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DOT'aligned intersection-control plan for State Road 26 presented; commissioners and residents raise U-turn and school-traffic concerns
Summary
A consultant for Kimley-Horn briefed the commission on FDOT'led ICE evaluations for State Road 26, saying proposed modified through-cut designs and signal spacing meet DOT policy but could alter left-turn access and increase U-turn volumes.
Kimley-Horn transportation engineer Ally Bridal told the City of Newberry commission Tuesday that state traffic engineers have evaluated proposed signal locations and intersection control for the State Road 26 corridor and recommended designs consistent with the Florida Department of Transportation'adopted ICE (Intersection Control Evaluation) policy.
Bridal said DOT examines speed, context classification and access class when evaluating speed limits and signal spacing. She told the commission that predevelopment speed data for the corridor did not support lowering posted limits and that ICE review focuses on safety, traffic volumes and lifecycle costs. She said DOT had approved concepts for two nearby intersections (Highland Park and Wynwood Center) that use a modified through-cut design to reduce mainline conflicts and meet signal-spacing standards.
Bridal added that access class 6 (center turn lane areas) and access class 3 (physical median) impose different driveway-spacing requirements, and that DOT'recommended spacing for the proposed signals "does indeed meet their signal spacing standards." She cautioned that recommendations are based on current studies and could change as new development is built and traffic volumes evolve.
Public and commissioner comments highlighted safety and school traffic concerns. Resident Nayeem Erchid and others pointed to congestion and queuing at 15th/27th near the elementary school and urged the city to press DOT for traffic calming there; Erchid said parents and kids face daily backups. Commissioner Farnsworth and others questioned whether the through-cut designs would increase U-turns and create new crash risks; Commissioner Clark pressed Bridal on whether the ICE process allows local input and whether DOT can revise designs later in the review process.
Why it matters: State Road 26 is a primary access corridor into Newberry. Changes in signal locations and access control affect travel patterns, business access and neighborhood safety. Staff said the corridor is also affected by pending projects such as the FDOT one-way-pair plan and multiple developments (Highland Park, Publix, Wynwood Center) whose traffic studies factor into DOT decisions.
What happens next: Bridal and staff said DOT remains open to suggestions and that traffic-control decisions are data driven. Staff will continue coordinating with DOT as development applications are processed; commissioners asked staff to keep the school-area congestion issue in view during coordination.
