Malabar Road from St. Johns Heritage Parkway to Minton Road PD&E Study

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Malabar Road PD&E
The City of Palm Bay in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has recently started a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study. This study involves a segment of Malabar Road within the City of Palm Bay and Brevard County. The study’s limits begin at St. Johns Heritage Parkway, extending through Minton Road.

Project Schedule

Public Hearing Announcement, November 14, 2024

437210-1: Malabar Road Project Development and Environment Study

View Meeting Materials

The City of Palm Bay invites you to a public hearing for the Malabar Road Project Development & Environment (PD&E) Study in the City of Palm Bay on Thursday, November 14, 2024.

The purpose of this study is to meet future traffic demand and evaluate the four lane widening throughout the study limits. The study also evaluated safety and bicycle and pedestrian enhancements along the corridor. The study’s limits are from the St. Johns Heritage Parkway in Brevard County to Minton Road in the City of Palm Bay, a distance of approximately four miles.

This hearing is being conducted to present the preferred alternative and all analysis to date, as well as to give interested persons an opportunity to express their views concerning the location, conceptual design, and social, economic, and environmental effects of the proposed improvements.

You can participate live online or in-person. The information presented during either format will be the same and all attendees will have opportunity to comment.

IN-PERSON OPTION: November 14, 2024

Palm Bay City Council Chambers

120 Malabar Road

Palm Bay, FL 32907

Anytime between 5 – 6 p.m. Open house

6 p.m. Formal presentation and comment

Displays will be available starting at 5 p.m. to review at your own pace and the formal presentation will begin at 6 p.m. The project team will be available for discussion.

LIVE ONLINE OPTION: November 14, 2024

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5:45 p.m. Overview for how to submit comments

6 p.m. Formal presentation and comments

This event will include a livestream of the in-person presentation and the formal comment portion. Please review the materials on project webpage before attending the virtual event (www.palmbayflorida.org/MalabarPDE). Materials will be posted by November 7, 2024.

If you are unable to attend the hearing, comments can also be provided through the project webpage (www.palmbayflorida.org/MalabarPDE) or by email (jfreeman@kittelson.com) or mail (John Freeman, PE, Kittleson and Associates, 225 East Robinson Street, Suite 355, Orlando, FL 32801). While comments about the project are accepted at any time, they must be received or postmarked by November 24, 2024, to be included in the formal hearing record. All comments are weighted equally. Questions can be answered by calling City’s Consultant Project Manager John Freeman by telephone at 407-373-1103 or by email to jfreeman@kittelson.com.

A summary of the hearing will be available on the webpage approximately 30 days following the close of the comment period.

Project documents will be available for public viewing from October 23 to November 24, 2024, at the City of Palm Bay City Hall, 120 Malabar Road, Palm Bay, FL 32907. They will also be available on the project webpage.

The City of Palm Bay is sending notices to property owners, business owners, interested persons and organizations within at least 300 feet of the project to provide the opportunity to give comments to the city regarding this project.

The City of Palm Bay solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact contact City of Palm Bay ADA Coordinator, Laura Clawson at 321-952-3421 or ADACoordinator@palmbayflorida.org at least seven days prior to the public hearing.

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by FDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022 and executed by FHWA and FDOT.

[Project Location Map]

Make a Comment Form

September 24, 2020 Public Meeting Summary

This memorandum summarizes the Alternatives Public Meeting conducted for the Malabar Road Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study from St. Johns Heritage Parkway to Minton Road. The Alternatives Public Meeting was a virtual public meeting held on Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. using GoToWebinar.

The Malabar Road PDE Public Meeting Summary is available by clicking: View Meeting Materials

About the Project

Conducted By: The City of Palm Bay

Start Date: November 2019

Estimated Completion Date: Winter 2024

Est. Project Cost: To be determined

Lengths and Limits: Four miles

Consultant: Kittelson and Associates, Inc.

Project Manager:
Hector Franco, PE
Engineer III
City of Palm Bay
Tel: (321) 409-6341
Hector.Franco@palmbayflorida.org

Project Description

The Malabar Road Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study will evaluate the need to widen Malabar Road from St. Johns Heritage Parkway to Minton Road, within the City of Palm Bay and Brevard County. The total project length is four miles and is currently a two-lane roadway within the City of Palm Bay.

Need for the Project

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the need for capacity improvements (roadway widening), the addition of multi-modal features and addressing safety issues along the corridor.

Project Funding

The project is listed in the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) 5-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Fiscal Year 2019/20 – 2023/24 (FY 2019 - 2023), the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and the 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Cost Feasible Plan. The next phase of the project is funded in FY 2024-2025.

The City of Palm Bay welcomes and appreciates everyone's participation in the project. Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes.

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) pursuant to 23 U.S.C 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022 and executed by the Federal Highway Administration and FDOT.

What is a PD&E Study?

A Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study is an environmental and engineering process developed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to determine social, economic, natural, and physical environmental effects associated with a proposed transportation improvement project. The process follows procedures set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and federal and state laws and regulations. It requires the combined efforts of professional engineers, planners, and scientists who collect and analyze project-related information to develop the best solution for transportation needs. An important component of the process is public and agency coordination. The basic activities of a PD&E study include:

Data Collection

The first major work effort is the collection of all available data pertaining to the study corridor including existing roadway characteristics, traffic counts, existing and future land uses, drainage patterns, locations of wetlands and habitat for threatened or endangered species, potential contamination sites, areas of historic and cultural significance and population demographics.

Alternatives Development and Analysis

During the PD&E process, the study team develops feasible alternatives for roadway improvement projects, called “build” alternatives. They evaluate the “build” alternatives based on environmental, engineering, and socioeconomic conditions; safety needs; and public comment. The team also evaluates the need for additional right-of-way for stormwater ponds and environmental mitigation during the PD&E study phase. Throughout the process, the study team also considers the “no-build” alternative, which assumes no improvements to Malabar Road other than routine maintenance. The environmental and social effects and costs of the “build” and “no-build” alternatives are quantified and summarized in an evaluation matrix.

Public Information Meeting

The City of Palm Bay held a Public Information Meeting on September 24, 2020 where the public had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with project team members, reviewed project plans, and aerial displays. With input received at the public meeting, the City of Palm Bay selected a recommended alternative. Please see our Documents and Publications page for all meeting materials. The City of Palm Bay welcomes and appreciates everyone's participation in the project. This meeting complied with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes. The City of Palm Bay solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status.

Public Hearing

The City of Palm Bay will hold a formal Public Hearing for this study. The study team will present the final evaluation and preferred alternative for the widening of Malabar Road. The City of Palm Bay invites the public to attend the hearing and give public testimony regarding the proposed improvements. Information will be posted in our Documents and Publications page for all project materials.

Final Acceptance

The City of Palm Bay in coordination with FDOT District Five will submit the study to the FDOT Office of Environmental Management (OEM) for Location and Design Concept Acceptance after the study team receives and evaluates comments from the public hearing. The PD&E study phase of the project is completed once the project is accepted by OEM. The phases that follow the PD&E study are final design of the project, acquisition of right-of-way (if necessary) and construction of the proposed improvements.