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TO: Jim Chandler County Administrator FROM: Robert M. Keating, AICP4A4K Community Development Director DATE: April 12 , 1993 SUBJECT: Transportation Enhancement Projects It is requested that the data herein presented be given formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners at their regular meeting of April 13, 1993. With passage of the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, federal transportation funds 'for "enhancement activities" became available. Only recently, however, have the rules for distribution of these funds been developed. This information is scheduled to be presented to the MPO for consideration at the MPO's meeting on April 14, 1993. Because an item related to enhancement funds has beenagendaed for the Board of County Commissioners' meeting of April 13, 1993, the following information is provided: Recently, FDOT released its directive for funding enhancement projects. According to that directive, enhancement project applications are to be submitted to or prepared by MPO 's -during the months of April and May of 1993. These applications are then to be submitted to FDOT and reviewed by FHWA. Subsequently, the applications are returned to MPO's for ranking. The MPO's prioritized list of enhancement projects is then included with the MPO's overall transportation project priority list which must be submitted to FDOT in September of 1993. Finally, FDOT prepares its tentative FY 94-95 work program, incorporates those enhancement projects which can be funded, and initiates those projects in the 94-95 fiscal year. As established by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), 10% of each state's allocated surface transportation funds must be set aside for transportation enhancements. These funds require a minimum 20% match (unless the project is proposed on state or federally owned lana), and may be used for a variety of activities, including facilities for bicycles and pedestrians, acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites, scenic or historic highway programs, landscaping, historic preservation, archeological planning and research, and others. For the 94-95 fiscal year, FDOT district IV will receive approximately $4.4 million in enhancement funds. In addition, enhancement funds carried over from FY 91-92, 92-93, and 93-94 total more than $12 million, an amount that will be added to the 94-95 allocation. As of this time, FDOT has not determined how those funds will be distributed. Distribution may be through a districtwide competitive selection process, or it may be accomplished through an allocation to each MPO in the district. 21 APR 13boor 89 PvuvE:314