- February 6, 2025
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Port Orange residents could be biking, walking and running on a new trail in the future if a new segment of the ongoing St. Johns River to Sea Loop Trail project gets the green light to be built.
On Tuesday, March 20, City Council members were presented with the results of a Project Development and Environment Study, which began in June 2017.
Kick-off meetings on Jan. 10 and 11 were held to get public responses regarding the trail. A Public Alternatives Workshop will be held later this year to serve as a second opportunity to receive input on the refined alignment that will be presented.
Construction on the 260-miles loop is expected to be completed by 2025. Currently, no portions of the Loop reach into Port Orange.
"I'm hopeful that we can work something out," Councilman Bob Ford said. "We want a little spur to various locations down there."
According to John Scarlatos, Scalar Consulting Group consultant and project manager for the study, the trail design is funded for the year 2019, however, there is currently no funding for the construction.
Scarlatos added that once the project is completed, the plan is to have it operated and maintained by an entity, city or municipality, other than the Florida Department of Transportation. Because of this, he said the state would look into a Memorandum of Agreement with the cities or counties.
"It's always going to come down to funding," Councilman Drew Bastian said. "Great concept and everything, and I hope that it can happen, because that would provide a lot of good things in those areas."
The non-motorized trail could potentially tie into the Riverwalk District, a concept Vice Mayor Scott Stiltner is in favor of. Stiltner said bringing the trail closer to the river could also help resolve the problem of the area sometimes being used as a high-speed cut-through. According to Stiltner, it's an issue multiple residents have voiced frustration over.
One concern Stiltner had was how the trail would cross 421 near the bridge, which can see heavy traffic flow.
"It's not pedestrian friendly and could be dangerous," Stiltner said before asking, "how are we going to get people safely across back and forth?"
That concern is something FDOT Project Manager Heather Grubert said the city and FDOT will have to work through during upcoming meetings. Grubber added that when it comes to the design phase, cities will have opportunities to make comments with each stage.
"During the design phase it will be similar to what we're doing here where we're meeting with everybody and we're keeping everyone involved, including the public as well," Grubert said.
