PDAC Priority Project East Dayton Rails-to-Trails (Flight Line) Project Description

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Milton Willis
5 years ago
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1 PDAC Priority Project East Dayton Rails-to-Trails (Flight Line) Project Description The Flight Line project represents an amazing opportunity to become a truly transformative urban recreational trail that would link thousands of Daytonians to the Miami Valley s existing 300+ miles of connected recreational trails. This particular corridor currently identified as the Creekside Connector in the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission s Long Range Plan, is identified as a top project priority in the Regional Bike Plan. If completed, the Flight Line would seamlessly transition into the existing Creekside Trail, and would create a true urban multipurpose recreational trail connecting Downtown Dayton with the rest of the regional trail system. Currently, the corridor is a 6.1 mile out-of-service rail line that has begun the abandonment process. The line begins in downtown Dayton and traverses east-west through some of Dayton s oldest and most historic neighborhoods ultimately ending in Kettering, Ohio, a neighboring community. The Flight Line trail will be approximately 3.1 miles long, extending from downtown Dayton to the intersection of the existing Creekside Trail and Ironhorse Trail. There is also incredible opportunity to create a number of linear pocket parks and greenways along the proposed trail. The creation of the trail will also facilitate the extension of Dayton s Link Bikes, the local bike sharing system, into the eastern neighborhoods of the city along the trail. One of the key visions of this proposal is the creation of an elevated park along side the trail, on an elevated portion of the rail line in downtown Dayton. Ultimately, this project would be the crown jewel in the Miami Valley s regional trail system, the nation s largest paved trail network. It will provide a direct connection for downtown Dayton and tens of thousands of residents into the 300+ miles of existing paved trails in the region. The Flight Line has potential to be one of the most transformational and important urban recreational rails-to-trails projects in the country. Currently, the corridor is owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation and is being negotiated for acquisition with the City of Dayton. The City has filed a Public Use Condition/ Notice of Interim Trail Use (NITU) with the federal Surface Transportation Board to preserve the corridor for a future trail use and railbanking. Estimated costs for acquisition based on corridor appraisals is approximately $2-3 million. The City of Dayton plans to partner with the City of Kettering and Five Rivers MetroParks and utilize local, state, federal dollars as well as private fundraising to complete the project.

2 Estimated Budget East Dayton Rails to Trails (Flight Line) Item Cost Funding Source Comment Corridor Acquisition $2-3 Million Local/ State/ Federal Currently owned by Norfolk Southern. Range is based on average of two appraisals. Trail Construction/ Engineering $2 million Local/ State/ Federal Maintenance $5 thousand/ yr Local $800,000 for 3 miles of trail asphalt (per 2016 MVRPC Long Range Plan), remaining for design/ engineering, contingencies, and bridge/ deck replacements. Maintenance includes labor/ equipment cost for mowing and clearing of corridor vegetation and litter. Asphalt replacement is long term. Financial Aspects: The estimated total project is $5 million with an estimated $2-3 million for land acquisition and an additional estimated $2 million for construction. These estimates are based on current day costs and do not include any cost escalators. Funding sought this year is $2 million to go towards acquisition of the corridor. This project is in the early stages of planning and has not previously received funds. Looking to the future, local funding and grant opportunities such as State Clean Ohio Trails funds will be pursued as well as federal Congestion Mitigation / Air Quality (CMAQ) and Transportation Alternative (TA) funding sources through MRVPC.

3 THIRD ST LINDEN AVE Downtown Dayton KEOWEE ST FIFTH ST WAYNE AVE XENIA AVE 35 BURKHARDT AVE LINDEN AVE SMITHVILLE RD CreeksideTrail BURKHARDT RD WYOMING ST STEWART ST WAYNE AVE SMITHVILLE RD WOODMAN DR CreeksideTrail WOODBINE AVE WOODBINE AVE WILMINGTON PK Ironhorse RecreationalTrail SHAFOR BLVD PATTERSON RD City of Dayton City of Kettering FORRER BLVD WOODMAN DR Miles Teneco [

Predictive Economic Impact Study for the Mount Dora to Seminole Wekiva Trail

Predictive Economic Impact Study for the Mount Dora to Seminole Wekiva Trail Prepared By: Valerie Seidel vseidel@balmoralgroup.us 341 N. Maitland Ave., Suite 100 Maitland, FL 32751 Phone (407) 629-2185