Monday, February 6, 2017

On agenda at tomorrow’s City Commission meeting: “2nd Ave South Roadway Project - Federal Hwy to Dixie Hwy design plan”

This meeting is at City Hall beginning at 6:00. Check back tomorrow to learn how to watch meetings Live Streaming. Commissioner McVoy should pay particular attention to the highlighted text (see below), considering his comments at the Commission meeting on January 24th, from the minutes of that meeting:

“He [McVoy] reported that people had complained about speeding through the neighborhoods and had a concern that speeding would increase when the potholes were repaired.”

Let’s try to follow McVoy’s illogical sweeping generalization/cum hoc fallacy to its conclusion: the City’s potholes create traffic calming. So when potholes are fixed drivers will speed up. Potholes serve a community benefit. So. . . should potholes be designed into new road construction?

I know. It’s absurd. Just as absurd as McVoy’s suggestion the City isn’t forward-looking enough to address traffic calming when constructing new roads:

DEPARTMENT: Public Services (Felipe Lofaso)
SUMMARY: Staff is bringing forward the design plan for the 2nd Ave South Roadway Project – Federal to Dixie for discussion with the Commission and Public
BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION: The 2nd Ave South corridor from Federal Hwy to Dixie Hwy is one of the worst rated roadways within the City’s 116 mile road network.
     The project was brought forward as a high priority candidate for reconstruction in the fall of 2016 and the Commission and public were in favor of the project as a high priority for the City.

[and. . .]

Staff conducted a neighborhood outreach meeting on January 19th with the local residents and stakeholders of the project. The goals of the residents and stakeholders, to maintain sufficient on-street parking, calm the traffic speeds [Hello, Commissioner McVoy, PhD], and create a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists to fit into the City’s future downtown corridor improvements are in alignment with the current design.

District 2 Comm. McVoy (far right) is the only elected official up for re-election this year. District 4 Commissioner Ryan Mair (beaming, blue shirt) is not seeking re-election. Mayor Pam Triolo stands next to Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell and Commissioner Andy Amoroso (on left).