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BUCK 1 01 CAGE 5 11.2.1. REVISION OF JUNGLE TRAIL ENHANCEMENT PROJECT The Board reviewed a Memorandum ofMay 14,1997: TO: James Chandler County Administrator FROM: Robert M. Keating, AICP "/V( K Community Development Director DATE: May 14,1997 SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE JUNGLE TRAIL ENHANCEMENT PROJECT It is requested that the information provided herein be given formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners at its regular meeting of May 20, 1997. One of the major initiatives of the Internodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) was establishment of the transportation enhancement program. As adopted, ISTEA requires that ten percent of the money allocated to the Surface Transportation Program (STP), the principal fund established by ISTEA, be used for enhancements to the transportation system. In Florida, enhancement funds are allocated to FDOT district offices which then distribute these funds to projects within MPO areas, based on MPO prioritization. Once approved, enhancement projects are programmed on FDOT's five year work program, just like roadway projects. Jungle Trail Application During the first enhancement program project cycle, in 1993, Indian River County and the Indian River County Historical Society submitted an enhancement project application for Jungle Trail. As submitted, the Jungle Trail enhancement project application proposed a number of enhancement activities, including provision of bicycle/pedestrian facilities, acquisition of scenic/historic sites, landscaping, historic preservation, archeological planning, and water pollution mitigation. Funded at $2.8 million, the Jungle Trail enhancement project was the most costly enhancement project approved in FDOT district 4. In fact, the $2.8 million accounted for 50 percent of the enhancement funds available in the five county (Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, and Broward) district during the first enhancement cycle. Project Design Because of the scope of the proposed enhancement project, FDOT retained a consultant to undertake the necessary environmental studies and project design. Most of this work involved survey activities along the Trail. Other activities included identification of design alternatives, coordination with environmental agencies, and coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). As a result of the consultant's work and detailed coordination with county and MPO staff, it was determined that the enhancement project, as proposed, could not be constructed. With respect to hard surfacing the Trail for bicycle/pedestrian improvements, inadequate right-of-way along with minimum FDOT design requirements precluded that activity. As to pollution mitigation through shoreline stabilization on the south Trial, that was found to be infeasible because the shoreline is privately owned and environmental agencies had concerns. Alteratives Working with FDOT, county planning and public works staff tried to identify alternative designs for the proposed enhancement application activities. With respect to hard surfacing the Trail and providing for bicycle/pedestrian access, the only feasible option identified involved the north segment of the Trail and entailed closing the north Trail to vehicular traffic and allowing use of the Trail exclusively by bicyclists and pedestrians. MAY 20, 1997 0