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May 2007
Traffic Deaths Down Slightly in 2006
Preliminary stats from the U.S. Department of Transportation show that the number of people killed on our nation’s highways dropped last year.
The decrease — 43,300 from 43, 443 in 2005 — could change when the final assessment is released this summer.
Needless to say, federal highway officials say there’s still plenty of cause for concern.
Alcohol-related fatalities increased 2.4 percent and the number of motorcyclists killed jumped 5.4 percent.
Other statistics showed a 3.7 percent decrease in fatalities from large truck crashes; a 2.3 percent decrease in pedestrian deaths and a 0.6 percent drop in the number of bicyclists who were killed.
Another disturbing fact is that 55 percent of the people killed in car crashes were not wearing seat belts.
“Bad things happen when people don’t buckle up, and no one is immune from the damage and devastation that comes from not wearing a seat belt,” DOT Secretary Mary E. Peters said.
And here’s something everyone can relate to. The economic loss of last year’s highway crashes totaled $230.6 billion. That’s $820 per person.
Something to think about next time you hammer down the accelerator on I-95.
TV Helps Ease Pain At The Pump
Coming soon to a gas station near you.
Small, flatscreen TVs on top of the gas pump, showing news highlights, sports scores, weather forecasts, traffic reports and movie previews.
The novelty is spreading throughout the country’s Heartland and West Coast, so it’s just a matter of time before it filters down to our area, right?
The idea of television at the gas pump is intended to entertain consumers while they perform the mundane task of filling up their gas guzzler.
Some motorists reportedly like enjoy the service, while others find it annoying.
Would it make you feel any better to find out the Yankees lost again or state lawmakers still can’t come up with a plan on cutting your property taxes while shelling out $75 on fuel?
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County Road Boss Goes Nationwide
For the past 16 years, George Webb has reigned over road-building in Palm Beach County.
Now, he’s expanding his reach throughout the country, so to speak.
Webb is the new president of the 1,900-member National Association of County Engineers. He went all the way to Milwaukee, where the group held its annual management and technical conference, to receive the honor.
One of his tasks will be to help monitor national legislation affecting county transportation and public works departments. He may want to keep a close eye on happenings in Tallahassee, where the tax-cutting rage may take a toll on new road projects.
Webb has worked for the county since 1981, starting as assistant director of the traffic division. After holding other top management positions, he was named county engineer in 1991.
He’s a graduate of the back-to-back-to-back champion University of Florida and a past president of the Florida Association of County Engineers and Road Superintendents.
County roads are built primarily with revenues from gas taxes and impact fees, so property tax reform in Tallahassee will not have a major impact. Hopefully. But the question remains, will new construction ever catch up with growth?
Save A Life, Hang Up Your Cell Phone
That’s the name of a campaign that a San Diego man has started to get people off their phones while driving.
He’s even selling bumper stickers to raise awareness and spread the word.
“Drivers are distracted when they’re on the cell phone. They drive erratically, often ignoring other drivers around them, while they dangerously move in and out of lanes,” Michael Schriner said. “They are an accident waiting to happen.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, using a cell phone can pose “a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance.”
NHTSA research has yet to quantify crashes caused by cell phone use, but driver distraction from all sources contributes to about 25 percent of traffic crashes. Available research also shows that using a hands-free device is still a distraction because it can “cause a driver to miss key visual and audio cues needed to avoid a crash.”
Other studies, including one by Harvard University’s Center for Risk Analysis, are more definitive. The Harvard report says about 2,600 people are killed annually by drivers talking on cell phones.
Florida lawmakers have considered cell phone restrictions, but not done anything to make it illegal. A bill that was presented in this year’s session also would have made it illegal to send text messages while driving.
The bill made it as far as a Senate committee, but no vote was taken because there was no companion measure in the House. Members of the Senate Transportation Committee also said they were given conflicting information on how distracting it is to talk on the phone while behind the wheel.
To learn more about Schriner’s crusade, check out his website, www.hangupyourcellphone.com.
Quicker Response on Motorist Aid
You’re driving down I-95 near Fort Lauderdale when your car breaks down.
Naturally, the first thing you do is call *FHP for help.
In the past, the calls were answered at the Florida Highway Patrol’s Lake Worth communications center. Because of the huge volume of calls coming into the center, it could take a few moments for one of the call takers to pick up.
The call taker then had to transfer the call to the state’s SMART SunGuide Transportation Management Center to send a Road Ranger to assist the stranded motorist.
A new procedure is in place to speed up the process.
Now, calls for roadside assistance are routed directly to the TMC, allowing the FHP more time to answer emergency calls.
Once the transfer program goes through a trial period, it will be expanded to Palm Beach County highways.
Free roadside assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Road rangers will change flats, provide gas and water and jump-start batteries.
When they get a call for help, TMC operators can use the closed-circuit television cameras along I-95, I-75 and I-595 to verify the location of the motorist.
FHP is still able to monitor the calls through a live remote connection to the TMC database and camera network.
And drivers should always remember to call 911 in emergencies.
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The Secretary Talks About Her Job
If new roads and expanded public transit systems were built with hard work and enthusiasm, Florida would be in good shape.
Unfortunately, it takes something more — M-O-N-E-Y!
Now and in the foreseeable future, there’s not enough to go around.
But new DOT Secretary Stephanie C. Kopelousos said that’s not going to deter her from having a safe and efficient transportation system.
During a visit to West Palm Beach last Friday, Kopelousos talked about her goals and priorities. And she wants everyone to know she really, really loves going to work!
As head of the DOT, Kopelousos oversees more than 7,000 employees and an annual budget of $8 billion. Before Gov. Charlie Crist appointed her to the post last month, Kopelousos was DOT’s chief of staff, managing day-to-day operations and directing legislative issues.
Before that, she spent four years as the primary liaison for the Transportation and Community Affairs departments in Washington. She coordinated the state’s efforts during the passage of the federal transportation bill and the back-to-back hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005.
Make no mistake about it, safety is the secretary’s number one priority.
Starting with the Click It or Ticket campaign over the Memorial Day holiday, the state will be hammering home the message that drivers need to wear their safety belts, Kopelousos said. A 2006 survey showed 80.7 percent of motorists buckle up. Even without a primary seat-belt law, Florida has to do better, she said.
As far as funding new improvements to alleviate ever-growing highway congestion, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, Kopelousos said.
In some instances, public-private partnerships to build new toll roads my be the best way to go. In others, it could be creating managed lanes on major highways.
That’s what is happening to the south of us with the 95 Express. From Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami, drivers will have the choice of paying a toll to use lanes where traffic moves at speeds of at least 50 mph, regardless of the time of day.
Notice the word “choice.” If you don’t want to use the special lanes, no one’s going to force you. Just like public transportation is not for everyone, neither are the HOT (high-occupancy toll) lanes.
It comes down to the state offering a menu of commuting options; it’s up to you to decide how you want to travel.
And when it comes to transit improvements, Florida can’t rely on Washington for help on every project. That well is running dry, Kopelousos said.
“At some point, local communities will have to come up with a dedicated funding source for putting additional money into projects to continue service,” she said.
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Carpooling Goes Hollywood
Did you catch the announcement on the new ABC sitcom about four guys from the ‘burbs who commute together to work?
it’s called “Carpoolers.”
(Now that took a lot of creative genius!)
Here’s what ABC says about the show:
“The four — Gracen, Laird, Aubrey and Dougie — are more complicated than you might think. They have hopes, ambitions, families, careers and insecurities. They live different versions of the modern, suburban family life. They obsess, dream and strategize as they rocket their way up and down the carpool lane every day.”
If that doesn’t want to make you tune in, check out some of the banter.
“Ever have that dream where your teeth don’t fit…?”
“I think my wife is making more money than me…” “I think my son does…”
“I’m a killer. I’m a man of action. I’m a dentist.”
“Never recycle… your neighbors will just be able to see what a boozer you are.”
Early reviews aren’t giving the show much of a chance because it’s on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., opposite American Idol.
So South Florida carpoolers to the rescue.
I’m sure more entertaining chatter goes on while you’re racing up and down the HOV lane on I-95.
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Gas For 32 Cents A Gallon
That’s what the sign says in front of the Exxon on Okeechobee Boulevard at Haverhill Road.
But before you rush over, be forewarned.
I think someone made a big boo-boo with the decimal point on the sign.
It reads, “Regular 31.9” but I’d venture to say it should be “Regular 3.19.”
Once Again, Miami Drivers The Rudest
The Miami Heat couldn’t win back-to-back championships, but the Magic City’s drivers did.
In a national survey of cities with the worst road rage, Miami topped the list for the second consecutive year.
The poll — conducted by AutoVantage, a Connecticut-based auto member club — found Miami motorists slam on their brakes, run red lights and talk on the cell phone with amazing regularity.
Trailing Miami on the list were New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Phoenix, Chicago, Sacramento, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
The most courteous drivers were in Portland, Ore., Pittsburgh, Seattle-Tacoma, St. Louis and Dallas-Fort Worth, according to the survey.
The most frequent cause of road rage was impatience. And there’s no doubt it is creeping northward into Palm Beach County.
This morning, at the intersection of Belvedere and Jog roads, two sheriff’s deputies with lights and sirens blaring were trying to get through the intersection. But drivers turning west onto Belvedere refused to stop for the deputies.
I saw the same thing happen a few weeks ago at Military Trail and Summit Boulevard with an ambulance.
For some motorists, giving way to emergency vehicles is no longer a requirement, merely an option if they so desire.
Now that’s rude.
Driver License Offices Expand Hours
If you need to do business at one of the four driver license offices in Palm Beach County, Diana Baker has a tip for you.
Waits are usually shorter on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
But with newly-expanded office hours, drivers can expect more-efficient service whenever they visit, according to Baker, chief of the south bureau field operations for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
All offices are now open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
“We are a service organization,” Baker said. “We should be taking care of our customers.”
There are more than 1 million licensed drivers in Palm Beach County. On an average day, about 347 people are served at the four offices in West Palm Beach, Lantana, Delray Beach and Pahokee.
In many instances, drivers can take care of business, including renewals, by phone (1-800-303-7288) or on the department’s website.
Drivers also can make appointments by phone or on-line for office visits. With an appointment, they can be in and out within 30 minutes if they don’t have to take a lengthy test, Baker said.
If you do have to drop by the driver license office, you’ll notice all of the workers are now clad in bright red shirts, with the new slogan, “Making Changes That Matter To You.”
“Every day is a new adventure,” Baker said.
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45th Street Bridge Repairs Done
Good news for drivers who use 45th Street to get to the county dump.
Emergency repairs to the bridge over the turnpike are completed and it will reopen by 9 a.m. Saturday.
The bridge was struck by a truck carrying an oversized forklift April 18. It’s been closed since.
It was the fourth time since December and the 12th time since 1986 that the bridge had been nit.
Built in 1957, the bridge has a clearance of 14 feet, 7 inches. Later this year, construction is slated to begin on a new bridge with a 16 foot, 6 inch clearance.
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Atlantic Avenue Closed This Weekend
If your weekend activities include a drive on West Atlantic Avenue near the turnpike, pull out Plan B.
Atlantic will be closed under the turnpike from 6 a.m. Saturday until about 9 p.m. Sunday.
Construction crews will be tearing down the old southbound bridge and Atlantic will be covered with tons and tons of debris.
The entrance and exits ramps will be open. But the northbound on and off ramps will be accessible only from the east and the southbound ramps will only be accessible from the west.
It’s all part of the ongoing project to rebuild the Atlantic overpass.
A couple of weeks ago, traffic was moved to the new southbound overpass. Once the old southbound bridge is demolished, the middle piece of the new overpass will go up.
Then northbound traffic will shift to the new overpass, the old northbound bridge will be leveled and the final section of the new overpass will be built.
Sounds kind of complicated, but at least two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained throughout the duration of the work.
True, there are some delays. Like this morning, southbound traffic began to back up two miles from the exit.
Some of the delay is due to drivers staying in the right lane, which becomes the exit lane, until the last minute and cutting into traffic, causing the brake-light domino effect.
An orderly merge is something that just doesn’t happen in these parts.
Vote On How To Build New Bridge
If you travel Australian Avenue near I-95, the state wants your opinion.
Rebuilding the Australian overpass is slated to be done in three phases, with completion at the end of 2008. During the work, two lanes will be open in each direction.
The contractor, Hubbard Construction, came up with an idea to finish the new bridge a year early. If the second and third phases were combined, the bridge would be done by the end of this year.
But here’s the catch.
Only one lane would be open in each direction, creating long backups to get through the area. Between 2,100 and 2,300 cars an hour use Australian during the morning and evening rush.
The state and its engineering consultant, The Corradino Group, decided not to try the revised plan. However, they’re still curious how it would be accepted by the public, if it became a viable alternative on another project. They want your feedback.
Before you vote, here’s something you need to know.
Speeding up the Australian overpass would not change the completion date of the overall $75.8 million project to widen I-95 between Southern and Palm Beach Lakes boulevards.
So the question is:
“Is the added pain worth the gain in time?”
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Stop For The Red Light On I-95
If the idea of toll lanes on I-95 has your toes curling, how’s this one sound:
Traffic signals on the highway’s entrance ramps.
The state is working with consultants to refine a plan for ramp metering on I-95 in the Miami and may have it ready for use later this year.
Ramp meters are essentially red-and-green signals that control the flow of traffic entering the highway. They’re already used in other parts of the country.
Sensors measure the speed of traffic on I-95 and the volume of traffic, both on the highway and the entrance ramp. Computer software processes the information to determine the rate that drivers can get on I-95.
The intent is to keep traffic flowing and eliminate as much congestion as possible. The signals can be set at different intervals, depending on the time of day.
One of the benefits is to reduce crashes at ramp merges, making it easier for motorists to get on the highway.
As we all know, many drivers find it beneath their dignity to merge, so the idea has plenty of detractors.
The plan is to put meters on 22 ramps between Ives Dairy Road and Northwest 62nd Street.
This is in the same area where the state will be testing the High-Occupancy toll lanes.
Drivers will have the choice of using the toll lanes on a 22-mile stretch between I-595 in Fort Lauderdale and I-375 in Miami. By keeping traffic moving at speeds of at least 50 mph, commuters could cut their travel time in half.
Tolls would vary throughout the day, depending on demand. They would be $1 a mile during rush-hour and 15 cents late at night.
Motorcycle Safety Month Off To Bad Start
A 37-year-old Delray Beach man is killed when his Yamaha motorcycle collides with a car in Boca Raton. He was reportedly riding erratically before the crash.
A 24-year-old Boynton Beach man is hauled to jail after being charged with reckless driving. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper clocked him doing 116 mph on his Buell sport bike on I-95.
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is off to a bad start in Palm Beach County.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s safety office is joining other federal, state and local agencies in urging motorists to “Share the Road” with motorcyclists during May.
“Motorcycles are often difficult to see, so people in other vehicles need to really look out for them,” said Marianne Trussell, the DOT’s chief safety officer.
Motorcyclist deaths from traffic crashes have gone up in each of the last eight years. In 2005, 4,553 bikers were killed. That’s one out of every 10 highway fatalities.
Obviously, motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than other drivers in a crash, Florida Highway Patrol Col. Chris Knight said. Research shows that 80 percent of motorcycle crashes kill or injure the rider, while only 20 percent of car crashes kill or injure the driver or a passenger.
So here’s some tips for motorcyclists to consider:
Never ride between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic.
Position yourself to be seen by other drivers.
Signal before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
Wear protective gear, especially a helmet.
And, so motorists don’t feel left out, here’s some tips for you:
Always allow motorcycles the full lane; don’t try to share a lane.
Check blind spots for motorcycles at intersections and when entering or leaving traffic.
Road conditions that are minor annoyances for drivers can pose a major hazard to motorcyclists
And when following a motorcycle, make sure the motorcyclist has enough room to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
Chief Tries Shock Tactics To Stop Speeders
We all know about the program on I-95 to fine speeders an extra $50 to get them to back off the accelerator.
A police chief in the United Kingdom is taking a different approach to the problem.
North Wales Chief Richard Brunstrom displayed photographs of a decapitated motorcyclist during a meeting to promote road safety.
One picture showed the man’s head, with his eyes open, inside the helmet on the side of the road. Another showed the torso embedded in a car.
Brunstrom said his intent was to make an impact about the seriousness of the problem.
So which one is more effective in getting drivers to slow down?
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