By Mary Thurwachter
The Lantana Town Council unanimously approved revisions April 10 to the town’s traffic calming policy.
Changes include one that allows residents who are renting their homes to participate in petitions for traffic calming, with the caveat that at least two-thirds of the signatures must be from property owners in order to allow the town to verify.
Another change allows a resident to request speed limit signs without requiring the resident to go through the official traffic calming process.
Separate processes have been added for neighborhoods desiring speed humps and other more permanent traffic calming measures.
“The policy’s purpose is to provide a methodology and a means to address concerns associated with speeding and cut-through traffic and safety concerns on residential streets,” said Nicole Dritz, development services director. “This is a resident-initiated program. Residents do come forward with concerns that they have on their local roads, and this provides a process for them to go through and work hand-in-hand with staff to make updates.”
Dritz provided some background for council members. She said the traffic calming policy and guidelines were adopted in 2019. Last June, the town hired engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Associates to review the policy against what other municipalities are doing and any national standards.
In August and September, two public meetings were held for feedback, which Kimley-Horn reviewed. The firm prepared a preliminary draft of the new traffic calming policy.
Between November and March, town staff and Kimley-Horn collaborated to further refine and revise the policy.
In another change, residents will be able to submit a digital petition, rather than collecting physical signatures. The need for this revision became evident during the pandemic, when securing physical signatures became problematic.
In other news, as part of the Lantana’s ongoing effort to address flooding on Hypoluxo Island, Town Council members on April 24 authorized spending $169,440 for engineering services to construct drainage improvements.
The island has long been plagued with swamping during intense rainfall and king tides. Last year, the town spent $33,314 for an engineering study to come up with possible solutions. This is the next step.
The work, which will be done by Baxter & Woodman, Inc., will cover design, permitting and bidding assistance, and will address flooding issues on North Atlantic Drive and Beach Curve Road.
After the work is complete, the construction will come next, Utilities Director Jerry Darr said.
Some of the money for the project may come from the American Rescue Plan Act.
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