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CRTPA gets feasibility updates on US‑90 West Trail and Tallahassee–Havana/Orchard Pond Greenway; public meetings set
Summary
CRTPA staff and consultants reported that the US‑90 West Trail (Chattahoochee to Quincy) is generally feasible under FDOT SunTrails funding; Orchard Pond Greenway (Tallahassee–Havana) alternatives were presented with three trail alignments and three bridge options (recommended cantilever option ~ $750,000). Public meetings in June were announced for both efforts.
CRTPA board members heard feasibility and alternatives updates on two regional trail efforts at their May 19 meeting: the US‑90 West Trail, a roughly 22‑mile multiuse route from Chattahoochee to Quincy funded through FDOT District 3 SunTrails, and the Tallahassee–Havana Trail segment incorporating the Orchard Pond Greenway (also SunTrails‑funded).
US‑90 West Trail: CRTPA staff (Greg Burke) and consultant reported that the corridor is generally feasible outside city centers but faces constrained rights‑of‑way in downtown Chattahoochee and Quincy and a few wetland/bridge constraints outside Gretna. Staff described alternatives that route through or around downtown Quincy and Chattahoochee and said they will finalize alternatives and renderings before public meetings. Burke said staff had coordinated with county staff and electeds and would notify local officials; public meetings were scheduled for June 17 (Chattahoochee City Hall) and June 18 (Quincy County Chambers).
Orchard Pond Greenway / Tallahassee–Havana: HAF consultants Gary Phillips and Melissa Pennington presented three alternative alignments for the Orchard Pond segment and three bridge options to cross the Ocklawocknee (recommended cantilever panel, a widening, and a parallel bridge). The cantilevered panel was presented as the recommended and lowest‑cost bridge option (~$750,000) with lower wetland impacts; the full trail alignment costs ranged from about $6.5 million (alt C) to $7.78 million (alt A) depending on alignment and property impacts. Pennington emphasized design constraints in the narrow cut walls and the need to preserve equestrian, bicycle and pedestrian access within the available corridor. The study will move toward a final feasibility report and planning‑level cost estimates this summer, and an alternatives public meeting (virtual and in person) was announced for early June.
Board comments: Commissioners emphasized the desire to route trails through downtown business districts where feasible to support economic activity, while staff noted the right‑of‑way and environmental constraints that sometimes require bypassing downtown cores. Members also pressed staff to ensure outreach to Gadsden/Gaston counties; staff said they had engaged local planning directors and elected officials and would continue to coordinate.
Next steps: Staff will finalize alternatives, perform additional stakeholder engagement, publish renderings and cost estimates, and present recommendations to the board later this year.
