Officials seek feedback beyond 'love it' or 'hate it' on South Florida Avenue 'road diet'

LAKELAND — From social media to Publix's checkout lines, people haven't been shy about voicing how they feel about the South Florida Avenue road diet.

Lakeland Commissioner Stephanie Madden has said she's been approached at supermarkets and libraries by residents looking to give their input.

"Instead of it just being pro-con, 'I hate the road diet or I love the road diet,' ... [I try] to get some constructive pinch points," Madden said. "It's hard to get them past their frustration to constructive criticism that will help us going forward."

The pilot study has reduced the roadway from five to three lanes of traffic over roughly a mile-long stretch from Lime Street south to Ariana Street that started with construction in April 2020.

Florida Department of Transportation finished its extended data collection in March and are preparing to present their final report in June.

Early days:Love it or hate it: Accidents up, travel delayed in early stages of Dixieland road diet

First glance:FDOT says South Florida Ave safer with the 'road diet.' Numbers don't add up

Before it shares the results, FDOT will be conducting a web-based survey to obtain official feedback from Lakeland residents, business owners and commuters.

Chuck Barmby, the city's transportation and development review manager, said FDOT will begin an outreach campaign this month to solicit input on what parts of the road diet have or haven't worked. Part of the survey will include a visual map.

"That's part of the challenge. It's a complicated area," Barmby said. "If I say, 'It's the Southside Cleaners' and someone else says, 'the issue is at Cresap and Frank Lloyd Wright [Way],' we're talking about the same place but it gets translated differently."

Barmby said the online survey's map will allow respondents to select an area, zoom in and leave comments to explain the issue they are having along that particular portion of the road diet.

City officials suggested some topics they would like to receive feedback on: the timing of traffic signals and any difficulties entering or exiting South Florida Avenue from specific side streets.

"Be specific, be specific, be specific," Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley said.

Kevin Cook, Lakeland's spokesman, said the city will be launching a four-week public educational campaign beginning May 9 about the South Florida Avenue road diet — also referred to by some the Dixieland lane realignment.

The educational campaign will focus on key traffic data statistics and be posted on social media, according to Cook. The main goal will be to encourage people to attend FDOT's public forum on the road diet tentatively scheduled to be held the last week of June at the RP Funding Center. Exact details have not been set.

There's no going back

Regardless, one's opinion of changes along South Florida Avenue, commissioners were unsure if residents know it's not as simple as scraping up the concrete medians and returning the road to its prior configuration.

"They are astounded to think we can't can't go back," Madden said.

Several members of the city commission have expressed their own displeasure with the road diet. Commissioner Bill Read said, "I think DOT missed the boat in this particular area" at the city's February strategic planning meetings.

Other Options?: Lakeland officials seek alternatives to South Florida Ave. road diet

Dating back to 2016, the city's Public Works Department had proposed multiple alternative solutions to modify South Florida Avenue. Some included:

• Removing the middle turn lane to reduce it to a four-lane roadway , two lanes in each direction similar to Lakeland Hills Boulevard

• Install a median down the center of South Florida Avenue and widen the travel lanes

• Create on-street parking in Dixieland during the evenings and weekends

Barmby previous told The Ledger each of these proposals were once rejected, but could potentially be re-examined.

One potential option that still exists would be for the city to work with FDOT to restrict truck traffic on South Florida Avenue. Any measures put in place would have to be enforced by Lakeland Police Department.

Regardless of what happened, McCarley said she feels it's the commission's responsibility to be clear about future ahead for South Florida Avenue.

"It's never going back to four lanes," McCarley said. "To just be really candid and honest with them too, that expectation is it won't be like it was."

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland officials want feedback on South Florida Ave. road diet