Close to downtown Vero Beach, Twin Pairs, some learn real meaning of pedestrian-unfriendly

Laurence Reisman, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·5 min read

I think about the term “pedestrian-friendly” regularly.

I hear it from folks who use that term to discuss why they want to narrow State Road 60 downtown from seven lanes to four (to fit parking and wider bike lanes).

Or from others who think downtown Vero Beach needs to be “revitalized” ― as if it hasn’t rebounded since the downtown flight of the 1970s after places like Miracle Mile and the U.S. 1 Vero Mall opened.

But I live in a much larger world, one away from a downtown that has sidewalks on both sides of the street, crosswalks (though not enough) and traffic signals with stop and go prompts for pedestrians.

Walking where regular folks live

A vehicle moves to get out of the way of columnist Laurence Reisman walking on the edge of Second Street, west of Old Dixie Highway on Tuesday Sept. 19, 2023. The street is one of many in Indian River County, Florida, without a sidewalk, or in this case, even a bike lane.
A vehicle moves to get out of the way of columnist Laurence Reisman walking on the edge of Second Street, west of Old Dixie Highway on Tuesday Sept. 19, 2023. The street is one of many in Indian River County, Florida, without a sidewalk, or in this case, even a bike lane.

Definition of pedestrian-friendly: Houston means one step closer to road diet while Vero Beach plots Twin Pairs lane cuts

I was in that world, a few miles south of downtown, first thing Tuesday after dropping my wife’s car off at the shop.

Given all the evening rain, I figured I’d get my steps in ― about 9,000 — walking several blocks from the shop on Old Dixie Highway to Second Street, then west to 20th Avenue and toward my home.

I thought about what I'd say to the Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization, which on Tuesday launched public workshops seeking feedback on how to update its 2015 Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan.

I wasn’t in a “pedestrian-friendly” zone.

But I was able to get to one of the MPO meetings Tuesday night.

There will be more meetings Wednesday:

  • 10 a.m.-noon at the Vero Beach Community Center, 2266 14th Ave, Vero Beach.

  • 2–4 p.m. at the North Indian River County Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian.

Lots of room for sidewalks

Riders congregate Thursday June 11, 2015 at GoLine's Main Transit Hub located at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport, which connects with 7 of the GoLine's 15 bus routes. Many of the GoLine's bus stops are on grass, not near sidewalks, and are not covered.
Riders congregate Thursday June 11, 2015 at GoLine's Main Transit Hub located at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport, which connects with 7 of the GoLine's 15 bus routes. Many of the GoLine's bus stops are on grass, not near sidewalks, and are not covered.

While these times might be convenient for county staff and its consultants, they’re not convenient for most working people or teenagers.

They’re the people I see walking on roads without sidewalks. Tuesday, I ran across three men, including two standing on grass while waiting at bus stops. (The county's GoLine buses gave 1.2 million rides last year).

I could walk on grass instead of sidewalks, but often it’s wet from dew or rain. Sometimes swales or holes make the grass dangerously uneven.

I consider the walk home from the auto shop a little risky. There’s no sidewalk on the vast majority of Old Dixie or Second Street. Much of the small bike lane on Old Dixie is overgrown or covered with sand, dirt or debris.

It reminds me of parts of U.S. 1 between Fourth and 12th streets that, believe it or not, have no sidewalk on either side. While the missing link sidewalk is slated to be added on U.S. 1 by the Florida Department of Transportation, it’s been more than 10 years since I reported it to county officials, who at the time seemed surprised.

To me, the county cannot build sidewalks fast enough. There are lots of good sidewalks that connect the south county, where I live, to downtown Vero Beach, but I’m lucky to have a complete sidewalk on my street.

Sidewalks beat oak trees? FDOT overkill on A1A waste of money? Where are Vero Beach environment watchdogs?

Many people aren’t.

Cost is a factor.

To me, though, the question is one of priorities.

The county has done a good job connecting many schools to sidewalks and making other key links.

Still, I remain shocked the state Department of Transportation, with whom the county’s MPO works, would focus on places like State Road A1A on Orchid Island without looking to the needs of regular folks out west.

Alma Lee Loy Bridge safety overlooked

The Florida Department of Transportation released this drawing of what a portion of State Road A1A between 17th Street and Beachland Boulevard in Vero Beach will look like after an improvement project is completed in fall 2023.
The Florida Department of Transportation released this drawing of what a portion of State Road A1A between 17th Street and Beachland Boulevard in Vero Beach will look like after an improvement project is completed in fall 2023.

Last year I wrote about the wasted resources invested in an eastern sidewalk for A1A between 17th Street and Beachland Boulevard. I used to walk that area regularly and rarely saw anyone on the western sidewalk.

Meantime, vast portions of the mainland — in the south, north and western counties — have NO sidewalks.

It’s also interesting local pedestrian-friendly advocates are not outspoken about conditions on the Alma Lee Loy Bridge.

In the wake of the 2014 death of bicyclist Cole Coppola, 16, killed by a drunken driver on the bridge, FDOT made some improvements. Still, conditions there have never been inviting for pedestrians or bicyclists.

It’s no better now with ongoing repairs, which have narrowed the bridge to one lane each way as part of a project that won’t end until summer 2028. I'm surprised none of the Twin Pairs narrowing advocates have proposed cutting the bridge permanently to two lanes, making the other two a pedestrian walkway.

Looking back to 2014, even before FDOT planned to fix what it found to be an unstable bridge, why weren’t better plans made to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians?

My bottom line for the MPO:

  1. Catch up: Target areas where there are no sidewalks or bike paths.

  2. Plan ahead: Sebastian and Fellsmere have annexed thousands of acres of land for future development. Devise plans that, before construction begins, would link the areas and connect to the county’s network, including the amazing Trans-Florida Central Railroad Trail that passes over Interstate 95 in Fellsmere.

  3. Use resources: How can existing public land, from drainage rights of way to mosquito impoundment trails, accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists?

LAURENCE REISMAN
LAURENCE REISMAN

Indian River County is a great place with lots of amenities. But, having traveled in the past year to a handful of other cities — planners and I chatted about Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Greenville, South Carolina, Tuesday night — and more rural areas, there’s lots more we can do.

And much of it is very basic: There’s no excuse to have no sidewalks in certain well-traveled areas, but more than are needed on places like A1A.

In short, let’s start with needs, not wants.

(If you couldn't make it to a meeting and would like to offer the MPO input, please send it to pjohnson@indianriver.gov. You can visit the plan website at IndianRiver.gov/mpo/bikepedplan).

This column reflects the opinion of Laurence Reisman. Contact him via email at larry.reisman@tcpalm.com, phone at 772-978-2223, Facebook.com/larryreisman or Twitter @LaurenceReisman.

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Dodging cars: Traffic safety key issue around Vero Beach, Sebastian