Supporting Street Network Development Grid networks and parallel relievers along major thoroughfares have been demonstrated to preserve arterial capacity and relieve traffic demand and congestion. A benefit of the Corridor Plan according to staff has been the ability to preserve right-of-way needed for parallel relievers along US 75. An example is Falkenburg Rd, which runs parallel to and reduces traffic demand on the interstate by providing additional North/South connectors. Another reliever is planned on the east side of the Interstate but is not yet completed. In addition, Policy 1.1.7 of the County Transportation Element indicates that the County will give priority to funding parallel facilities that relieve traffic on designated roadways with right-of-way constraints where appropriate and in coordination with Florida DOT on state roadways. In addition, Transportation Element Policy 1.5.11 states that “Hillsborough County shall strive to develop and adopt standards for the spacing of arterial, collector, and local roads, to supplement and complement the County Corridor Plan. These standards shall be implemented through the Land Development Code, Roadway Design Technical Manuals or other appropriate implementation regulations.” This policy supports the development of a more robust network – an issue important in areas like South County where approved development is outpacing the capacity of the limited arterial network. Sec. 3.10.06.02 of the County land development code regulates street connectivity through a variety of strategies. County subdivision regulations further require new subdivisions to provide for the continuation of existing arterial and collector streets from adjoining areas, or for their projection where adjoining land is not subdivided. Direct pedestrian access to adjacent subdivisions, school properties, or commercial areas is also required, where feasible, Sec. 6.02.00(G)(1). Although the County has long had policies and regulations relative to street network connectivity, public opposition to such connections due to concerns about traffic impacts have historically resulted in fewer connections being provided. In recent years, the Board of County Commissioners has increased priority placed on connectivity, which has led to improved enforcement of these provisions in the platting and development review process. Context and Area Type The County recently adopted a context classification system that assigns the context designations to all County maintained arterials and collectors within Unincorporated Hillsborough County. The methodology includes both “GIS mapping and professional review of specific community context and roadway characteristics, speed management, and consideration of corridor safety… to further define the future context of County arterials and collectors.” The County has applied the FDOT context classification system with modifications to address County characteristics as summarized below (Context Based Classification Tech Memo, January 2022, pp. 1-2) and as illustrated in Figure 5: “FDOT’s C1 (Natural) and C2 (Rural) categories would be combined due to the prevalence of rural areas within the unincorporated County and fewer all-natural parcels. The FDOT rural town category would be redefined to Suburban Town (C3T) because most of the small towns and census designated places within greater Hillsborough County primarily serve as suburban communities, some with small well-defined town centers. Additionally, the FDOT categories of Suburban Residential (C3R) and Suburban Commercial (C3C) would remain as they were determined to be appropriate for Hillsborough County. Lastly, the urban general category would be used for small pockets of urban development on the fringes of the Tampa urban area. The
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