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Leon County
Board of County Commissioners Agenda Item#6 January 27, 2026 |
| To: | Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board |
| From: | Vincent S. Long, County Administrator |
| Title: | Authorization to Apply for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s BUILD Grant for the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge Replacement |
| Review and Approval: | Vincent S. Long, County Administrator |
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Department/Division Review and Approval: |
Ken Morris, Assistant County Administrator Nawfal Ezzagaghi, Assistant County Administrator Brent Pell, Director, Public Works Charles Wu, Director of Engineering Services |
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Lead Staff/ Project Team: |
Chris Muehlemann, Chief of Engineering Services Srinivas Tammisetti, Water Quality Engineer Timothy Barden, Administrative Services Manager |
Statement of Issue:
This item seeks Board authorization to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant program for the replacement of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge.
Fiscal Impact:
This item has a fiscal impact. If awarded, the anticipated grant amount is $2,816,829 with a 20% local match requirement of $563,366. The match funds are available in the Transportation Fund reserves.
Staff Recommendation:
Option #1: Authorize the submission of an application for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s BUILD Grant for the replacement of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge.
Option #2: Adopt a Resolution of Support for the Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Project (Attachment #1).
Report and Discussion
Background:
This item seeks Board authorization to submit an application for USDOT’s BUILD grant funds to support the replacement of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge.
The Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Project advances the following FY 2022 – FY 2026 Strategic Initiatives:
Continue to work with the Florida Department of Transportation for safety improvements on State and County roadways to include accessibility enhancements, street lighting installations, sidewalk additions, safety audits, and intersection improvements. (2022-26)
Continue to implement catalytic public infrastructure projects through Blueprint and the County’s five-year CIP that provide connectivity and leverage public and private investments. (2022-1)
These particular Strategic Initiatives align with the Board’s Quality of Life and Economy Strategic Priorities:
(Q5) Promote livability, health, and sense of community by supporting strong neighborhoods, enhancing mobility, encouraging human scale development, and creating public spaces for people of all ages.
(EC1) Do well-designed public infrastructure which supports business, attracts private investment, and has long term economic benefits.
Veterans Memorial Drive is a County maintained collector road connecting Mahan Drive to the Miccosukee Community and serving as a critical transportation link in eastern Leon County. The roadway includes an aging cross drain, originally constructed as a twin arched metal pipe, which has deteriorated over time and requires replacement. Because of its span, the structure is classified as a bridge and is currently in the design phase for full replacement. This project will consist of the removal of the existing bridge (twin corrugated steel arch) and construction of a two-lane bridge box culvert crossing with two 11-foot travel lanes, shoulders with guardrails and minor drainage improvements on Veterans Memorial Drive (CR 59) in Leon County, Florida. The total estimated cost of the project is $4.42 million with $1.6 million for design and $2.8 million for construction and Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services.
In 2023, the County secured a Congressional appropriation of $1.6 million for the design of the bridge replacement. In 2024, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) agreed to administer the design of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge Replacement project alongside the design of two other ongoing bridge replacement projects (Miccosukee Road and Springhill Road) in Leon County. In March 2024, following a competitive solicitation, the Board authorized staff to negotiate an agreement for CEI services for the three bridge replacement projects. With the project design approximately 90 percent complete, FDOT notified the County that the costs for construction and CEI services are approximately $2.8 million.
Staff has identified several grant opportunities to pursue in support of the project. On October 14, 2025, the Board authorized the submission of a Bridge Investment Program grant application through the Florida Division of Emergency Management but the County was not awarded funding. This item seeks Board authorization to submit a USDOT BUILD Grant application for approximately $2.8 million to support the construction and CEI services to complete the bridge replacement project.
Analysis:
In the County’s continuous efforts to leverage resources and pursue alternative funding sources for important capital projects, staff has identified a grant opportunity through the BUILD Grant Program. The BUILD program, formerly known as the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant programs, provides funding for surface transportation projects, including highways, bridges, public transit, rail, ports, intermodal facilities, and related improvements.
The bridge design is anticipated to be finalized in early 2026 and staff is pursuing grant opportunities to complete the replacement project. BUILD grants provide up to 80 percent of eligible project costs. The grant application seeks $2,816,829 and requires a 20% local match of $563,366. Matching funds for the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge Replacement Project are available in the Transportation Fund reserves.
The deadline for submitting the BUILD grant application is February 24, 2026. If the grant is awarded, an agenda item will be brought back to the Board for approval of a funding agreement and to realize the funds.
This item recommends the Board adopt a resolution in support of the project and authorize the County Administrator to submit an application to the USDOT’s BUILD Grant program for funding of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge Replacement Project.
Options:
Authorize the submission of an application for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s BUILD Grant for the replacement of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge.
Adopt a Resolution of Support for the Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Project (Attachment #1).
Do not authorize the submission of an application for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s BUILD Grant for replacement of the Veterans Memorial Drive Bridge.
Board direction.
Recommendation:
Options #1 and #2
Attachments: