River Trail Drive Cartoon

Another cartoon about me.  I was proposing River Trail Drive, a plan to create a new road from downtown Peoria north for two miles along the Illinois River. The road would eventually connect with the very attractive Grand View Drive along the Illinois River.

The controversial part was the most southern portion of the road, which involved a residential development on existing park land. The City must replace the park land with equivalent value land nearby, but many park supporters opposed the concept. 

We gained approval from the Peoria Planning Commission and City Council, and issued the following Request for Proposal.  We recruited a quality developer who is now proceeding with the development.

RIVER TRAIL DRIVE - REQUEST FOR DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS (RFP)

The City of Peoria is seeking a quality developer to develop City owned RIVERFRONT property. The City Council, the Planning Commission, and the Heart of Peoria Commission have approved the River Trail Concept Plan.Preference is for new urban AND green development.

The City of Peoria seeks proposals from qualified developers for the development of the Peoria Riverfront north of downtown. The City owned property fronts a beautiful lake measuring approximately 2.5 miles by 1.5 miles, a lineal park, and a bike trail. 

The south end of the property is anchored by downtown Peoria, I-74, and the Riverplex. The north end is anchored by the Detweiller Marina.

Background: City staff have developed concept plans for the Peoria Riverfront. Staff gave numerous community presentations and held several charettes to get community input. 

Presentations were made to the City Planning Commission and the Heart of Peoria Commission and they approved the plans for the River's Edge Redevelopment Initiative, the Green Edge Plan, the River Trail Drive Plan, and the Cascade River Plan. All of the plans were reviewed and approved by city engineering and planning staff.

The Concept Plans begins with City owned land, as shown on the attached concept plan sketch. There are approximately nine city owned acres available for development. There is a substantial amount of privately owned land that could be added to the development. The plan is similar to the famous "Burnham Plan" in Chicago, with a lake shore drive and quality housing to help pay for it.There is a strong demand for housing in and near downtown Peoria.

Several market studies have been conducted with the most recent being completed by Tracy Cross & Associates, Inc. The Tracy Cross Residential Market Analysis indicated that there would be a demand for 194 new dwelling units a year in downtown Peoria.Downtown Peoria is the second most densely developed downtown in Illinois after Chicago, boasting over 17,000 jobs. Many of the young professionals employed downtown have indicated a desire to live close to downtown jobs, the river, and the convention center.

Employment in Peoria continues to grow with new jobs being created by Caterpillar, OSF Medical Center and Methodist Medical Center.More information is available on:

rivertraildrive.blogspot.com

PeoriaIL.US

Rod Warner "Mr. Roundabout" Rest in Peace

Known as "Mr. Roundabout" in Sarasota, Warner discovered a new passion for the roadway features late in life — and dedicated himself to it fully.

by: David Conway News Editor

Rod Warner, a leading advocate for roundabouts in Sarasota, died Thursday. He was 79.

Warner was the founder of U.S. 41 Momentum, a group focused on establishing a series of roundabouts along the state highway and elsewhere in the area. Since the early 2000s, Sarasota has evolved from a roundabout-shy town to one that embraces the roadway-engineering tool, and city leaders credit Warner with helping to change attitudes.

“I will never look at another roundabout without thinking of Rod,” Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell said in an email to city officials. “From the beginning, he had the ability, the knowledge, and above all the gentle temperament to educate our community and help them feel safe about change.”

Despite his initial lack of background in the field — he worked in the media industry — Warner called himself a roundabout evangelist, extolling virtues such as improved safety, reduced congestion and better environmental health. His interest began with his role on the Citizen Advisory Committee of the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, and eventually began to expand as he learned more.

Alongside U.S. 41 Momentum members Roger Barry, Ron McCollough and David Morriss, Warner envisioned a corridor with 11 roundabouts on the state highway from University Boulevard to Orange Avenue. If handled properly — with artwork in the centers of the roundabouts — Warner believed the corridor could be a local icon on par with the bayfront or the John Ringling Causeway bridge.

“That would be our new view,” Warner said in a 2013 interview with the Sarasota Observer. “Now that would make an impression.”

"I will never look at another roundabout without thinking of Rod." — Suzanne Atwell

Roundabouts, once a hotly contested proposition in Sarasota, still have their critics even as they grow in popularity. McCollough said Warner’s ability to get along with people on the opposing side of an issue — even as he worked stridently to change their opinions — was an important tool as the group met with local leaders.

“He was a person who could work well with anyone, even those who maybe disagreed with him,” McCollough said.

The city is currently working toward making Warner’s vision a reality. Two roundabouts at 10th and 14th streets, currently in development, serve as the first step toward a planned system of roundabouts along U.S. 41.

Originally from Jackson, Ohio, Warner moved to Sarasota in 1977. Although the move was career-related, he was quick to embrace his new home. Warner’s son, Ty Warner, said his father loved Sarasota and was happy to work toward making the city a better place.

“The more time he spent here, the more he came to appreciate what's going on here,” Ty Warner said. “I think he always appreciated the huge range of people that he was able to meet and interact with.”

In addition to his roundabout work, Rod Warner was also an active member of the First United Methodist Church, serving as the church's communications liason. Following a funeral in Jackson, Ohio, this weekend, a memorial service is planned at First Church sometime in the near future, Ty Warner said.

As work continues on improving Sarasota’s transportation network, the focus on roundabouts serves as a testament to Rod Warner’s dedication to improving the community in which he lived.

“The mark of any success he brought to the table was that the improvements being made in Sarasota were not just limited to just one guy,” Ty Warner said. “He would have been successful if it keeps on going without him — I think that's how he would have seen it”

http://www.yourobserver.com/article/roundabout-advocate-rod-warner-dies

FDOT, FDOT US 41 Corridor Improvements, Roundabouts ...

www.us41roundabouts.com/

US 41 is planned for improvements in Sarasota County, between 10th and 14th Streets.

Sarasota traffic plan includes adding 16 roundabouts ...

www.heraldtribune.com/article/.../150719893

Sarasota Herald‑Tribune

Jul 13, 2015 - Construction could begin in mid-2017 on a roundabout to replace the signalized intersection at U.S. 41 and 10th Street in Sarasota, as well as ...

Multimodal Momentum | US41 Sarasota 2016

us41momentum.com/

Jun 5, 2014 - US41 Sarasota 2016 (by Sarasota Mobility Now!) ... Sarasota's US41roundabout “grand boulevard” will stand out from those because ours is ...

Sarasota Roundabouts - Google

https://www.google.com/mymaps/viewer?mid...hl=en_US

Google

Red – Existing roundabouts Green – Funded/prioritized roundabouts Blue – Proposedroundabouts.

Sarasota to add roundabouts to relieve traffic - WTSP.com

www.wtsp.com/story/.../sarasota-to...roundabouts.../30204679/

WTSP

Jul 15, 2015 - Downtown Sarasota is building up and out leaving very little space for roads to expand.

rOundabOuts | Sarasota Connectivity

sarasotaconnectivity.com/roundabouts/

A superior look at modern roundabouts by watching WSDOT's five-part video series, click each title: * Roundabouts: What they are and what they are not.

Honore 6>4>2 | Sarasota Connectivity

sarasotaconnectivity.com/honore-642/

Honore Ave from Fruitville south to Bee Ridge, Sarasota County, FL Honore AveRoundabouts are Opening ! Years ago planned to be widened to six lanes, then ...

Sarasota to add roundabouts for traffic control - Mysuncoast ...

www.mysuncoast.com/.../sarasota...roundabouts.../article_aa7ffad...

WWSB

Feb 27, 2014 - SARASOTA, Fla. -- The concept of a roundabout is not new inSarasota. At any point in the day, you can see cars speed through the multi-lane ...

New Roundabout for Orange Avenue and Main Street ...

www.snntv.com/.../new-roundabout-for-orange-avenue-and-main-street-...

Jul 21, 2015 - Sarasota roads are slowly turning into roundabout central. Construction crews will start tearing up concrete at the Orange Avenue and Main ...

US-41 ROUNDABOUT DESIGN AND ANALYSIS

www.adeas-q.com/CaseStudyUS41Roundabout.html

The City of Sarasota needed to develop preliminary design plans for a number of potential roundabouts to be constructed on US-41.

Downtown Sarasota

Downtown Sarasota - Ty Warner and Craig Hullinger

Nice new roundabout in beautiful downtown Sarasota.

Met with my friend Ty Warner today. We wandered around downtown Sarasota and admired recent civic improvements.

Ty grew up in Sarasota and is now the Director of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission.  He and I worked together at the Will County (Illinois) Planning Department.  It was good catching up and we enjoyed seeing the great improvements to downtown Sarasota.  

Ty's father is a citizen planner and a strong advocate for roundabouts.  Sarasota has constructed some very nice roundabouts and more are planned.

Nice coffee shops and restaurants - great streetscape.

Nice way finding signage downtown.

Two nice ponds in downtown.

A large number of interesting sculptures downtown.

Nice new urban building.

Ty at the Piano.  There are a number of pianos scattered about downtown where anyone can play. A very nice touch.

Video of a gentleman playing:

http://youtu.be/iR_iH1Nif9I

Ty Warner playing:

http://youtu.be/8BZexFMtMwM

Roundabouts

Roundabouts

Interesting programs about Roundabouts.

	"Roundabouts #1" Episode #120601 Air Date: 06/2012 Length: 1:47 With Peoria building five roundabouts, At Issue in Brief has a four part series looking at how Carmel, Indiana built eighty roundabouts and what the benefits were for the community. Guests: Jim Brainard – Mayor of Carmel, Indiana Jim Lease – Resident of Carmel, Indiana

	"Roundabouts #2" Episode #120602 Air Date: 06/2012 Length: 1:51 With Peoria building five roundabouts, At Issue in Brief has a four part series looking at how Carmel, Indiana built eighty roundabouts and what the benefits were for the community. Guests: Z. Davis Coots – Resident of Carmel, Indiana Jim Brainard – Mayor of Carmel, Indiana Michael McBride – City Engineer of Carmel, Indiana

	"Roundabouts #3" Episode #120603 Air Date: 06/2012 Length: 2:08 With Peoria building five roundabouts, At Issue in Brief has a four part series looking at how Carmel, Indiana built eighty roundabouts and what the benefits were for the community. Guests: Jim Ardis - Mayor of Peoria, Illinois Joe Hudson – Peoria Traffic Commission Chair Andrew Irving – Peoria Resident

"Roundabouts #4" Episode #120604 Air Date: 06/2012 Length: 2:36 With Peoria building five roundabouts, At Issue in Brief has a four part series looking at how Carmel, Indiana built eighty roundabouts and what the benefits were for the community. Guests: Jim Brainard – Mayor of Carmel, Indiana Michael McBride – City Engineer of Carmel, Indiana Melanie Anderson – Peoria Division Chief of Fire Prevention Z. Davis Coots – Resident of Carmel, Indiana

Eminent Domain

A lone apartment building stands in the middle of a newly built road after an elderly couple refused to relocate.

Luo Baogen and his wife insist on living in the half-demolished building in the city of Wenling, in Zhejiang province, China because they believe that the relocation compensation offered by the government is not enough.

Now the only building left standing, the five story block is a strange sight as cars drive around it while the couple remain living inside.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html#ixzz3rNPzb66y 

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