Corrine Drive Complete Streets Study
MetroPlan Orlando, Orange County, City of Orlando, City of Winter Park
Since early 2017, the Corrine Drive Complete Streets Study has focused on identifying a street design that better serves the community. MetroPlan Orlando is leading the study in coordination with Orange County, City of Orlando, and City of Winter Park. The study has used MetroPlan Orlando’s draft Complete Streets policy to showcase how such approaches can shape a corridor. Using technical work, data analysis, and public involvement, the study will suggest improvements to make the road accessible for all users.
The recommended design for Corrine Drive will include continuous sidewalks, new features for cyclists, a street design that can slow speeds and improve safety, along with more trees for shade and appearance. MetroPlan Orlando — working with Orange County, Orlando, and Winter Park governments — is currently finishing the Corrine Drive Complete Streets Study and exploring next steps for funding and implementing the plan through a local government. The final report and recommended design will be presented the public in May of 2019.
Scenario planning
During the first phase of the Study, MetroPlan Orlando collected technical data and heard the community’s thoughts on Corrine Drive and desires for the corridor’s future. About 150 people attended a public workshop to hear results from the team’s technical analysis and community survey.
Next, the planning team presented six possible design concepts to the public using Neighborland’s Scenario Planning tool. Each concept would make Corrine Drive a complete street, serving people of all ages and abilities. The concepts differed in number of vehicle travel lanes, types of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, parking facilities, and other features. Also included were seven proposed safety solutions, which could be added to any of the design concepts or implemented independently. Each concept and safety solution was displayed on the site, along with written descriptions and technical data. A comprehensive chart allowed users to make side-by-side comparisons of the concepts and see what each one could provide. The Neighborland platform offered participants the opportunity to comment on and rate each design concept, choose a favorite concept, and provide comments and feedback on whether they would like to see the proposed safety solutions implemented. The Neighborland site also included general background on the study, a page of Frequently Asked Questions, and links to information on CorrineDriveStudy.org.
During the two-month comment period, more than 1,100 people contributed feedback on Neighborland. In order to get this many participants, the team used a variety of marketing outreach methods. First, information about how to use Neighborland and direct links were posted on CorrineDriveStudy.org and shared electronically through the project newsletter, which has a subscription list of more than 800 people. The team also designed, planned, and implemented five informal Pop-Up Meetings at different spots along Corrine Drive, which gave members of the public opportunities to ask questions and address specific concerns with members of the project team in person. These were attended by a total of about 250 people and were promoted through our website, newsletter, and social media.
In addition, local government partners promoted the study on their social media channels and websites. Media coverage also helped boost the study’s visibility. In an effort to reach everyone in the study area, we mailed more than 17,000 postcards promoting the Neighborland survey and directing people to the website, while offering a phone number for those who wanted to request paper surveys.
Data synthesis and analysis
Neighborland supplied the team with survey data, survey charts, sentiment analysis data, and cross-tab exports of all of the public engagement. The planning team then analyzed the data, and created an extensive report with a variety of charts and graphics. They looked at how favorably respondents viewed each design concept, as well as which one they chose as a favorite. They further segmented responses by the respondents’ relationship to Corrine Drive, as well as which study area neighborhoods they lived in. Respondents self-identified whether they were study area residents and chose neighborhood options from a drop-down list using Neighborland’s segmentation survey tool.
The full Community Feedback Report and can be viewed on MetroPlan Orlando’s website.
Recommended Design
MetroPlan Orlando worked with consultants and local government partners to refine the ideas into one recommended concept. This recommendation also includes five of the seven proposed safety solutions and some features that were included in all six original concepts, such as street trees. The recommended design concept and draft plan will concluded with acceptance of Corrine Drive redesign and an approved implementation plan by the relevant local governments.
What’s next?
MetroPlan Orlando has identified preliminary costs for the Corrine Drive recommended design and will work with local governments to identify funding for implementation. The project team will meet with community groups throughout the spring to collect feedback on the recommended design and plan. They will summarize the public feedback, and then hand the project over to local governments to secure funding and oversee the remainder of the design and construction work. We look forward to seeing this complete street come to life over the next few years!
