Royal Palm Beach hears progress report on countywide transportation master plan; Waymo executive to consult
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Summary
Bradford O'Brien summarized a technical iPARC workshop for the Palm Beach County Transportation Master Plan (CTMP), noting 1,600+ survey responses and three breakout activities; Mayor said former Waymo executive Larry Burns will join as a consultant to provide expertise on autonomous-vehicle implications.
Bradford O'Brien, chair of the iPARC technical arm, briefed the Royal Palm Beach council on the countywide Transportation Master Plan (CTMP), describing the project as being in an "envision" phase that is collecting public input and technical data to inform future roadway and transit scenarios.
O'Brien said the technical workshop included three activities: identifying where traffic problems exist; mapping opportunities for land‑use and transportation connections; and testing roadway cross‑section design preferences using hands‑on exercises. He noted workshop participants represented a range of disciplines and that the process will help define recommended levels of service and transit needs for corridors under study. O'Brien also said the effort has gathered more than 1,600 survey responses so far.
Mayor emphasized the collaborative nature of the CTMP and told council the county has engaged additional expertise to explore technology options. "We heard that there's going to be an additional consultant...a former executive from Waymo," the mayor said, identifying the consultant as Larry Burns and saying Burns will help examine autonomous‑vehicle and technology impacts on traffic.
Council and staff framed the CTMP as a multi‑jurisdictional effort (iPARC and an executive oversight committee) intended to produce baseline data and scenario testing to address congestion and long‑term planning needs; staff did not propose specific local projects at this meeting.
