Fort Walton Beach Council approves $300K grant from FDOT for Coral Creek Nature Trail
FORT WALTON BEACH - The city is getting $300,000 from the state to help with the design and construction of the Coral Creek Nature Trail.
The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted 5-0 to accept the grant from the Florida Department of Transportation.
The Council will talk about other funding options at a later date.
Here's what we know.
History of the project
Public Works Director Daniel Payne said the project has been in talks since 2006. The idea would be a concrete multi-use path that runs through city-owned land around St. Mary Catholic Church.
As shown in the trail renderings, the trail would have entrance points on Coral Drive Southwest and Robinwood Drive Southwest with a neighborhood access point on Cowrie Avenue Southwest.
How much will the project cost?
The project is expected to cost $600,000, including design, engineering and lighting. The agreement will allow the FDOT to give a maximum of $300,000 or 50% of the total project..
Councilman Nic Allegretto noted that using solar-powered lighting could reduce the project's cost as development moves forward.
If the project were to go over budget, the city would be responsible for covering any overages.
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What's next?
The project is still in the early stages of planning, as no contract has been written for a developer to construct the trail.
City Manager Jeff Peters said that the council will use the half-cent sales tax to fund the project in the future.
"It looks beautiful," Councilman Payne Walker said. "I'm sure the people in the neighborhood will love it."
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Nature Trail in Fort Walton Beach is one step closer to reality
