N. Lake Shipp Drive Corridor Improvements

North Lake Shipp Drive is a critical roadway connecting residents from neighborhoods to the core of the City. It is recognized by the Polk Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) as a primary corridor. With more than 6,000 cars traversing the road each day it is one of the busiest roads in Winter Haven.

LOCATION

North Lake Shipp Drive is located along the North and North-West edges of Lake Shipp. The road is positioned with two major thoroughfares on the west (Recker Highway and Winter Lake Road) and two on the east (US 17 and Cypress Gardens Boulevard). It is connected by 15th Street to South Lake Howard Drive to the North. This positioning makes it a major part of the connectivity into and through Winter Haven.

ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT

Stormwater Mitigation

One of the primary challenges facing North Lake Shipp Drive is the lack of an existing drainage infrastructure, including flooding into residential homes. The average rainfall in Winter Haven annually is 46.1 inches, well above the national average of 38.1 inches. The current drainage system on North Lake Shipp Drive cannot sufficiently handle increased runoff. The project proposes using green stormwater infrastructure to capture stormwater through vegetation, rain gardens, and swales. These solutions will allow for the natural process of water treatment while also reducing the strain on the City’s wastewater treatment system.

Gravity Sewer System

The gravity sewer system on North Lake Shipp Drive is in need of replacement and expansion. It currently suffers high infiltration and inflow, leading to leaks and unnecessary increased flow at the wastewater treatment plant. The project aims to replace the entire gravity sewer system end-toend, including increasing the size of the pipe to accommodate the growing population.

Additional Utility Upgrades and Relocations

The project proposes upgrading and relocating utilities, including the electric and water systems, to improve their reliability and functionality. TECO, the electric utility company, is considering undergrounding the electric lines through the corridor, which would improve the appearance of the road and reduce the risk of power outages during storms. The water system upgrades will replace the current asbestos cement (AC) water main. In total, 1100 feet of water main will be replaced.

Roadway Improvements

The roadway improvements will include improving the paving conditions through resurfacing and realignment. Sidewalks and a multi-use path will be included along the entire length of the project. Improved lighting and landscaping will be included in the project. All together, these improvements will improve the road’s appearance and functionality while also improving the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.

POPULATION SERVED

The road is heavily used by people within Low to Moderate Income (LMI) census tracks due to it’s position between those residential areas and the City’s downtown, medical, and retail areas.

The above graphic shows the points of origin for vehicles traveling through the project corridor. These areas include multiple Low to Moderate Income (LMI) census tracks. Data provided by Streetlight.

RISK MITIGATION

The risks that will be mitigated by the completion of this stormwater and road improvements project include the potential devastating loss of life and property as a result of flooding. North Lake Shipp Drive is often used as a bi-pass route between major arterials. Flooding in this area makes travel dangerous.

There are currently no sidewalks in the neighborhood, leaving pedestrians in a situation that is unfavorable after a major rain event. This project will provide stormwater drainage mitigation such that residents walking to school, public transit, and for exercise are provided with a safer environment for them to walk versus traversing through standing water.

Another risk that will be mitigated through the completion of this project includes the protection of Lake Shipp from stormwater runoff leading to the impairment of the waterbody. By including green stormwater infrastructure, the runoff will not discharge directly into the lake. Stormwater will be “treated” prior to groundwater intrusion with the implementation of French Drains and Rain Gardens.

The City needs to be proactive in taking these mitigation steps now, and this project is necessary to protect Winter Haven’s residents, visitors, businesses, and homes from the risks associated with flooding, while providing safe routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and commuters, and preserve and protect the unique resources of Lake Shipp and its ecosystem by reducing both discharge volume and harmful nutrients (i.e. pollutants) in stormwater runoff.

Paths of travel through the corridor. Data provided by Streetlight.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

The road currently faces significant challenges, including poor paving conditions scoring only 40 out of 100. The road has been paved over so many times the curb is now buried resulting in inadequate drainage infrastructure. The water and sewer systems are aged, lack sufficient capacity, and suffer high infiltration and inflow. The boulevard-style road with limited median crossings prevents citizens living at approximately 70 residences from easily accessing their property from either direction. Additionally, the coordidor lacks pedestrian or multi-modal transportation infrastructure.

PROPOSED TYPICAL SECTION

The length of the project is approximately 3,100 linear feet (LF) and the existing cross section will be modified from a grass-median-separated roadway to a 2-lane, center-crown-pitched roadway, allowing for the inclusion of the described project elements. The design will include a separate multi-use path. All of these goals can be achieved without the need for obtaining any additional right-of-way

The realignment of North Lake Shipp Drive will not only mitigate recurring drainage issues along the corridor, but also eliminate the use of the grass median as parking and illegal “cross-overs” by residents.