Citizens urge pedestrian-first redesign of East Palmetto Park Road, ask to join downtown planning

Juan Casado, a downtown resident, told the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency at its Feb. 10 meeting that Palmetto Park Road should be built "for pedestrians first" and described the goal of making the street "a memorable, timeless place." Casado cited fatality and injury counts on Palmetto Park Road between 2018 and 2024 and urged the CRA to slow traffic and encourage meandering pedestrian movement.

Andrea Levine O'Rourke, representing a citizen collective called Workshop 344+, asked the CRA to include the group in future downtown planning and listed the volunteers' professional backgrounds in planning and related fields. "We would like to ask you once again to invite us to participate in the future planning," Levine O'Rourke said, noting the group's work on East Palmetto Park Road and its partnership plans with Florida Atlantic University's urban planning program.

Levine O'Rourke asked specific questions about financing and grants. She asked how the planned $10,000,000 a year for 18 years in TIF dollars "is planned to be reinvested in the downtown" and how the city's Vision Zero award of about $4,000,000 will be directed. Chair Nattlis and staff said they would follow up with the request for details.

Other members of the public reinforced the call for ambitious pedestrian connections. Lehi Wilson cited a community survey finding that about 61% of respondents favored shared-use paths on both sides of Palmetto and proposed either an at-grade crosswalk with ADA-compliant features or an elevated pedestrian crossing tied into future government campus buildings.

The public remarks were made during the CRA's public requests section; the board did not take formal action on Palmetto Park Road during the meeting. Staff said it would respond to the questions about TIF reinvestment and Vision Zero funding after the meeting.