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Traffic tangles push for revival

U.S. 19 stands in the way of Crystal River re-establishing its quaint fishing village.

By ELENA LESLEY
Published January 2, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER - Those looking to revive the quaint fishing village in Crystal River have one main obstacle: U.S. 19.

"It cuts right through the downtown," said Roger Goettelmann, a consultant for the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. "You try to cross the street, and there are people with big trucks there with their foot on the accelerator."

As the agency looks ahead this year, Goettelmann said he will strive to find ways for residents to cope with traffic so they can enjoy the many other initiatives recently undertaken by the CRA.

At the core of the CRA's mission is creating a walkable, condensed downtown Crystal River, complete with authentic Florida architecture and easy access to water.

"We're trying to preserve the way the town looked in the 1940s, when it was a small fishing village," Goettelmann said.

When he became a consultant nearly a decade ago, "the (downtown) area had fallen into neglect, especially because of the mall," Goettelmann said. "Who wanted to be downtown? It wasn't a nice place to be."

Goettlemann set to work, applying for grants, filing for permits.

While the CRA has had some successes, such as the revitalization of Citrus Avenue, there are a number of projects in the works.

The agency closed a deal to acquire the Kings Bay Park property on NW Third Street in early 2004. Goettelmann predicts the park project will take six to eight years to finish, and the CRA plans to improve the area bit by bit.

Recently the CRA received a $150,000 grant to extend the property's recreational pier. In the future, the park will house picnic areas, performance pavilions and an educational center, Goettelmann said.

The agency also plans to build two municipal parking lots, creating an additional 85 to 90 new parking spaces downtown. One project, on NE Fifth Avenue, probably will be completed by April. The CRA is waiting for final approval on the other lot, located next to Kings Bay Park, but Goettelmann said he believes that project will go forward soon as well.

Both lots will blend in with their surroundings, he said.

"This isn't a "pave paradise, put up a parking lot' kind of thing," Goettelmann said. "We'll be doing them in granite gravel."

In addition to building sidewalks on NE Third Street, the CRA is creating another walkway for pedestrians. Workers have begun the first phase of a waterfront promenade. Though this section will only extend behind Cracker's and the Best Western, Goettelmann said he hopes it will one day run along the entire north end of Kings Bay.

"Some property owners are still dubious about the project, so we're trying to get them onboard," he said. "We're hoping once we start building that they'll see the value."

In 2006, Goettelmann said, the CRA plans to devote a chunk of funds to redoing the streetscaping on Citrus Avenue. The agency hopes to replace trees, because the current species is not thriving, and install new Victorian-style benches.

But there's still the traffic to contend with.

Goettelmann said experts have studied the downtown area, and it appears building a walkway either over or under U.S. 19 would pose significant problems. An underground passage wouldn't work because the city is in a coastal area, and creating a bridge that complies with Americans with Disabilities Act standards would be extremely difficult.

Researchers have suggested other traffic-calming devices, he said.

"I'm in favor of a lower speed limit, but some people have recommended narrowing the lanes as well," Goettelmann said.

Or, the CRA could create visual cues, like landscaping, to slow people down.

"We could potentially make a section of the road brick," he said. "Then people would notice the difference physically."

Whichever route the CRA chooses, Goettelmann warned residents that the redevelopment of Crystal River is an ongoing, and often slow, project. People often don't realize that once the CRA receives a grant, it still must jump through a number of bureaucratic hoops, he said.

"People always ask me, "You got the grant, so when are you going to start building?"' Goettelmann said, referring to the lengthy permitting process.

His response: "As soon as they let me."

[Last modified January 2, 2006, 02:30:25]