates who asked the commission to pursue a study that prioritized pedestrian safety and multimodal design. Several speakers warned the social‑media conversation about a single‑lane conversion had become heated and urged clearer public communication. Chuck Salvo, a resident who has served on TPO advisory committees, recommended more precise outreach and suggested modernizing the older 2003 renderings when presenting alternatives to the TPO.

The motion to approve the application passed on a 5‑0 vote. Staff said they will submit the TPO application and, if selected, coordinate a funded feasibility study that will include public outreach and FDOT/TPO review.