MOUNT DORA BUZZ
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Government & Education
    • Kindness Matters
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
    • Buzz Polls
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
    • Local Holiday Events Guide
    • Fall Festivals & Halloween Events
    • Best Local Pumpkin Patches
  • Best of Mount Dora
  • Dining
  • Things to Do
  • Live Music
  • Parking
  • Photos
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Gilbert Park
    • Holiday Lights
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe

Outdoor Life

MOUNT DORA-TO-TAVARES TRAIL:  10 THINGS TO KNOW IN 2021

4/1/2021

 
Picture
ABOVE: Mount Dora Buzz file photo
​​Residents’ enthusiasm for a potential bike and walking trail connecting downtown Mount Dora to neighboring downtown Tavares never seems to wane.  Last year, the project was studied for its feasibility and local governments collaborated to apply for a Federal grant to fund the project, dubbed the Tav-Dora Trail.  The regional paved trail was not awarded the grant this year, so Mount Dora Buzz once again sought the valuable insight of impassioned local trail expert, Tavares City Manager John Drury, for more details and the next steps in the ongoing process.    

MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  Did last year's feasibility study conclude if "Rails to Trails" (a trail that replaces train) or "Rails and Trails" (a trail built alongside train tracks) or some other alignment was preferable?
DRURY:  Rails to Trails.

MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  What factors made "Rails to Trails" more feasible?
DRURY:  The railroad (Regional Rail) would not accept a Rails and Trails program due to liability.
 
MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  What entity would own the Tav-Dora trail and who would maintain it?
DRURY:   This is a Lake County project and they are applying for the Federal grant to acquire the ROW (Right of Way), design it and construct it.  Tavares, Mount Dora and Lake County are in discussions about developing an interlocal government agreement to address maintenance. This is being worked on.
 
MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  How much grant money is being sought and how much would each entity (Lake County, Tavares & Mount Dora) have to put up in addition?
DRURY:  A $25 million Federal Grant is being applied for again. Lake County, Mount Dora and Tavares are identifying projects that are programmed for the corridor that will contribute to the overall success of the trail. These projects will be identified as Grant Matches to the project. Each entity will have at least one project to contribute toward this trail project.  Examples would be Broadband, a traffic circle at the Golden Triangle “intersection” that the County is looking at, underground utilities that may need to be co-located in the trail ROW.  These project totals would be in the millions and where no match is required would make the application more competitive.   

MOUNT DORA BUZZ:   When can you re-apply for the grant?  Does the grant have a specific name?
DRURY:  We expect to be applying for the grant in the next 60 days. We are awaiting the “Notice Of Funding Opportunity” (NOFO) to be issued in the next 60 days.

MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  How much work and money has been done on this trail project?
DRURY:  Lake County developed a trails master plan that has the project in it. (not sure how much was spent on the master plan).  The State of Florida did an alternative analysis (about $240,000 was spent on this study).   Lake County is currently doing a PD&E (Project Development and Environment) study ($500,000).
 
MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  Any other funding proposed?
DRURY:  State Senator Baxley is proposing a $2 million State appropriation to assist in the design in this upcoming legislative session
 
MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  What still has to be done on the project?
DRURY:  
  • Complete the PD&E (Project Development and Environment) study
  • Secure funding
  • Acquire the Right of Way
  • Design it
  • Construct it
  • Open it up

MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  What will a bike trail do economically for Tavares and Mount Dora?
DRURY:  (Answered in 2020) A 2011 Orange County study found that the West Orange Trail, connecting Apopka, downtown Winter Garden and Clermont, had 1.7 million annual trail visitors that spend an average of $20 per trail visit at local businesses.  Trail visitors’ total annual spending was $32.6 million. A Pinellas Trail study cited 1 million annual trail users. The numbers would be less for the Tav-Dora Trail due to the lower regional population, but it would still be significant.

MOUNT DORA BUZZ:  What is the earliest residents could expect to see the Tav-Dora Trail completed?  What is the more likely timeframe?
DRURY:  Fastest would be five years. Most likely would be 8 years.  (Originally answered in 2020 Buzz article)

Follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram.  ​For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here.  Discover the area's online event calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.  ​
Sign up for Mount Dora Buzz
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Comments are closed.

    outdoor life

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    January 2025
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    July 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    August 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Terms of Use
Copyright Mount Dora Buzz 2025
​All rights reserved.



  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Government & Education
    • Kindness Matters
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
    • Buzz Polls
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
    • Local Holiday Events Guide
    • Fall Festivals & Halloween Events
    • Best Local Pumpkin Patches
  • Best of Mount Dora
  • Dining
  • Things to Do
  • Live Music
  • Parking
  • Photos
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Gilbert Park
    • Holiday Lights
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe