B.  PUTNAM COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

      TRAFFIC CIRCULATION ELEMENT

         GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND POLICIES

         

GOAL B.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(a); CRPP 19.1.1]:  Develop and maintain a well balanced and integrated transportation system which provides for the safe, convenient, and efficient movement of people and goods throughout Putnam County,.  The transportation system will encourage a and which is consistent with desired land use patterns, and conserve energy, and protects the natural environment.

 

Objective B.1.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(b)1; CRPP 19.1.]:  Upon plan implementation, tThe County shall provide for a safe, convenient and efficient motorized and non‑motorized transportation system. by correcting all existing roadway deficiencies as identified in this plan and maintain the adopted level of service standards in the future on a priority basis based on the priorities established in this plan.

 

Policy B.1.1.1  [Rev. 02-28; Rev. 98-02; Rev. 93-19; 9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.9, identical to Policy H.5.1.11]: 

 

The County hereby adopts the following peak hour LOS standards for each listed facility type:

 

1.                  principal arterials –

            LOS C – Multi-Lane

            LOS D – Two-Lane

 

2.  collectors and minor arterials ‑ LOS D

 

3.  local roadways ‑ LOS D.

 

4.  Florida Intrastate Highway System-

LOS B – Rural Multi-Lane

LOS C- Rural Two-Lane

                                   LOS C - Urban and transition urban

 

Any modification to the level of service standards provided above shall be submitted as a comprehensive plan amendment.  The level of service standard for a roadway in the Florida Intrastate Highway System, shall not be different than the standards adopted by FDOT unless data and analysis clearly establish that designation of the roadway as constrained or backlogged is necessary to further the achievement of important planning goals and policies and FDOT approves of the designation.

 

Provisions which allow operation of road segments below the adopted level of service standards are included in the County’s Concurrency Management System and are consistent with applicable State laws and rules.

 

          Policy B.1.1.2  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)2; CRPP 19.2.1.4]:  The County shall use operational improvements which include traffic signals when warranted., turn lanes where turning conflicts exist, pavement striping, etc., to ensure a smooth, efficient and safe traffic flow and adequate ingress and egress for new developments.  Pursuant to County Land Development Regulations, developers shall be required to contribute their fair share of required transportation improvement costs resulting from their development projects.  Transportation improvements may include, but are not limited to, traffic signals, turn lanes, deceleration and acceleration lanes.

 

Policy B.1.1.3  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1;  CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County will continue establish a County Transportation Plan that will include a road paving program in order that existing unpaved roads are paved according to prioritized needs based on the criteria and point system contained in Figure BB‑1.

 

Policy B.1.1.4  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)3; CRPP 19.2.1.5]:  The County will require All developersment to shall comply with County road design standards.  These standards will include a requirement and to pave all internal roadways for all new subdivisions over a certain size, as determined in the Land Development Code, and participate in access road improvements caused by the proposed development project .

 

Policy B.1.1.5  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)3; CRPP 19.2.1.5]:  Pursuant to the County’s Concurrency Management system as adopted in the Land Development Code, the County shall ensure that the necessary transportation facilities, including motorized and non‑motorized vehicle parking, are in place when a development permit is issued, or a development permit is are issued subject to the condition that the necessary transportation facilities will be in place when the impacts of development occur.

 

Policy B.1.1.6  [9J‑5.007(3); CRPP 19.2.1.4]:  The County shall maximize the traffic‑carrying capacity and operational efficiency of a roadway through Transpor­tation System Management (TSM) measures incorporated into the Land Development Regulations Code.  A list of such measures includes, but is not limited to: encourage off‑peak use of transportation facilities by providing information to those concerned on any efforts by the NEFRPC in a regional TSM program, improve signal timing and spacing through continued dialogue with FDOT, reduce the number of curb and median cuts, reduce on‑street parking, and improve pedestrian and bicycle access.

 

Policy B.1.1.7  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County shall pursue federal, state, and local funding sources which could supplement the Putnam County Public Works budget for road construction and maintenance.

 

Policy B.1.1.8  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.9]:  As part of the County’s Concurrency Management System, the County shall maintain and enhance as necessary, a comprehensive traffic counting system roadway database for annually monitoring the level of service on, at a minimum, the County those roadways with and adopted LOS as determined by the Concurrency Management sSystem.  If necessary, any developer doing a major traffic study to meet the County’s concurrency requirements shall be required to provide all traffic count data as part of the major traffic study consistent with the requirements of the County’s Concurrency Management System adopted in the Land Development Code.

 

Objective B.1.2  [9J-5.007(3)(b)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  Putnam County shall continue to identify transportation improvement needs, including road paving, and establish a priority schedule, which that will be updated annually and which will also be included in the County’s adopted Five Year Schedule of Capital Improvements.

 

Policy B.1.2.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County shall cooperate with bordering counties and municipalities within the County in order to establish and maintain a Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) cost effective and safe transportation system. and The County shall establish a mechanism whereby the plan will be periodically updated and prioritized according to the criteria specified in Policy B.1.2.2 the Master Transportation Plan.  The County Commission will provide FDOT with a list of its adopted transportation priorities annually as part of the FDOT process of developing its Five-Year Work Program.

 

Policy B.1.2.2  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  Proposed roadway projects for the TIP shall be evaluated and ranked in order of priority according to the following group rating criteria in the County’s Master Transportation Plan.  For resurfacing projects, the criteria shall include utilization of a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and traffic volume.  For road paving projects, the criteria will at a minimum include:

 

A.  Group 1 projects are those which are essential to protect public health and safety and fulfill the County's legal commitment to provide facilities and services, consistent with the approved Comprehensive Plan, and have been evaluated based on established  criteria, including the following factors:

 

1.  street conditions traffic volume;

2.  number of residents served classification of road;

3.  amount of traffic using the street safety;

4.  environmental impact annual maintenance costs;

5.  physical/geometric requirement drainage; and

6.                  local policy continuity and connectivity of system.

Group 1 Projects should be implemented with available funds based upon capital cost effectiveness (i.e. capital cost/total annual person trips = cost per person trip).

 

B.  Group 2 projects are those which meet the criteria specified above and should be implemented if funds are available after completion of priority 1 projects.   Road paving projects should not be completed for roads that serve individual neighborhoods unless it is in conjunction with a major paving project in the area, or is within an area of paved roads and the road paving project will complete paving in the area.  Roadway projects for individual neighborhoods or subdivision should be conducted under a Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) or other special assessment district.

 

C.  Group 3 projects are those which would improve facilities, but lie outside the five‑year implementation period.

 

Objective B.1.3  [9J‑5.007(3)(b)2,4; CRPP 19.2.1.8]:  Upon plan adoption, tThe County shall identify collector and arterial right‑of‑way needs and establish a priority schedule for acquisition of future right‑of‑way and protection of existing and future right‑of‑way from building encroachment. 

 

Policy B.1.3.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)4; CRPP 19.2.1.8]:  By December 31, 2005, Tthe County shall adopt and implement a right‑of‑way acquisition protection ordinance and map, coordinated with the traffic circulation and future land use elements to ensure continuity of the state, regional, and local roadway network and to protect future network corridors from development and other encroachments.  The protection of the necessary rights-of-way may include developer donation as part of the land development review process.

 

Policy B.1.3.2  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)4; CRPP 19.2.1.8]:  The County shall adopt minimum right‑of‑way requirements for new roadways containing the following provisions:

 

A.  arterial roadways ‑ 150 ft. right‑of‑way

 

B.  collector roadways ‑ 80 ft. right‑of‑way

 

C.  local roadways ‑     66 ft. right‑of‑way *

 

* It should be recognized that some types of development contain situations where roadway construction requirements for right‑of‑way may vary; as such therefore, the application of right‑of‑way requirements shall be applied on a case to case basis and may be altered as determined by the County Commission based upon recommendation of the Public Works Director and County Administrator. Determined by criteria in the Land Development Code.

 

Policy B.1.3.3  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)4; CRPP 19.2.1.2 & 8]:  The County shall implement a program for dedications as a condition of plat approval for acquiring necessary rights‑of‑way. continue to require new subdivisions to construct adequate roads and drainage as part of the subdivision review process.

 

Objective B.1.4  [9J‑5.007(3)(b)2; CRPP 16.1.1, 16.2.1 & 19.2.1]:  The County shall encourage growth to occur in a planned and orderly manner which is compatible with the framework established in the Future Land Use Element.

 

Policy B.1.4.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County shall review development proposals based upon for consistency with the requirements of the County’s adopted Concurrency Management System  site plan review and approval ordinance, to ensure the availability of existing roadway capacity to serve project traffic and maintain acceptable operating conditions.

 

Policy B.1.4.2  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  Putnam County shall ensure that no proposed developments requirements receive development approval where traffic from the proposed project will reduce the level of service of the have an impact on a roadway operating below the established level of service, or will operate below the established level of service with the additional traffic from the project.  When a project traffic would lower the level of service impacts a roadway segment operating below the established level of service, the development approval shall be conditioned on the roadway improvements being programmed or constructed consistent with the minimum criteria established in Rule 9J-5.0055(3)(c) F.A.C.

 

Policy B.1.4.3  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County shall review all proposed transportation plans and improvements to determine the impacts such projects or proposals will have on the County's traffic circulation system.

 

Policy B.1.4.4  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)3; CRPP 19.2.1.7]:  The County shall ensure that the necessary transportation facilities, including motorized and non‑motorized vehicle parking, are in place when a development permit is issued or that a development permit is issued subject to the condition that the necessary transportation facilities will be in place when the impacts of development occur.

 

Policy B.1.4.54  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)2;  CRPP 19.2.1.6]:  Putnam County shall  minimize the connection of access points of driveways and roads to roadways through the use of land development regulations addressing the subdivision of land regulations, a drive access ordinance roadway access, and State driveway permit procedures, and coordinating with FDOT in implementing strategies contained in FDOT Access Management Rules 14-96 and 14‑97 for development on State roadways.  In general, land development regulations will be developed to limit driveway spacing according to the following schedule standards:

 

Adjoining Road                                     Minimum Access

Posted Speed Limit                          Spacing (feet)

 

25 mph                                                  80

30 mph                                                105

35 mph                                                145

40 mph                                                185

45 mph                                                200

 

The minimum standards listed above do not preclude the County from adopting more stringent standards in the Land Development Code.  For roadways designated as part of the Florida Intrastate Highway System (FIHS), which includes State Road 20 from the Alachua/Putnam County line to State Road 19; State Road 19 from its intersection with SR 20 to State Road 100; State Road 100 from its intersection with SR19 to its intersection with US 17;  SR100 and US 17 to their intersection with SR 207;  SR 207 to the Putnam/St. Johns County line, driveway and road access will be limited pursuant to FDOT requirements or more stringent standards of the County’s Land Development Code.

 

Policy B.1.4.65  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)5;  CRPP 19.1.1.5]:  Putnam County shall review all plans for new residential subdivisions or commercial development in conjunction with as well as proposed highway improvements and residential development, particularly for the potential of  connecting residential areas to park and recreation areas, schools and major shopping centers, and to determine the need for pedestrian ways and bikeways consistent with the County’s Land Development Code.

 

Policy B.1.4.75.5  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)5;  CRPP 19.2.1.5 & 10]:  Pursuant to the County Land Development Code, Tthe County will review all proposed subdivision or commercial developments  located on State or County Roads for its their accommodation of bicycle and pedestrian traffic needs by providing for sufficient lane widths on County roads to accommodate bicycles and the County shall providinge comments to FDOT for any proposed widening projects on State roadways.

 

Policy B.1.4.87  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)3; CRPP 19.2.1.2]:  The County’s development review process shall implement a program which will requires all types of development to pay their fair share of the costs of needed on‑site, as well as off‑site, improvements though dedication or fees, as required by the Land Development Code.

 

Objective B.1.5  [9J‑5.007(3)(b)2; CRPP 19.2.1]:  In cooperation with its five municipalities, adjacent Counties, and FDOT, Tthe County will plan and develop a transportation system that preserves environmentally sensitive areas and historic properties, conserves energy and natural resources and promotes community aesthetic values.

 

Policy B.1.5.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)2; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  In establishing priorities for the FDOT Five-Year Work Program, Tthe County will conserve and protect the character of neighborhoods and historic properties from the avoidable intrusion of major thoroughfares.

 

Policy B.1.5.2  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)2; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County should develop an interlocal agreement with its five municipalities, adjacent Counties and FDOT to ensure that Ffuture facility access interchanges roadways shall will not be placed or constructed in a manner that would provide access to environmentally protection sensitive areas unless there is no feasible way to avoid environmentally sensitive areas. or to other areas to be conserved in order to prevent undue pressure for development of such areas.

 

Policy B.1.5.3  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)2; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  In the construction of new County roads, the County will continue to first avoid, second minimize, and third mitigate impacts to environmentally sensitive areas.  If no feasible alternative exists, the design of needed transportation facility improvements may transverse areas that are environmentally and/or aesthetically sensitive; however, such access should be limited and design techniques, will be coordinated with the Water Management District and FDEP, should be used to minimize the negative impact upon the natural and community systems environmentally sensitive areas.

 

Policy B.1.5.4  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1;]  The County shall continue to coordinate with the Putnam County Transportation Committee and the MSBU Advisory Committees in order to inform residents of action taken under this element and to ensure the responsiveness of the County's transportation planning process to the needs of the County’s residents.

 

Objective B.1.6  [9J‑5.007(3)(b)3; CRPP 19.1.1]:  Putnam County shall pursue the execution of interlocal agreements with FDOT, its five municipalities, and the seven adjacent counties in an effort to coordinate with related local, state, regional, and federal agencies for an integrated, cost effective transportation system.

 

Policy B.1.6.1  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.1.1]:  Through interlocal agreements, Tthe County shall coordinate roadway improvements with surrounding counties and municipalities within Putnam County and the Florida Department of Transportation to ensure effective application of available revenue.

 

Policy B.1.6.2  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.1.1]:  The County Public Works Department and Planning Department personnel and County Commissioners, through input from its Public Works and Planning Departments, shall participate in FDOT Five‑Year Construction Program workshops and provide FDOT with a prioritized list of roadway improvements based on the criteria established in this plan and the Land Development Code and the County’s Master Transportation Plan. to further County interests.

 

Policy B.1.6.3  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.3]  The County shall establish a public information program to inform residents of action taken under this element and to ensure the responsiveness of the County's transportation planning process to the needs of the County residents by developing a mechanism for citizen participation.

 

Policy B.1.6.43  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  The County shall develop an interlocal agreement with its municipalities for a reciprocal review for compatibility with this element, of the traffic circulation plans and programs of the incorporated areas within the County as they are amended in the future.

 

Policy B.1.6.54  [9J‑5.007(3)(c)1; CRPP 19.2.1.1]:  Although the County is located outside the limits of any Metropolitan Planning Organization, intergovernmental coordination with MPOs and resource planning pursuant to Chapter 380 regarding regional transportation systems, funding and planning in north Florida shall be accomplished through continued cooperation and communication with the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council (through participation in the NEFRPC Transportation Planning Committee) and other contiguous councils when and where appropriate.

 

 

Policy B.1.6.65  [9J‑5.007(3)(c); CRPP 19.3.1.2]:  County transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged provided by the Community Transportation Coordinator should work together to eliminate duplication of services through the joint‑use of programs,  and continue coordination with the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council which serves as the “Designated Official Planning Agency” for the Putnam County Transportation Disadvantaged Program.

 

Policy B.1.6.76  [9J‑5.007(3)(c); CRPP 19.3.1.3]:  State, regional, and local agencies providing planning and operating assistance in transporting the disadvantaged should encourage participation of private for profit and private non‑profit organizations who comply with federal and State safety standards and can provide Transportation Disadvantaged Service with the most cost-effective and efficient manner available.

 

Policy B.1.6.7.  The County will work with the City of Palatka and other municipalities to improve public transportation.  This will be accomplished, in part, by developing the train station in Palatka into a multi-modal transportation hub.