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Boca Raton residents bring road, traffic woes to City Council

By: Dale King

Traffic problems, mainly in the downtown and along East Palmetto Park Road from the Intracoastal to the ocean took center stage at a couple of Boca Raton City Council sessions this week.

Council members joined in the residential roadway lament and promised to deal with the problems as “top priorities” during upcoming goal-setting meetings this spring.

At Monday’s workshop session, the council considered a presentation from the Riviera Civic Association about a lack of crosswalks along East Palmetto Park Road, causing problems for people trying to get across the heavily trafficked road at three intersections.

Katie MacDougall, the association’s president, said street crossing is particularly difficult at East Palmetto and NE Wavecrest Way, and at Palmetto and Olive Way near the bike shop. 

The association represents residents who live in three shoreline area housing complexes, Sun & Surf, Riviera and Por La Mar.

In her address, she showed slides of the troubled area which she said stretches from the Palmetto Park Road bridge over the Intracoastal to State Road A1A, where the only traffic light and crosswalk along that section of road can be found.

She said the problems seem worse considering a recently published article that said Boca Raton recently added multiple crosswalks to Palmetto Park Road west of the bridge. “There are no crosswalks east of the bridge,” she said. “Trying to cross East Palmetto is difficult and dangerous.”

MacDougall also expressed concerns about bike traffic along a road that has no bike lanes.  Bicycle riders often must go up on sidewalks, creating troubles for pedestrians. She also showed a photo she said was taken at 7 a.m. on a Sunday showing all street-side parking spaces were being used, blocking access to side streets.

In addition to adding crosswalks, the association president suggested off-street parking, elimination of wide Florida Power & Light electric poles, additional safety signs and a general cleanup of graffiti and trash.

Coincidentally, she thanked Mayor Scott Singer for getting sidewalks in that area repaired, though he admitted, “I don’t fix the sidewalks.  This is a county road.”

Deputy Mayor Andrea O’Rourke picked up on the need to improve the optics in that area, saying, “Our beachside doesn’t represent the best of Boca.”  Councilwoman Yvette Drucker noted that the addition of “crosswalks is a good idea. Beautification will go a long way.”

Singer and Councilman Andy Thomson said they could approach the regional transportation board for a study. “Maybe we can use some of the revenue from the penny sales tax increase,” said Thomson. “This area should be bicycle and pedestrian friendly. It’s not.”

The mayor said the East Palmetto problems will be “a top priority at goal-setting.”

During Tuesday’s regular council meeting, Karen Buckley of SW 11th Street told members about speeding traffic along Dixie and Federal highways. “I have heard about accidents, but I haven’t’ seen any. I do have concerns for speeding on Dixie, Federal and Palmetto Park Road.”

She also complained about drag-racing and cars going through red lights. “We never see the police.”

However, Mayor Singer said the number of traffic citations issued by police was up 75% in January. “We have hundreds of miles of roads. We are doing the best we can.”

City Manager Leif Ahnell took a cue from the mayor, saying, “The police are out in full force—as many as ever.”  Singer also noted that crime overall in Boca decreased more than 8% last year.

“There was a traffic fatality reported over the weekend on Federal Highway,” said Councilwoman Monica Mayotte. “It looks like speed was involved. It’s tragic. My heart goes out to the family.”

She also noted she and her own family were having dinner outdoors at a Palmetto Park Road restaurant and passing cars were “raucous and disruptive.”

O’Rourke said speeding on West Palmetto is “also an issue. This is something we need to address at goal-setting.”

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