Residents, businesses jazzed for Edgewood Avenue improvements
Construction is scheduled to begin next fall on $2.6 million in pedestrian safety, beautification and parking improvements on Edgewood Avenue between US 17 and Lenox Avenue.
Businesses along the main street through the neighborhood are excited for the added crosswalks with flashing caution lights and more parking spaces that are features of the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) safety improvements.
Two new crosswalks will have rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB).
Pedestrians and bicyclists can push a button to activate the RRFB signals. The lights will begin to flash indicating to motorists a pedestrian is ready to cross. FDOT recommends making eye contact with motorists to be sure traffic is yielding before entering the crosswalk, walking defensively, scanning both directions to be sure motorists see you.
“Always scan the road while crossing making sure all vehicles have stopped,” reads an FDOT flyer.
Bicyclists using new bike lanes should ride in the direction of traffic and always yield to pedestrians.
Similar to the block of Edgewood northeast of US 17-Roosevelt Boulevard, additional angled parking is planned in the center of the high traffic thoroughfare with many restaurants, including Moon River Pizza, Nashville Hot Chicken, Fishweir Brewing and Maple Street Biscuit Company, to name a few.
A new roundabout at the intersection with US 17 and fewer travel lanes should slow down drivers, boosting pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Will Morgan, the owner of Vagabond Coffee on the 900 block of Edgewood Avenue South, has seen the plans and looks forward to welcoming more visitors to the area.
“Yes, there is supposed to be increased parking, increased pedestrian paths, as well as bike paths. One of the other things they are doing is increasing the amount of crosswalks,” he said recently via email.
“From my understanding, the parking will run in the center of Edgewood like on the block near Moon River [Pizza],” Mr. Morgan said.
While construction may keep some customers away during the roughly year-long project, the small business owner says the community has been very supportive in the past, so he’s not very concerned now.
“We know construction will impact the ability for local traffic to come through,” he said. “We are hoping not to feel a huge impact from the road construction. We are a neighborhood shop, and know our neighborhood will support us!”
Kate Truslow, president of the Murray Hill Preservation Association for nearly one year, concurred.
“For me, the major part is going from four lanes down to two and adding more parking,” she said.
Some residents who spoke with FDOT officials during a December 16, 2021 public input meeting complained that drivers could be slowed. One suggested FDOT change the timing on traffic lights on Edgewood and save taxpayers money. Others feared the additional crosswalks and roundabout at Plymouth Street will create more places for accidents to happen between people and vehicles in the commercial corridor.
They’re in the minority, however, Ms. Truslow said.
“It will be much more walkable and make people feel safer,” she said. “Hopefully, it will slow traffic down, and bring plant life to the area as well with trees and concrete planters. It’s going to make it look a lot nicer.”
She said, “for the most part,” residents are happy with “the simple fact that [the project] will make it safer for them.”
(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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