City plans 4 projects

City plans 4 projects



By KATI BEXLEY
kati.bexley@staugustine.com
Publication Date: 04/27/09

With plans under way for St. Augustine's 450th birthday celebration and a flattened economy, city staff traveled to Washington, D.C., in hopes of grasping several million dollars for four infrastructure projects.

John Regan, city chief operations officer, and City Commissioner Errol Jones met with United States senators, members of Congress and the Department of Transportation to get a piece of Florida's $13 billion in federal stimulus funds. Regan and Jones made the trip a few weeks ago, but they will give their official report to the City Commission today.

The four projects the two pitched were improving West Augustine's sewage system, redoing the St. Augustine Seawall, repaving Riberia Street and redesigning the bayfront from the Castillo de San Marcos to the Bridge of Lions.

St. Augustine will celebrate its 450th birthday celebration in 2015. The City Commission wants it to be similar to Virgina's Jamestown's 400th anniversary, which garnered national and international attention.

"With the economic times, we have to put in as much as we can to get things done for our community," Regan said Sunday. "Everything (all the projects) ultimately ties into the 450th."

Here are more details on the four projects the city is pursuing:

* Department of Transportation Grant: The city has a grant proposal for $250,000 and with the city giving $50,000 to redesign the St. Augustine bayfront between the Castillo de San Marcos and the Bridge of Lions.

* The major redesign would include dedicating a lane of traffic for horse and carriages and building an orientation center for the Castillo de San Marcos.

* The grant would also include money for three subsequent years to build the project. The total amount would be $9 million.

* It is an competitive grant and Regan and Jones met with U.S. senators Mel Martinez, Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep, John Mica to gain their support. They also met the Department of Transportation. Regan said they are waiting to hear if they won the grant.

* West Augustine sewage: The city made a federal appropriations request to improve sewage in West Augustine.

* The city is asking for $7 million for the project.

* City staff is meeting with St. Johns County staff to create a master plan for West Augustine's sewage system.

* Rebuild seawall: Regan said the St. Augustine seawall is a shovel-ready project that could be started tomorrow if the city had the money.

* The project would cost $6 million to $8 million.

* Regan said he is following up with FEMA -- Federal Emergency Management Agency -- to fund the project.

* Rebuild Riberia Street: Riberia Street would be repaved from King Street down to the Willie Galimore Center. The street's drainage system would also be improved.

* The project would cost roughly $6 million.

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