PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Getting around Palm Beach Gardens could be getting easier and safer. The city‘s planning and zoning board unveiled its mobility plan this week, and with council’s approval next month, construction would start next year.
If you pick the wrong time to drive in Palm Beach Gardens, it can be regrettable.
“It gets very hectic and a little crazy and it’s certainly gotten worse over the years, that’s for sure,” said John Tracy, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens.
Nearly 90 percent of the people who work inside of Palm Beach Gardens live outside the city, and among people who live in the city, 84 percent work outside of it, nine of 10 workers drive to work.
And over the next 20 years, the population is expected to grow by 21,000.
So, something’s got to give.
“It would be great to see some improvements,” Tracy said.
Over the last three years, the city has worked on this plan to expand turn lanes, improve signals and make it easier and safer to get around if you aren’t driving.
Robert Gramer, who was riding a bike with his two year old daughter, Stella, in a seat attached to the back of the bike, said, “Her school is up on Hood Road, we live over there, so we take this back and forth to pick her up from school like I’m doing today.”
Part of the plan: create green bike lanes, expand sidewalks and trails.
“If you go to Austin, California, there’s bikes all over the place, there’s nice places to go on the side of the road, so if you want to attract young people who are going to be here a while, you got to give them the amenities to enjoy where they’re living,” Robert Gramer said.
Palm Beach Gardens is also looking at building a new Tri-Rail station, and recently it was chosen to be a potential location for a Brightline/Virgin USA train station.
To see the full plan, click here.