Attachment # Page-1 STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION APPLICATION FOR TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS 8a of 7. 2/2003 Page 1 Of 3 Project Title: Meridian Greenway Trail Project Sponsor (municipal, county, state, orfederal agency, or tribal council): City of Tallahassee. Florida Contact: Steve Hodqes Title: Senior Planner Address: Tallahassee-Leon County Planninq Dept.. City Hall. 300 S. Adams St.. TLH, FL 32301 Phone: (850)891-8600 FAX: (850)891-8724 Priority (relative to other applications submitted by the Project Sponsor): _ Name of Applicant (If other than Project Sponsor): _ 1. Qualifying Enhancement Activities: Check the enhancement activity that the proposed project will address. (NOTE: Checking all activities possible does not ensure or increase eligibility. Each activity checked must meet all criteria listed for that activity in Appendix A of FDOT Procedure #525-030-300, Transportation Enhancement Projects). L Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles The provision of safety and educational activities for pedestrian and bicyclists Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites Scenic or historic highway programs, (including the provision of tourist and welcome center facilities) Landscaping and other scenic beautification Historic preservation Rehabilitation of historic transportation buildings, structures or facilities (including historic railroad facilities and canals) Preservation of abandoned railway corridors (including the conversion and use thereof for pedestrian or bicycle trails) Control and removal of outdoor advertising Archaeological planning and research Environmental mitigation to address water pollution due to highway runoff or reduce vehiclecaused wildlife mortality while maintaining habitat connectivity Establishment of transportation museums
Attachment i. ~ ~ 8of '1. 0212003 2. Project Description: Use additional sheets as necessary to respond to the following: (a) What type of work is being proposed? (Check all that apply) Planning Activities Project Development and Environmental Studies Engineering and Final Plans Preparation Work ~ Construction Right of Way Acquisition _v_ Construction Engineering and Inspection Activities (b) Describe how the proposed project is related to the intermodal transportation system by either function, proximity or impact. (One or more may apply). The Meridian Greenway Trail, Phase I, is a three-mile proposed shared-use path adjacent to an existing roadway (Meridian Road) that cannot be widened because it is a historical, two-lane "canopy road" protected by local ordinance. This project has been identified in both the Tallahassee - Leon County Master Greenway Plan and the Blueprint 2000 and Beyond report. The Blueprint 2000 and Beyond report is a compendium of critically needed community initiatives focusing on stormwater and flood control projects, greenspace acquisition and parks/recreation improvements, and additional transportation projects funded by an extension of the current extra one cent sales tax to the year 2019. The portion of Meridian Road between Maclay Road and Spanish Moss Drive where the Trail project is be built is within the City of Tallahassee, and this portion of road is owned and maintained by Leon County. The ROW is limited to the maintained edge of the roadway. There is no paved shoulder, and because the roadway is delimited by clay banks and protected trees, there is no room to add paved shoulders or bicycle lanes. The intention of this trail or shared-used path is to provide bicycle and pedestrian access from five surrounding neighborhoods to the 668-acre Elinor Klapp Phipps Park, the 23 acre Forest Meadows Athletic Center, the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, Hawks Rise Elementary School, and Maclay School. At this time, there is no way for the thousands of neighborhood residents within walking or riding distance of these destinations without driving along a narrow canopy road. Provision of a shared-used path adjacent and parallel to this portion of Meridian Road will give these residents the option of walking or riding to these destinations, as well as removing a significant number of automotive trips from Meridian Road from nearby residents who wish to visit these parks and schools. (c) Where is the project located (and what are the termini, if appropriate)? Include location map. The project is located within the City of Tallahassee in Leon County. This phase is intended to run along the eastern side of Meridian Road from the intersection of Maclay and Meridian Roads north to an existing crossing of Meridian Road at the Forest Meadows Athletic Center, then north along the west side of Meridian Road as far as Ox Bottom Road. At this location, the path or trail will cross this intersection at a controlled intersection crossing that will be constructed as part of another road project, and it will continue north adjacent to Meridian Road to Spanish Moss Drive, where it will terminate at a City-owned municipal water well and pumping station. Please see Location Map on the following page.
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~ of 2 (d) Summarize any special characteristics of project. Provide typical section drawings for appropriate projects. The project will traverse a protected canopy road zone which is historic and environmentally sensitive. A portion of the trail will tie into an existing short sidewalk along a portion of Meridian Road. A longer portion of the trail will be located on an existing natural gas pipeline easement that is cleared. The majority of the trail (approximately 1.7 miles) will be located along an old system of perimeter firebreaks that were created before the subdivisions and state park were in place. A boardwalk will be necessary for a portion of the trail where it crosses a perennial stream. Please see Conceptual Section Map on the following page. (e) Describe the project's existing right of way ownerships. This description shall identify when the right of way was acquired and how ownership is documented (Le. plats, deeds, prescriptions, certified surveys). Approximately 1.5 miles of the trail is on public property owned by the State of Florida, the City of Tallahassee, and the Leon County School Board. This information is recorded in the Leon County Clerk of Courts. All three government property owners have committed to working with the City to establish a trail. Approximately 1.5 miles of the trail will be located on private land controlled by three property owners. The property owner have the largest link has agreed to be approached by the State of Florida for the purposes of selling a fee-simple or less-than-fee-simple trail easement. This is a Florida Forever grant application that is currently on the state's "A" list. Another property owner who controls one-half mile of the trail (Maclay School) has committed to the City as part of a development permit to provide a trail easement, and another property owner who controls approximately 100' of the corridor has been contacted. (f) Describe any proposed right of way acquisition, including expected matching fund source, limitations on fund use or availability, and who will acquire and retain ownership of proposed right of way. As previously described, there is an ongoing property (fee simple or less-than-fee-simple) acquisition effort being conducted by the Planning Department and Blueprint 2000, a joint government program, to fill in the missing links of this trail. The Florida Forever grant application does not require a match. Assuming this grant application is signed off by the Florida Cabinet, the property or easement will be owned by the State of Florida, and managed by the City of Tallahassee. The other two easements will be acquired and managed by the City of Tallahassee. (g) Describe any related project work phases that are already complete or currently underway. At this time, a $50K state grant was used to do planning activities, including the selection of a corridor, several public meetings, a color brochure mailed to property owners affected by the project, a survey of the proposed corridor, and an environmental impact assessment. There are no other activities underway at present. (h) Other specific project information that should be considered. 3. Project Implementation Information: Attach documentation as exhibits to this application. (a) Describe the proposed method of performing (Le. contract or in-house) and administering (Le. local or state) each work phase of the project. If it is proposed that the project be administered by a governmental entity other than the Department of Transportation, the agency must be certified to administer Federal Aid projects in accordance with the department's Local Agency Program Manual (topic no. 525-010-300).
IUtaCl'llnent" ~--.~. Each work phase of the project will be conducted by the City of Tallahassee's Public Works Departmentor by consultants currently under open contract with the City as necessary, depending on workload. The City is certified with administer Federal Aid projects in accordance with FDOT. (b) Describe any public (and private, if applicable) support of the proposed project. (Examples include: written endorsement, formal declaration, resolution, financial donations or other appropriate means). In early 2002, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection offered a $50,000 no-match, cost-reimbursable grant to the City of Tallahassee to conduct planning, permitting, and any other actions towards the creation of a greenway trail connecting Rose Hill, Ox Bottom, Ox Bottom Manor, Summerbrooke, and Paramore Estates to the Klapp - Phipps - Maclay Greenway, including Alfred Maclay State Gardens. This greenway trail corridor has been identified in the draft Greenway Master Plan being prepared by Tallahassee - Leon County Planning Department staff, the Blueprint 2000 and Beyond Project Definitions Report, and in the City's Public Works CIP as a sidewalk project. The City of Tallahassee accepted the grant and directed staff to begin planning for this trail. Three subsequent public meetings were held, as well as numerous meetings with state and local government staff, and private landowners affected by the trail. Public and private support has been expressed by the large majority of these actors, as well as the State of Florida, Blueprint 2000, and both the Tallahassee City Commission and the Leon County Board of County Commissioners. This support has been both public and private, and documentation can be produced upon request. (c) Describe the proposed ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the project when it is completed. The full length of the Meridian GreenwayTrail will be on land or easements held by the State of Florida, the City of Tallahassee,and the Leon County School Board. The trail will be managed by the City of Tallahassee's Parks and Recreation Department as a unit of the City's parks system. (d) Describe source of matching funds and any restrictions on availability. Twenty-five percent of the anticipated survey, engineering, permitting, construction, and inspection costs of Phase I of the trail ($100,000) has been committed by Blueprint 2000. There are no restrictions. Blueprint 2000 is a local interagency program that has been created to implement the Blueprint 2000 and Beyond planning report which guides the expenditure of the one-penny local sales tax extension for 15 years. (e) Other specific implementation information that should be considered.
4. Project Cost: Attachment ~ Page '1 A- of-2 2/2003 What is the total estimated cost of the work requested to be funded as an enhancement this application? Planning Activities. $_0 project through Project Development and Environmental Studies. Engineering and Final Plans Preparation Work. Right of Way Acquisition. Construction. Construction Engineering and Inspection Activities. Other. (Describe) TOTAL: $_. _0 $ 75,000 $----- $ 300,000 $ 25,000 $----- $ 400.000 How will the project be funded? FOOT Enhancement Funds $300K + Local $ 100K = Total $ 400,000 FOOT Enhancement Funds 75 % + Local 25 % = 100% CERTIFICATION OF PROJECT SPONSOR I hereby certify that the proposed project herein described is supported by, (municipal, county, state or federal agency, or tribal council) and that said entity will: (1) provide any required funding match; (2) enter into a maintenance agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation; (3) comply with the Federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Acquisition Policies Actfor any Right of Way actions required for the project, and (4) support other actions necessary to fully implement the proposed project. I further certify that the estimated costs included herein are reasonable and understand that significant increases in these costs could cause the project to be removed from the Florida Department of Transportation work program. ~ Signature ~...;~,-..;;;...;:.. _. ~\~EL WQ.\G.~ Name (please type or print)