Juno Beach council backs MPO plan to shift SunTrail planning corridor to US 1 and seek DOT feasibility study

Brian Rauscher, deputy director for multimodal planning at the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the council the state’s Greenways & Trails SunTrail program can fund a feasibility study to move planning alignment off A1A and onto US 1 in Juno Beach. Rauscher said the MPO will assist with application materials and technical input and that FDOT would deliver any eventual project.

“We are requesting to shift the corridor for planning purposes from A1A to US 1,” Rauscher said. He described SunTrail as a state program that cycles funding annually and said application packages typically include a typical street section and cost estimates. Rauscher told council the funding cycle runs through February, with awards usually appearing in DOT’s transportation improvement plan by July.

Council members pressed the MPO on scope and staging — whether the effort could include Universe Boulevard, the proposed cross‑section details, and how e‑bike and scooter use would be handled. Rauscher said the feasibility study would evaluate options for a 12‑foot multiuse path, buffered bike lanes on US 1, tree‑canopy protection and potential park activation on town‑ or DOT‑owned triangles of land.

Council member Didi moved to authorize staff to coordinate the administrative shift of the SunTrail alignment and to prepare an application for a DOT feasibility study in cooperation with the MPO; another council member seconded. The motion passed by unanimous roll call. Staff said the MPO would provide a typical section for the application and that council should expect a decision on funding in the summer following the application cycle.

What’s next: Staff will work with the MPO on the alignment shift, prepare application materials and cost estimates, and return to council with project details and any required map or typical section for the final application.