Project Schedule
| 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Phase 1 (North Gap) | A | B | C | C | C | C | C | C | ||||||||||||||||
| Phase 2 (North Gap) | A | A | A | B | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | ||||||||||||
| Phase 3 (South Gap) | A | A | A | A | A | A | B | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | ||||||||
| Phase 4 (South Gap) | A | A | A | A | B | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | C | D | |||||||||
| Note: Schedule follows County fiscal year (October - September). Project Management is included in Phase 4. Above is a rough project schedule - details provided in Appendix A. | A) Design / Engineering (In-House) | B) Design Build Contract and Award | C) Construction | D) Service | ||||||||||||||||||||
Table 7 provides an overall project schedule. A detailed version is available in Appendix A. This project will be design-build, shortening the time from project award to project completion. If there are any unforeseen delays in the development of bid specifications or with project award, there is substantial time remaining to remedy these delays so all necessary pre-construction activities will be complete by June 30, 2017 and funding can be fully obligated in advance ofSeptember 30, 2017.
| Year | Quarter | Direct& Indirect Jobs | Induced Jobs | Total Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | 6 | 4 | 10 | |
| 3 | 6 | 4 | 10 | |
| 4 | 12 | 7 | 19 | |
| 2016/17 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| 2 | 13 | 7 | 20 | |
| 3 | 13 | 7 | 20 | |
| 4 | 15 | 8 | 23 | |
| 2017/18 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 23 |
| 2 | 18 | 10 | 28 | |
| 3 | 22 | 12 | 34 | |
| 4 | 22 | 12 | 34 | |
| 2018/19 | 1 | 22 | 12 | 34 |
| 2 | 15 | 8 | 23 | |
| 3 | 14 | 8 | 22 | |
| 4 | 14 | 8 | 22 | |
| 2019/20 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| 2 | 11 | 6 | 17 | |
| 3 | 7 | 4 | 11 | |
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| Total | 259 | 144 | 403 |
Table 8 (next page) addresses the anticipated employment impacts resulting from Completing the Loop. The referenced study was conducted in June 2011 and was undertaken to understand the employment impacts of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Direct jobs include those jobs created in the engineering and construction firms involved in the project, while indirect jobs are those created in the “supply chain” of the engineering and construction industries, such as cement manufacturing and trucking. Lastly, as workers in the direct and indirect industries spend their earnings, they create demand in industries such as food services and retail establishments, which are referenced as induced effects, i.e., induced jobs. The referenced St. John’s River-to-Sea Loop Trail Status Update report was prepared by England-Thims & Miller, Inc. at the request of the FDOT (Districts Two and Five) and the East Coast Greenway Alliance.
The total number of direct/indirect jobs (259) and induced jobs (144) shown in Table 8 are based on the construction of off-street multi-use trails, which is what Completing the Pinellas Trail Loop entails.
Expediting the project schedule are existing agreements with the various jurisdictions and with Duke Energy. Copies of the Agreement to Lease and the Joint Participation Agreement with Duke Energy, approved by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners on December 16, 2014, are included as Appendix D. A Letter of Support from the company is also included. In addition, alternative alignments and crossings are available and feasible, should they be necessary.
Completion of this project is scheduled for September 2020.
Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies
During the design of the projects associated with Completing the Pinellas Trail Loop, it may be determined that an alternative alignment is more advantageous. If this should occur, alternative alignments using public and private property and right-of-way are available and feasible.
Completing the Pinellas Trail Loop utilizes primarily existing right-of-way so delays related to right-of-way are not anticipated. Based on past experience with similar actions, this project does not individually or cumulatively have a significant environmental effect. Furthermore, the construction of bicycle and pedestrian lanes, paths and facilities is a Type 1 Categorical Exclusion (CE), which is supported by the FDOT PD&E Manual CE checklist. No delays due to environmental concerns are anticipated.
Other Environmental Reviews and Approvals
The County and MPO are anticipating the receipt of a CE from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for this project. Completing the Pinellas Trail Loop will be constructed in existing right-of-way and is not anticipated to have any significant environmental impact. The project will not induce significant impacts to planned growth or land use for the area, will not require relocation of significant numbers of people; will not have a significant impact on any natural, cultural, recreational, historic or other resource; will not involve significant air, noise, or water quality impacts; will not have significant negative impacts on travel patterns; and will not otherwise, individually or cumulatively, have any significant environmental impact.
“As a long-time partner with the county , Duke Energy has worked with the MPO to revise and mutually approve an agreement between the company and county for those parts of the Pinellas Loop co-located in the utility corridor.”
No state or federal legislative approvals are necessary for the projects associated with Completing the Pinellas Trail Loop to move forward.While not currently in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the MPO is committed to amending the TIP immediately upon receipt of the grant award to ensure its inclusion. Any other necessary planning documents will be amended, so that the project schedule for Completing the Pinellas Trail Loop is not delayed. This project is included in the Pinellas MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan and the Pinellas MPO is committed to amending the TIP to include this project upon receipt of grant award.