Okeechobee and the Pedestrian Overpass option

I just got back from a campaign event where the discussion turned to the much requested overpass on Okeechobee Blvd. The comment was made that “the Mayor didn’t even consider it” (paraphrasing).

During the Okeechobee Corridor study a few years ago my group discussed the overpass option in depth. We discussed different ways that we could make an overpass work to not just provide and end to end crossing from the convention center to CityPlace, but also provide options for people coming from CityPlace South Tower as well as those who are trying to cross Okeechobee at Parker.

The concept of not just having a boring (smelly) overpass, but creating a new space was what excited me. A destination, something like the highline in New York that could provide more than just getting across the road.

I was happy when the final Okeechobee Corridor Study was released, there was a section that discussed the various options, the costs included as well as the reasons why the city was not recommending the overpass.

Below are the options the study worked through – commentary on the images is mine.

This is what most people think when they talk about an over pass. Turns out elevators are expensive. (length: 310 ft, price: $7,000,000)

Interesting option, provides an “on ramp” for neighborhood access from Grandview Heights, and “off ramps” at Cityplace, Hilton, Kravis Center. (length: 2125ft, cost: 49,800,000)

I liked this one. the Organic look could make it both a functional way of getting around as well as a featured piece of art. (length: 2125, cost: 49,800,000)

At over half a mile, this is by far the most ambitious. Not a huge fan of the square shape, but of we knocked off some of the edges make an interesting above ground running track. (length: 3000ft, cost:70,000,000)

Here is the full explanation of why the Okeechobee study is not recommending the pedestrian bridge. Emphasis is mine.

Several ideas for pedestrian bridges have been proposed over the years along Okeechobee. They were also mentioned frequently at the Okeechobee charrette. When they were mentioned at the charrette, the expressed goal was to allow safer and more convenient crossings.

People who might benefit from bridges include visitors and convention attendees as well as residents from adjacent buildings and neighborhoods.

Several bridge concepts where tested. For pedestrian bridges, there are two options. One option includes elevators and a bridge. This option can have a smaller footprint, but requires people to use an elevator to access the bridge. The second option is to use ramps to access the bridge. Ramps add length to the bridge crossing and expand the overall footprint of the bridge.

The bridge and elevator option would be able to provide the most direct crossing between the convention center and CityPlace. The free-flow movement of pedestrians is restricted with this option by the capacity and speed of the elevators. This option would not be able to handle large volumes of people over short periods of time, such as when a convention center event ends. The elevator wait times may also be equal or greater to the existing time it takes to cross the intersection at Rosemary and Okeechobee.

The ramp options require longer bridge lengths in order to make the crossing across Okeechobee.

These options can handle larger volumes of people but require longer distances and more time for people walking to cross the street. They also require a larger footprint.

To estimate the cost of the pedestrian bridge options, the Orlando Convention Center pedestrian bridge across International Drive was used. The bridge has some similarities in context, including crossing a multi-lane roadway and at a convention center.

Orlando Convention Center Pedestrian Bridge – so ugly.

The costs range from $7 to $70 million. The $7 million cost would be for the bridge option with elevators. This cost represents 25% of the estimated cost to rebuild the entire Okeechobee corridor from I-95 to Flagler Drive. The ramp options range from $50 to $70 million. These costs represent between 180% and 260% of the cost to rebuild the entire Okeechobee corridor from I-95 to Flagler Drive.

Because of the crossing needs across Okeechobee, the safety issues, and the costs, a pedestrian bridge across Okeechobee is not recommended at this time. As a first step, it is recommended that the corridor be redesigned and rebuilt to improve conditions at existing intersections. None of the bridge options improve the underlying safety issues for all corridor users. Redesigning the street and intersection can do this. Additionally, none of the bridge options are able to handle high volumes of pedestrian crossings or reduce crossing time.

Whether or not you agree with the conclusions, that is up to you. But the study was done, and the options were looked at and evaluated.

To read the full Okeechobee Blvd Study please click here. It’s very interesting and on such an important topic.

@aGuyOnClematis

Okeechobee and the Pedestrian Overpass option

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