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Home My WebLink AboutDocumentation_Regular_Tab 21_09/12/2013 ., I�.��`�`�I�1 �'� �l�l `�` �C ' � B�ARD OF COIJNTY COMMISSIONERS r �� c :;�' �> � �, _ � � �K �''_ i , .. • _ ,.� , �, , ,ir , , ,��, , ��>:; `r: e � Telephone� (772) 28�3 Fax= (77`L) 288 i Email tkryzdaC?'martin.fl.us DOUGSMITH �G�y 14, Zn13 Commissioner, Districi 1 ED FIELDING CatI1CPll1e DOh�S Commissioner, Districl 2 Transportation Inciustry Analyst, Office of 1Zailr�oad Policy and Development Fedcral Raiiroad Adzni�listratiorl aNNe scorr 1200 Neti�� Jersey l�veriue, S� Commissioner. C}istrict 3 Waslungton, DC. 2059� SARAH HEARD ��'ntVlCl 792G111 lX1YC� G'-19ZCZl� (��/T_'7 r�t .L%O�Jt� (✓C�C 1�_%l� Cammissioner, Dislrici 4 I D�ar MS. DObbS: JONN HADDOX � Commissinner, District 5 The pro�osed k�lorida East Coast R�ilroaci's �111 Aboarcl Flc�z-idc� p7 will travel tihi�ou�h � Martizi County, a eounty of approximately 146,000 peo��le. �I,l�e Martin Ccni��ty I3oa�-d of County Coinmissioners has long been an advocate of passen�ez rail and is higl�ly interested in lea�ning n�.oi al�out the potentia] be.r�etits of tlais pr�ject, including potential access of i�nRYN rcr�vzoA, cPnn broadhand tivez� infl fo�� loc;al goveriunents; ihc rcduction of vehicular traffic from co�,niy ndr„��istraro� stalc and l�cal roadw�ys; and. the coxzstruction of infrastructure that c�ulci also alleviate costs of projects tl�e Bo�i•d strongly supports, such as the Amtrak PEC Corridor project. However, tlaere micHne� �. auRUt�,rr� are concerns that� the 1111 Ab�c�rcl Florida projeet could potentially create negative im��acts to co��,� Atm�n�y �q� County and create unfunded mandates, including pote�lti�l costs lor c7 up�Y��des and l.eases; im�acts to marine ti�avel; the potential costs of in.lplerllenting "quiet zones," etc. 1�s outlinecl iz� tl�e enclosed cietailed corru11er1ts, while All �Iboa��d �`lo��idcr provicles a nunlber of exciting be�iefits to the state alid potential iuture �encfits to the Cou��ty, the Board i�ec�uests that tlle issues we h�ve raised be adclressecl in the Enviz In�paet State�nent. 0�� behalf of the Board of County Conu�lissiouc�rs, I apZ�r�ciate the opportuluty to sliare ti�ith you tlie County's comi�le«ts. Shauld iurther ii�foa�zation be ��equireci �nd il additional info7nlation can be �rovicled to address ouX� questions, please contact Taryn Kryzda, C;ot�nty �di��inistrator, at (772) 288-5939 or e-ivail tkryzda(�7nartin.fl.us. Sii�cere y, � - J,��%�%td%�—� Sar ah Heal�d, �11ai� � Martin County Board of County Conlmissioi�ei SI Ulcp C�: Honorable Metnbei•s �f thc. Martin Cc>unty Boarcl of County Comi�zissioners Honoz NIe�llbers of the Mai�tin County Metropolitan Planuin� Organization Martin County State Legislative Delegatic��1 Ntaa•tin County Fedez•al Legislati��e Delegation Treasura Coast Regzonal Plax�ni.ng Co�k�icil TELEPHONE Secret�ry /�ianth Prasacl, Florida Depaz��nient of'I'ransportation ��2-Zaa-enoo �111 AI>om•rl Flor�i�'cr/F�]�CI WEB ADDRESS Taryn K�yzda, County Adn�inistrator http://www.martin.fLu; FjI1C�OSLt2'C adiu2013L320 2.docx < �� "�. ' �� omments on the All �boccr�d Flr��irlr� Project fr•on� the ;, ' iViart�n �ou�zty �o:�rc3 of ��ent,y C�mn�issioners 4. i , Martin County 11as lon_g been an advocate of passe�lger• rail 011 the Fast Coast of Florida. Foz• sevcral years the Co�unty has been working with the Treas�u•e Cc�ast Kegioual Plal�ning Couricil ("1 CRPC), Nletropolitan P1a�aa�i�lg Oz•gat�i7atiozis (MPOs) and c�thcr local govez to �•ei�ltz passez�gez service ��assellgcr rail s�;rvice on 3261niles of t11e FEC �•ail��ray hetw�en Jacksonville and Miaini througl� the FEC/Amtrak �.�7 The proposed ei�lst iaew passenger• stations on t�he East t;`oast irlclude a statiorl iz1 Stuart, our �'ounty seat. �1'he FEC rail corridox is ai1 tl�e State's St��ate�ic In#ei7�oda1 System (SIS), Florida's l�iglaest statcwade ��rioz for tz c�pacity iinprovements. The project will support ecanorllic develo�ment a11ci redevelopme��t activity a�ong Floricla's east coast and �hroughout the state. Accorciing to Florida Departinent of�Transpoz�t�tio�� estia�aates, tl�e p�-oject will create 2,100 jobs in tlu�ec ycaz�s ar�d 6,300 jobs at builc�-out; generate long-tenn revcnues of mc�re tha�i �2 biliion izi land developinent; ��d provide iz�lprovecl mobility and envir•on111ental t�eilefits. "1"he pi•ojce,t will also expand tl�e state's trans�ortatiorl network and con�plemeiit otl�et� ��assengez� ��ail projeets tlu•oughout tlie state, sucll as .411 Al�oa��d Flor°icla. We underst��d that the pi•oject will c�ilst�•uet infrastrt�cttu that could also benefit pz�ajects tlle B�ard strongly st�pports, sucla a� the Anitrak FEC C��•idor project All Ar�oczl�cl Flor�ida �n�esents a trcmendoi�s econo�i��ic c�pportuiiity for the state and cotild llelp b��iiig forwaz�c� otl�er z }�z st7ch as the FEC/tAmtr�k project, as w ell as �rovide ot}Zez• benefits. I-�owever, staf.f az�d con�nlissioz�ez l�ave raised concenzs about potential iia�pacts of the All �1boc�r�cl 1%'lo�°icla project to Martiu County. Our specific co��ments, coneeins and requests for further clarificatioz� az as follo��s: � Cp•ossnng �U�grades: Th� FEC con wlzich tx existi�lg residezrtzal, � comnle� and naixed-use districts, will cany a sigiaificaz�t izacrease in z•ail tz�aftic, � es��ecially given t11c deep dz at t�ie Port of Miaini ax�d increased fi�eight via PanaMax ships. "l pi existing resicienrs and busillesses a1�d imp�•oue safety �long the cor7 how can tl�e pi advance features such as quad-gates at razl cz to help mitigate the irnpacts of this state-�uicle economic progra�ii? Wllat cai� local gover�ll�ients do to advancc tlais co��st� — ideally in conjunction with the AAF rail i��aprc�ve��erlts`? Thez�e are 28 ci�ossings in Ma� County, 18 of which are �he Coul�ty's res�ol�sibility. Inf'oY7i�atio�� l�egardillg any Coul�ty obligati�ns for cz�ossing up�radc cost is needed and conceri7s a� �•eat tl�at these upgrades could aXiiount to a significant unfi�nded Ina�idate. AS stated in FDOT''s 2010 SIS Strategic Plzn, "Successful SIS iz�ipleixze��tatioi� also requires sufficieilt funding foz� se�io�i�al and Jocal systems, wl�ich ��roz�ide the final link in 1nc�st SIS tT and suppo� re�7o71a1 and local travei �nd transport....[FDOT will],....work witl� local gc�vernlnents to explore t�}�tio�tls for il3creasing local trai�spol funding sourccs, bc�th to pro��ide nzatching fi.iY�ds for SIS ��°ojects a��d to suppor�tY at�ci 3oca1 s�stenls." ��mpacts to Marine I11a�us�� Ma��tin �oiznty's i�vaterways az ofte�z r�efex-rec� to as tlae ecollomic "Iifeblood" of our c�n1�n�.u�ity. �oilce�i i-ega�•dii�g i.�x��pacts rnarir�e navigati.c�z� azlc� indt�st�y i�aclude: aa,n2oi3t32o za��X � The potential installation of concrete separators in potential "Quiet Zones" tha# may impact marine transportation routes. • Impact to boaters with frequent closing of the railroad bridge, which takes 17 minutes to open and close, and we understand that this process will occur twice an hour for the All Aboard Florida project alone. Further information on ho� much time it would take for tlle railraad bridge to close and open and impacts resulting from more frequent use are required. • Safety of baaters when traveling between the Old Raosevelt Brid�e and the railroad bridge — limited clearance has raisad safety concerns from our staff. • Leases: Martin County eurrently maintains multiple leases with the FEC, including leases impacting public parking and landscaping and our traditional downtown areas/Community Redevetopment Areas. Information on how those Ieases wauld be impacted is requested as well as the new aru�ual lease cast of the enhanced crossings. • Inspections: Staff research has indicated that it may be required for road crossings to be inspected every two weeks on high speed rail crossings. Will the cost of these inspections be billed to the County? • Railroad Bridge. In addition to the concerns noted above concerning navigatian and boater safety, we have the followin$ concerns and questions: • It is our understanding that the railroad bridge will not be double tracked like the rest of the corridor. If so, where will passing trains stop? • The Okeechobee Waterway is an emerging SIS (strategic internaodal sys�em) facility, but the railroad bridge opening is too narrow for standard barges. (Jur staff has recolnmended that the bridge be replaced to allow barges to cross the state. � Pedestrian crassings: Currently anly 10 of the 28 crossings in Martin County include pedestrian crossings across railroad lines. Given the high speed of the All Aboard Florida project, our staff is coneerned with pedestrian sa�ety. Will funding be provided to construct additronal pedestrian crossings or provide other safety measures? • Utility line relocation: It is understood that cc�nstruction on the corridor may require the relocation of utility lines at signifieant cost to the County, potentially leading to another unfunded mandate. Information on these patential irrzpacts is requested. • Broadband Infrastrueture: Martin County has some of the highest per capita fiber optic mileage in the state. Martin Caunty's fiber network is among the few (if not the only) in the state to serve all local governnnent agencies including law enforcement, emergency services, libraries, schools, several nonprofit organizations and the campuses of Martiia Memorial Health Systems. Martin County is currently working with the Florida Department of Transportation to utilize fiber optic netw�rks paid for by federal funds for uses other than for transportation, in accordance with U.S.C. Title 23, Section 1.23 (c) and the most recently policy guidelines released by the FHA, consistent with Executive Order 13616 of June I4, 2012, "Accelerating Broadband Infrastructure Deployment." The construction of All Aboard Florida in Martin County and elsewhere in the state, including along S.R. 528, provides a txemeildous opportuniry for access to telecoinmunication infrastructure for local governments and state/county partnerships. It is requested that FEC coznmit to instaliing fiber within its corridors to allow regional extension of broadband. • Noise - Quaet zones: Given the significant increase in the nuznber of trains per day traveling through Martin County as a result of this project, it is anticipated that noise adm2013L320_2.docx impacts will increase. What can be done to assist in mitigating these irnpacts? More information on establishing "Quiet Zones" is also requested and costs. • Benefits to Martin County: It is our understanding that the potential benefits to the project include improvements by FECI of the FEC corridor from Cocoa south to Miami for passenger rail, which will likely reduce the capital eosts for other passenger rail services Tike the FEClAmtrak project; the reduction of velvicle traffic on state and local roaciways; and access to broadband fiber infrastnzeture. As indicated previously, a stop in Martin County is not planned as a component of the All Aboar�d �Zarida project, yet our coxnmunity will receive impacts from the project. We urge the FEC to explore ways to support bringing the direct benefits of passenger rail to our comnnunity through this project or the FEC/Amtrak project; to expand broadband access to local governments along the corridor; ta provide funding for crossing enhanceinents and maintain existing lease cost levels and explore other partnerships so Martin County residents and visitors may directiy benefit. adm2Q13L320_2.docx