KEY WEST TRAFFIC STUDY (FREE OF CHARGE)
We have done our own traffic study and determined the following: With approximately half of the available roadway used for vehicle storage, our streets are dangerously incapable of supporting a safe environment for the demands put on them. Just like the ban on smoking for the health and safety of our citizens, its time we realize the same thing has been going on with the automobile we have been putting the convenience of the auto owners ahead of the safety of the general population by letting them store their cars in what rightfully should be a lane for slower moving traffic, instead we have been endangering our visitors and citizens, putting them in harms way which has already resulted in injury and loss of life. And with metered parking the city is profiting by it ! We are not attorneys but we did sleep at the Key West Holiday Inn Express parking lot last night, and it would be in our judgement that the any municipality that puts it residents and visitors in harms way is ultimately liable. Written in the Key West City’s own codes Sec. 62-2. Obstructions. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person willfully to obstruct the free, convenient and ordinary use of any public right-of-way, street, roadway, alley, or sidewalk, by impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding or restraining the passage of either pedestrian or vehicular traffic or by endangering the safe movement of pedestrians or vehicles traveling thereon. Excuse me…Your car is parked in our bike lane ! And also a new state law (Florida statute §316.083) has recently gone into effect that requires a 3-foot horizontal buffer zone between bicycles and passing cars. When asked about removing a few spots on Eaton to “finish the bike path” a City Commissioner said “i don’t want to be the one to tell the residents they can’t park in front of their own homes” i wonder if he would rather be telling the family of the next victim he’s sorry but our cars are more important than their lives!
LESS CAN BE MORE EXPONENTIALLY- Most businesses and residences have their own parking there is plenty of off-street parking available and in old town we can adapt, smokers did! The parked cars are a blight on the landscape of our beautiful historic district how quaint are the old photos of key west before the automobile, what will the photos say of us in a hundred years ? How much carbon is spewing out in our air when we drive around looking for that free or closer spot? not to mention the oils dripping out on the pavement only to be washed into the waters every time it rains killing whats left of the reef. Limited on street parking in old town means less traffic congestion, resulting in safer quieter friendly laid back streets which will attract more bicycles and other alternative vehicles. If we put a speed limit of 15 mph we could go back to stop signs or more passive speed bumps at all intersections how many millions of dollars will we save getting rid of the obtrusive traffic lights. We can turn our streets back to there historically intended use to provide safe mobility of the people ! The pluses out weigh the minuses by far if you open your mind to it just like quitting smoking.
THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING- Key West should be passionately promoting the use of non-polluting vehicles such as bicycles, skateboards,roller blades, electric cars etc.. create local jobs through the rental, sales, repair, and development of new modes of public and private transportation, Lets take advantage of our flat sunny island and build an urban environment that all other cities will envy attracting the new breed of green tourists. And to our City Commission please don’t stifle a greener key west by limiting alternative transportation with a moratorium to stop sales or rentals of low impact transportation vehicles who are part of the solution not the cause .
Our free study recommendations:
1# Enforce rule 62-2. disallow storage of vehicles in public right-of-ways that can’t support safe passage of all users.
2# Place limits on tour vehicles that congest and endanger our roadways for profit.
3# Slow traffic down to safer pace and reduce traffic control spending.
4# Incentives for our visitors to rent or ride non polluting vehicles more applicable to our 2×4 mi island.
5#give property tax credits to vacant lot owners to develop affordable parking for residents

As John Lennon might have wrote if he were on the island …
Imagine there’s no on-street parking
It’s not that hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no pollution too
Imagine all the people
riding the streets in peace…
You may say I’m a dreamer
I hope I’m not the only one
I hope some way you’ll join us
And Key West will be a greener one
rickeith.com keywest

written by catamaran99