2018 ACEC OF FLORIDA

OUTSTANDING PROJECT AWARDS (OPA) PROGRAM

PROJECT NOMINATION FORM

A. District: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TPK C.O.

B. Nomination Category: (Select only one category)

Outstanding Major Project Outstanding PD&E/Planning Project

Outstanding Design-Build or CM at Risk Project Outstanding Environmental Project

Outstanding Roadway Project Outstanding Special Project

Outstanding Bridge Project

C. General Description of Project:

Project Name: Tri-County Trail

FDOT FM#:435718-1-52-01 Project Description (150 characters): Low-bid design/build of 4.85 miles of shared-use path along Keystone Road (CR 582) and through the Brooker Creek Preserve in Pinellas County.

Project Narrative (500 char.): In 2017, the first segment of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Connector was completed, locally known as the Tri-County Trail. This trail project was officially designated the first link in a 250-mile network of trails that will cross Florida, increasing connectivity among destinations frequented by both residents and visitors. FDOT District 7 partnered with Pinellas County to provide a safe and effective transportation system to support local and regional connectivity, a strategic goal for FDOT.

D. Project Team: (Fill in all that apply; add major contributing sub consultants as needed)

1. Complete this section for Major Projects, Minor Projects or Special Projects only (50 characters max for firm names and 30 characters for person names)

a. Design Consultants:

Prime Consultant: ICON Consultant Group, Inc. Consultant Project Mgr.: Bryan Anderson, PE Email Address: banderson@iconconsultantgroup.com

Phone Number: 813.962.8689 Physical Address: 10006 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 201

Subconsultant: Florida Bridge & Transportation Discipline: Structures Technical Lead: Mark Niedermann, PE

Subconsultant: Omni Communications, LLC Discipline: Utility Coordination & SUE Technical Lead: Brent Postma & Shannon Wright

b. CEI Consultants:

Prime: FDOT District Seven Sr. Project Engr.: Jonathan Gill, PE

Subconsultant: Jacobs Technical Lead: Roland Maki

Subconsultant: Technical Lead:

c. FDOT Design Project Mgr.: Mary Lou Godfrey, PE

d. FDOT Construction Project Engr./Admin.: Brian Pickard

2. Complete this section for Design-Build, CM at-Risk or P3 Projects only(Include all that apply. 75 characters max for each item)

a. Concessionaire:

b. Prime Contractor:

c. Design Consultants:

Prime Consultant: Consultant Project Mgr.:

Subconsultant: Discipline: Technical Lead:

Subconsultant: Discipline: Technical Lead:

d. FDOT Design Project Manager:

e. FDOT Program Mgmnt Consultant: Technical Lead:

f. FDOT CEI Consultants:

Prime: Sr. Project Engr.:

Subconsultant: Technical Lead:

Subconsultant: Technical Lead:

E. Project Completion Date: July 10, 2017

F. Detailed Project Information(Address all applicable award criteria): (750 characters max for each item)

1. Complexity of Project: The challenge was providing a drainage system that accomodated the new 12’ to 15’ shared-use trail, existing Keystone Road, a future shoulder widening project and offsite areas within a 50’ section of right-of-way without adversely impacting adjacent properties. This was accomplished by new open ditch systems, storm sewer systems, and retaining walls to reduce impacts to existing wetlands and floodplains. These improvements were accomplished without impacts to 42" - 60” potable water transmission pipelines and many other critical utility infrastructure. The project's alignment minimized impacts to potable water wells, gopher tortoises, fox squirrel nests, a bald eagle nest, and existing trees within the Brooker Creek Preserve.

2. Scheduling Challenges: In July - August 2015, the project area received 16.4” and 11.9” of rainfall. This created unprecedented, sustained flood water levels that limited the ability to assess seasonal high water indicators that were required for the design analysis and obtain permits. During construction, the project area received over 101" of rainfall. To maintain the project schedule, the contractor performed at-risk work (utilizing non-RFC plans) in Brooker Creek Preserve while respecting bald eagle nesting season. This phasing of construction work also allowed for critical utility relocations including over 30 power poles, potable water, sanitary sewer, and multiple communications within constrained R/W section that was shared with the proposed trail.

3. Innovative Technical Concepts: Team utilized existing open-space right-of-way for permitting and construction of floodplain compensation sites to eliminate timely/expensive acquisition. A quarantine area for on-site gopher tortoises was created on adjacent property to allow at-risk construction work to be performed without the need of standard capture-and-relocate gopher tortoise permitting. The RFP required a modified FDOT Type A fence that excluded barbed wire. The modified FDOT Type A fence was also installed upside-down so that 8” vertical spacing of woven wire is located at ground level and 3” vertical spacing was located at the top. Design allows ground-dwelling animals to pass under and helps prevent a deer’s leg from being caught in the top of the fence.

4. Cost savings: The RFP concept estimated 4,435 linear feet of structural wall (17.4% of net project length). Design team reduced that to 1,740 linear feet – a savings of $673,750, or 12% reduction of total project costs. The team also eliminated 2,695 linear feet of handrail that provided a savings of $223,

685, or 4% reduction of total project costs. By providing an onsite quarantine area for the gopher tortoises, the project team eliminated $25K of potential relocation permitting fees. In addition, no right-of-way was required for floodplain compensation resulting in approximately $654K in savings for right-of-way acquisition.

5. Public Involvement/Support: The project team went above and beyond to maintain access to home owners and businesses along the corridor and through coordination with Pinellas County, was able to provide 250 feet of new service road for Tampa Bay Water. The new service road, combined with the numerous gates and access points to the Tampa Bay Water potable water well points on the Brooker Creek Preserve maintained safety and usability of the shared-use trail users. Pinellas County has 54 miles of Pinellas Trail from Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg. The trail is enjoyed by citizens and visitors for recreational use and as an alternative route of transportation. The project endured vast support by the community and many locals attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.

6. Minimization of Negative Impacts: By eliminating 2,695 linear feet of wall and associated hand rail, the team was able to preserve the natural landscape views for the adjacent property owners. Project was completed without adverse impacts to existing drainage patterns or conveyance. In some areas of the project, the drainage conveyance and adjacent available storage was increased providing additional attenuation and water quality treatment for the watershed. Our team not only maintained access to all adjacent properties throughout project, they were also able to minimize impacts to the traveling public (10,500 AADT along Keystone Road) by only requiring 1 small lane closure to provide improvements to an existing pedestrian median refuge island.

7. Partnering: The Pinellas Trail Coast-to-Coast Connector segment (Tri-County Trail) was funded by the state legislature and approved by Governor Rick Scott. FDOT partnered with Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Tampa Bay Water, Forward Pinellas, the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve, the Office of Greenways and Trails, the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation, the Florida Greenways and Trails Council, and East Lake Fire and Rescue Station #58 to complete the project. The project team’s continued communication with these stakeholders resulted in much support from them, as well as the general public.

8. Functionality of Project: The trail provides safe access and connectivity to the Brooker Creek Preserve, the Environmental Educational Center and the Lake Dan Preserve area for the pedestrians and bicyclists from the local communities of Keystone and Trinity. The Tri-County Trail will make it possible to ride from south Pinellas County to Citrus County. It’s connection to the Coast-to-Coast Connector Trail is part of FDOT’s strategic goal to provide safe and effective transportation systems to support regional connectivity. With the completion of this segment, the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail became the first link in a 250-mile network of trails that will allow bicyclists to cross Florida from St. Petersburg to Titusville.

9. Aesthetics: The approximately 5-mile asphalt trail varies from 12’ to 15’ in width and is relatively flat with winding curves through the Brooker Creek Preserve, Lake Dan Preserve area, and paralleling and

crossing under the Duke Energy corridor, all of which provide natural character assets. A wide variety of wetlands, cypress wetlands, mature live oak stands, uplands, and wildlife management areas are present throughout. And, it is very common to see deer, gopher tortoises, turkeys, fox squirrels, sandhill cranes, wood storks, wild hogs, and numerous reptiles, birds, and mammals along the corridor. There is also an active bald eagle’s nest within the Brooker Creek Preserve corridor that has been observed during the nesting season.

10. Environmental Impacts/Benefits: Wetland impacts were minimized by incorporating retaining walls. Impacts were compensated through the purchase of private mitigation bank credits. Project area crossing the Brooker Creek Preserve impacted a high density of gopher tortoise habitat. Effective coordination between the D/B team, FDOT staff, and FDOT’s gopher tortoise consultant resulted in the relocation and protection of gopher tortoises within the project limits. An active bald eagle nest required monitoring during the nesting season; however, no disturbance was identified during construction. The RFP required a modified FDOT Type A fence placed along the trail that permitted ground-dwelling animals to pass under and protected deer from getting caught when jumping over.

11. Sustainability: The asphalt trail and concrete driveways that were constructed have a life span of 20-30 years. All stormwater infrastructure is reinforced concrete pipe with a life expectancy of at least 100 years. The drainage design demonstrated that the trail will have clearance to the 10-year/24-hour storm event along Keystone Road and clearance for the 25-year/24-hour storm event in the Brooker Creek Preserve. The average vertical separation between the seasonal high groundwater table and the bottom of the pavement is 2.1’, 7” above what was required by the contract. Reinforced concrete “shock pads” were also constructed over all trail crossings of Tampa Bay Water facilities to minimize impacts to their potable water transmission infrastructure.

12. Cost Overruns and Time Extensions: The team developed a set of construction plans for Brooker Creek Preserve and key sections of trail along Keystone Road to allow at-risk construction work to be performed. This allowed many utilities along Keystone Road to relocate their facilities in advance of the trail construction work, which reduced sub-surface conflicts, minimized overlapping work crews, and increased safety for the construction crews and traveling public. This phased construction helped our team meet all projected deadlines, in spite of the project corridor receiving over 101 inches of rainfall during construction. 6" of limerock (LBR 100) in lieu of 12” of Type B stabilization (LBR 40) was also used to reduce construction time and impacts to adjacent properties.

13. Technical/Engineering Challenges Overcome: The RFP's concept resulted in the design accounting for the future Keystone Road paved shoulder construction. A lateral offset variation was obtained to allow trail construction within existing right-of-way while maintaining existing drainage capacity and compensating for floodplain impacts without acquiring additional right-of-way. 8 individual floodplain compensation sites, 5 of which were located within Keystone Road right-of-way, not only provide over 7,400 cubic feet of additional 100-year/24-hour floodplain storage, but also provide water quantity and

~ ~

ACEC FDOTI AM ERICAN Cou NCIL OF E."IGINEERING COM rANI ES

of Florida

water quality benefits to watershed. The team developed project-specific watershed analysis that

documented no adverse impacts to adjacent Keystone Road properties.

14. Safety Improvements: Project was built to meet current ADA standards and was constructed with

zero safety incidents. Team provided a mid-block, equipped with solar powered RFFBs, along Keystone

Road to allow pedestrians to safely cross from one side to the other. All manholes were constructed

outside the asphalt trail footprint to prevent tripping hazards and reduce the potential for adverse trail

impacts by maintenance crews. Through coordination with Pinellas County, 250 linear feet of new

service road was provided for Tampa Bay Water. This new service road eliminated the need for Tampa

. Bay Water service vehicles to travel over 200 feet of the proposed shared-use trail, therefore

significantly increasing the safety and useability of trail users.

G. Photo/Drawing Bearing Project Name Required

(Submit Photo with Other Supporting Documentation)

H. Other supporting Documentatjon f ndyded <check all that app[vl: (Note: Supporting documentation, excluding photographs and district endorsement must

be formatted and submitted as a single, 814x11 PDF document not to exceed five (5)

pages in length.}

~Photos DDrawings ~News Articles ~Commendations

Oother (Describe):

1. District Contact Information: (30 characters max for each item)

District Contact: David Gwynn Office: District Seven E-mail address:

David.Gwynn@dot.state.fl.us Phone: 813.975.6000

J. District Endorsement of Nomination:

(District Secretary, Turnpike Enterprise Secretary, or Asst. Secretary)

Project Description:

Endorsed by:

----------ACEC

AMERICAN CouNCIL OF ENGINEERING CoMrANIES

of Florida

Signature:

{Submit PDF of endorsement signature orting Documentation)

Nomination Fee: $299 (Please submit on or before March 20. 2018)

D Pay Online at the ACEC-FL Online Store

D Pay by Check, Check # ________ _

Company Name on Check _________________ _

Mail To: American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC-FL)

P.O. Box 750

Tallahassee, FL 32302-0750

Attn: 2018 ACEC-FL Outstanding Project Awards (OPA) Program

*Please include the specific project name on the check to ensure

payment is assigned to the appropriate nomination application.

Tri-County Trail

Tri-County Trail

Tri-County Trail

Tri-County Trail

Tri-County Trail