![traffic gridlock traffic gridlock](https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1526877/manila-traffic-jam.jpg)
Either the travel times are going to get worse or the cost of travel will get worse." "When you're all done and you spend all this money, are people going to be better off? And I would bet in Fort Lauderdale, you're not going to be better off. "Some people are older and some people are going to places that are simply too far to walk," Pisarski said. Pisarski, the commuting expert, doesn't think it will work here. It also makes way for sidewalks and bike lanes to encourage people to stroll and shop. This whole idea of trying to force people to do that is insane."Īdvocates say that losing lanes makes roads safer by forcing traffic to slow down. "You cannot force people, in sweltering weather with dangerous storms that pass pretty much daily, to ride their bike or take the bus to work. "I think once all this is done, tons of businesses will go out of business and no one will come here because of the congestion," he said. Wilton Manors resident Greg Zatorsky says he's baffled by government planners who think they can force people out of their cars. In Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors, Wilton Drive is being reduced from five lanes to three. In Delray Beach, Federal Highway was reduced from six lanes to four. Some cities also are cutting the number of lanes on certain stretches of streets. Another is made up of commercial corridors along Military Trail and Congress Avenue. In Palm Beach County, there are seven areas, including one each in Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Westgate, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. And they don't have to wait for roads to be built before getting their projects approved.īroward County has 10 such high-density zones: three in Fort Lauderdale and one each in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Miramar, Davie, Dania Beach, Pompano Beach and Coconut Creek.
#TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK FULL#
So in 2005 the state allowed counties to create exception areas where developers don't have to pay full freight for roads. But the traffic gridlock factor frequently forced cities to deny urban redevelopment projects. If there were a shortage of any of those, developers would be required to build them or cough up money to fix the problems. In 1985, Florida lawmakers linked new development to schools, parks, utilities and road capacity. The luxury project also will generate an estimated $1.44 million in taxes each year. When it opens next year, the 272-unit project will add 2,000 daily car trips to the "D"-rated Las Olas Boulevard and surounding roads. Or consider, for example, the 45-story condo tower Icon Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. That means more cars will be coming to Hallandale Beach Boulevard and Federal Highway, roads already near or at capacity. Hallandale Beach, for one, has paved the way in recent years for more than 4,100 new residential units and hotel rooms. "They want development for the property taxes and to increase property values," Blattner said of both city and county officials. There's another reason behind the mad dash to approve high-rise after high-rise: money.Ĭities must court high-density developments to avoid unpopular tax increases, said Hollywood Commissioner Dick Blattner, who chairs the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization and also serves on the Broward Planning Council. The school-like ratings, with "A" being the best and "F" the worst, are used to identify problems, track trends and come up with solutions.
![traffic gridlock traffic gridlock](https://images.thestar.com/mZmts4GeGriVEyS7kcCdFevDcbc=/1200x800/smart/filters:cb(1605735455337)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/city_hall/2020/11/18/civilian-traffic-agents-finally-dispatched-to-toronto-intersections-in-attempt-to-reduce-gridlock-improve-safety/gridlock.jpg)
Transportation planners rate interstate highways and many local roads using guidelines developed by the National Research Council, a nonprofit that studies public issues. "And I don't even want to get into what happens if there's a disaster. "They are building the projects first and then they'll figure out traffic later," she said in an interview. But she worries about the long-term consequences. Anne Castro, chair of the Broward County Planning CouncilĬastro, too, understands the need for development, even if it means more pain for commuters. I don't even want to get into what happens if there's a disaster. " don't want to say no to development because of traffic congestion." "A robust, healthy downtown is a sign of a healthy, vibrant economic community," he explained. And planners say that's a good thing, he said. If they succeed, it will be "so busy it's not pleasant to drive here," said Nick Uhren, executive director of the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization. What South Florida planners want is to create bustling urban neighborhoods, with apartments, condos, offices, restaurants and shops.