5/20/1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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b02"K "10i PAUL 53u1 Applicants for enhancement projects may be local governments, state agencies, state or national interest groups, or local interest groups. In areas with MPOs, the MPO must receive and formally submit the applications to FDOT. Each enhancement project application must have a project sponsor. The project sponsor must be a local, state, or federal agency which will provide the required funding match and undertake necessary actions to implement the proposed project. The project applicant and project sponsor may be the same. While the MPO must submit the enhancement applications to FDOT, the County and municipalities, as project sponsors, play the largest role in the enhancement application process. It is the local governments that decide which projects to submit for enhancement funding. In the four years since applications for enhancement funding have been accepted by FDOT, several projects within the MPO area have been funded through placement in FDOT's Five -Year Work Program. These projects include the Jungle Trail project, Sebastian Riverfront project, North County Recreation Route project, South County Recreation Route project, and Causeway Connector project. This is the first year since 1995 that enhancement project applications are being solicited by FDOT. In 1996, existing approved enhancement projects required all enhancement funding available, so FDOT opted not to add any enhancement projects to the current work program last year. While new enhancement applications were not submitted in 1996, FDOT did complete development activities for existing applications, including the Indian River County projects listed in Attachment 1. This year, FDOT has informed all MPOs of the estimated amount of enhancement funding available in the upcoming Work Program cycle. The amount allotted to the Indian River County MPO area will be approximately $290,000, to be programmed in the new fourth year of FDOT's upcoming Five -Year Work Program, state Fiscal Year 2001/2002. There is no required match for this cycle of enhancement funds, but the project sponsor must commit to maintain the project. While this year's applications will exceed available funding,_._revisions to the county's Jungle Trail application may make available additional enhancement funds. FDOT has informed the MPO that any excess funds from revisions to the Jungle Trail project will be spent on enhancement applications in Indian River County. In choosing potential enhancement projects, staff used as inputs the county's current 1988 bikepath and sidewalk plan, School Board staff's sidewalk priorities, and coordination with local government staff and citizens. The current bikepath and sidewalk plan is now in the final stage of being revised. The current plan as well as the new revised plan consider the provision of travelways to schools as one of the primary criteria in deciding the location of sidewalks and bikepaths. As such, the sidewalks and bikepaths near schools are given priority. This priority is being implemented through sidewalk and bikepath construction projects, including several recent enhancement projects. Because enhancement project right-of-way purchases must be made in accordance with federal right-of-way purchase regulations, the right-of-way component for enhancement projects can be cost prohibitive. For that reason, FDOT has discouraged applicants from including projects which may need right-of-way. As proposed, none of the potential 1997 enhancement applications require right-of-way. In addition to staff's proposed enhancement projects, there are several areas in need of sidewalks and bikepaths. Since enhancement projects should not include right-of- way purchase, the county is unable to use enhancement funds for all needed projects. Therefore, staff has selected the most needed projects which have right-of-way available for enhancement funds. Working together, the County Public Works and Community Development Departments have developed five potential enhancement projects. These are briefly described below: MAY 20, 1997 70 M