HomeMy WebLinkAboutCross-Seminole Trail Alliance-1995 New alliance
seeks grants
for hiking trails
BY DARRELL JOHNSON wheelchairs. In areas where a trail
STAFF REPORTER or THE owcm vwcs goes through urban or residential ar-
With the proposed closing of the eas,it is not uncommon to find a large
CSX rail line through Tuskawilla and percentage of the work force walking
Oviedo just around the corner, the or biking to their jobs.
idea of a multi-purpose trail along the The Cross-Seminole Trails Alli-
route has resurfaced. ante needs to present the application
Eighteen representatives of by June 30, and the group has had
groups wanting to see the rail con- time for little else since the decision
vetted to a trail, and the Florida Na- was made to pursue the issue.
tional Scenic Trail extended, met At stake are three spans of soon-
Tuesday night to complete a presen- to-be-abandoned rail or ancient rail
tation for grant money from Preser- beds.
vation 2000,a fund designed to pur- The two new sections include a
chase land for recreational use. total of fifteen miles between Winter
Among organizations involved in Park and Winter Springs,with Oviedo
the plan are the Rails to Trails Con- in between,and has been proposed as
sortium and the Cross-Seminole a multi-use trail which could accom-
Trails Alliance,made up of residents modate hikers, bikers, and even
who want to see the railroad converted horses.
to something useful for recreational The other band spans Florida
activities. Avenue near Black Hammock,follows
Rails to Trails is an organization a long-unused rail bed through sensi-
that is dedicated to convening rail- live wildlife areas and connects with
road rights of any into asphalt trails the first section near Tuscawilla Road
throughout the state. Most paths are and SR 434.
about fifteen feet wide and can accom- John Percy of Glatting-Jackson,
modate hikers, bicyclists and even Continued on Page 3
9rs'o6 as
Cross-Seminole Trails Alliance seeks
to connect four major hiking routes
Continued from Page 1
Inc., a consulting and engineering When it reaches the GreeneWay,
firm specializing in land use,has vol- the path will split.The northern track
unteered his time to prepare the pro- will pass under the bridge along the
posal to P-2000. Jake Jesup shore,which is accessible
Working with him is Colleen only during times of low water.
Rotella,who deals with county plan- During the flooding season hik-
ning issues as a staff member. She is ers will turn south and pass under the
confident that the county will back the bridge at SR 434.
Alliance in their proposals, and that The Cross-Seminole Trail will
the necessary funds will be forthcom- then continue west until it meets the
ing,even if it is not all at once. Rail Trail. either near Tuscawilla
The trail'system is important, Road or near CR 419. That decision
says Sandy Bogan,a Black Hammock depends on whether the existing CSX
resident who has been involved in lo- rail bed is eaten up by the widening
cal conservation issues,because com- of SR 434Xfit is hot''Ido trails may
peting plans call for the Scenic Trail run parallel, one along the road and
extension to pass north of Lake Jesup. one along the lake.
In the end, CSTA[Cross-Semi- The area along the south bank of
nole Trails Alliance[ would have to Lake Jesup is the only viable connec-
change their name to GASTA," she lion between the St. Johns and
wrote recently in Black Hammock Wekiwa River systems,extending up
News. for the Go Around Seminole into the Ocala National Forest. It is
Trails Alliance." also the most threatened gap in the
Currently the local span of the Florida trail system.
Florida National Scenic Trail begins The Rail Trail corridor starts near
at Fort Christmas Road and contin- Aloma and Howell Branch Road in
ues through Chuluota and the Little- Winter Park. It follows the existing
Big Econ State Forest.It ends abruptly railroad past the proposed Market-
at Barr Street and SR 426 between place at Oviedo Crossing Mall to
Oviedo and Geneva. Oviedo. where it will either pass
The proposed Cross-Seminole through downtown and turn north-
Trail will pick up at Barr Street north west at the switch, or be redirected
of 426, continue to Florida Avenue along Lake Jesup Road.
and continue along that route until it If it goes all the way into the
ends at DeLeon Street,which extends Oviedo historic district,which would
north of SR 434 at the curve north of please merchants, the problem of
Oviedo, passing hikers and cyclists across
The trail will continue through three major highways-434,426 and
the wooded area west of DeLeon,fol- 1 419 — within 100 yards would be
lowing the abandoned Black Ham- difficult io solve.
mock Railroad, which is now barely From there the Rail Trail would 9`4 o 6 A a
visible as a rise in the ground. pass through northwest Oviedo,pass-
ing near Oviedo High School, and
continue into Tuscawilla.
According to the Cross-Seminole
Trails Alliance,many Tuscawilla resi-
dents are supportive of the trail pass-
ing through their neighborhoods.The
existing right of way is heavily buff-
ered by trees, and historically the
value of homes adjacent to recre-
ational trails has increased.
The city of Orlando has instituted at Tuscawilla Road or CR 419.
a project in which bicycle police of- The trail system as proposed
ficers patrol hiking trails, and the would stail at trend which could con-
Rolling Neighborhood Watch, con- nect Rollins College, the University
sisting of residents on wheels, has of Central Florida and Seminole Com-
been successful in keeping crime off munity College, as well as Winter
the paths. —. Park, Lake
M o s t "I like the trains. The right Howell,Colonial-
Tuscawilla resi- Oviedo and Win-
dents are not of way means a greenbelt. ter Springs High
afraid of serious They can convert the track Schools.
hikers. There is to a path, but I don't want The many
little chance that more houses there." sections of new
their yards will be paths would con-
-with dis- - John Schwab
nect with the ex-
carded wine isting Florida Na-
bottles and brie was tional Scenic Trail to the east_ the
"I like the trains," said John Cady Way Trail in Winter Park and
Schwab in an interview in January. Orlando, and westbound trails Icad-
Schwab's Tuscawilla home back up ing as far as the Wekiwa State Park.
against the track. "The right of way The Cady Wav Trail now ends at
means a greenbelt. They can convert SR 436 south of University Bouiecard
the track to a path, but I don't want and continues to Fashion Square
more houses there." Mall.
After passing through the Another meeting will be held
Tuscawilla area the trail hill continue early next week to finalize the pro-
across SR 434, behind City Hall and posal and discuss future strategies
Winter Springs High School, and before the paperwork is Federal Ex-
meet the Cross-Seminole Trail either pressed to Tallahassee on Thursday.
SCC 'II)p
w.cw
i.:M`. ,row t
5/
. s
. r, anit,
4 •I ilk Tay r ,, ---II
— rywasnxcunoti cmcuwrol
� �1
,
"�
•��n,. noW .T�nI /
.• .
• . ... �q
fORAOh N \l iai •
.. -1- 2,6)-pc)
UCF
SW 50 »ay-
Map courtesy Cross-Seminole Trails Alliance
This map shows the Florida National Scenic Trail to the east and its proposed extension, as well as the
fifteen miles of soon to be abandoned CSX track to the south and west.
4. t v„ u 9 2 L W i.C 9 c .0 C
E ° E c s U E W ° e m
. .E .. '$ 1s � v ° vuE 'c'2 oe - - ,. 2 4
{V
yu t a`° vv * 8Z ° 80
2 o
- •
N e $ A E ° F C
g = ' c ° =} m E ° m ' i Y
c+ ae ' G - ,' s .' E
- E R .4 7 h E 2� v E = l S m MIMS
1 ° o P' E _ „.4 cE C tot N 1g o
c R E s a as ' m . A 0 a 2 e
C v m a. F i C .. v u G . .;=,'.
V c c F c O L p "8 o f c. 8E = 2 -2 -002
m X62 0 � . so
8r.du A8' A t4
N X E L E:. V " 5 C b � 9 N D ti m=
O .'n 'E v c'o_o 2 - o o 9 W 5
♦ � a .c 0 8 8 0 us : F w E c rn v z W
- yr n � ; 2 . � = W ; c' ._ Bt v -o
■ N = °
° P .g C 0g e. n m L C V " " O C .8 C °
Q F' EE ° Fa08u " c/ 8W Om y e
NO S ti 'E H O ° 'C y c
.i .-cu Q 468 .88 = - g - 2 .
= E N W O C e 6 a
p 9 . C C• L O 5 ' E B O t RR Y 2 .8 L' o 2 . � C C
0 W
A+
O O 9 ,° g 5 0 W C(
.
▪ A, 12 e a a C - m E.r e. 0 a 2.0.
_
5y
- .s V f E M C C o W
e
• - _ za 0OO _ " " o
. t
E "
• t0 - 2 °
: Pcio y — e
3
CD 6 4 iX O C _ ° y E C
W) l U ° E e L J e G C u2C W Q O , Z B `� .
5. 58 o E - 824 U C
,^
e z = � e ,C C a
.
II _ � a a
C _ 1 Cp
m e
C N4 9 E 4
S 0710E0 ---N A) , g 2 E 1-- = .-
° ry o 2 •E y e L E 8 -%N N '2 y o 6 c A x t E N yy
'w 5 °' P $ n N F 0C ' ^O c' 0@ 0. c
� ` a Q ° oL L AF e. „ ' cFcr c .8 - g 0Z
6y R ° 8A-0-,m G' t9 2 Y 2e ° VYt
W 2