Table of Contents

Section Page

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 1-1 1.1 Study Process ...... 1-1 1.2 Data Collection ...... 1-2 1.3 Public Involvement ...... 1-2 1.4 Standards...... 1-4 1.5 Trail Prioritization/Ranking...... 1-4 1.6 Trail Implementation...... 1-9 1.7 Supporting Trails ...... 1-12 1.8 Summary of Recommendations ...... 1-12

2.0 INTRODUCTION...... 2-1 2.1 Relationship to Comprehensive Plan...... 2-1 2.2 Trails Master Plan Goals and Objectives...... 2-3

3.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT...... 3-1 3.1 Lake-Sumter MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee...... 3-1 3.2 Public Meetings ...... 3-1 3.2.1 Agency Kickoff Meeting ...... 3-1 3.2.2 Design ...... 3-2 3.2.3 Financial Plan Meeting...... 3-4 3.2.4 Public Workshops ...... 3-4

4.0 DESIGN STANDARDS...... 4-1 4.1 Shared-Use Trail Types...... 4-1 4.2 Trail Settings ...... 4-3 4.3 References ...... 4-5 4.4 Geometric Design Criteria ...... 4-5 4.5 Typical Sections ...... 4-7 4.6 Intersection Concepts and Signal Analysis...... 4-12 4.6.1 Case I – Mid-Block Crossing...... 4-12 4.6.2 Case II – Side-Street Crossing ...... 4-12 4.6.3 Case III – Driveway Crossing...... 4-12 4.6.4 Signal Analysis ...... 4-12 4.6.5 Pedestrian Refuges ...... 4-13 4.6.6 Assigning Right-of-Way ...... 4-13 4.7 Trail Signs ...... 4-13 4.7.1 Warning Signs ...... 4-13 4.7.2 Guide Signs and Wayfinding...... 4-14 4.8 Trail Overpasses/Underpasses ...... 4-14 4.8.1 Location ...... 4-14 4.8.2 Trail Overpass/Underpass Locations...... 4-15 4.8.3 Trail Overpass Superstructure Types ...... 4-17 4.8.4 Trail Underpass Types...... 4-17 4.9 Trailheads and Trailstops ...... 4-18

Table of Contents Section Page

4.9.1 Trailheads...... 4-18 4.9.2 Trailstops and Rest Areas...... 4-18 4.10 Aesthetic Design Standards ...... 4-24 4.10.1 Wayfinding...... 4-24 4.10.2 Railings, Fences, and Barriers...... 4-24 4.10.3 Plant Material...... 4-24 4.11 Equestrian Considerations ...... 4-27 4.12 Trail User Security and Safety Considerations ...... 4-29 4.12.1 9-1-1 Systems...... 4-29 4.12.2 Crime Prevention Through ...... 4-30 4.13 Other Issues ...... 4-31 4.13.1 Contamination...... 4-31 4.13.2 Permitting...... 4-31

5.0 TRAIL DEVELOPMENT ...... 5-1 5.1 Data Collection ...... 5-1 5.1.1 Existing Trails ...... 5-1 5.1.2 Destinations...... 5-1 5.2 Evaluate Existing Trails ...... 5-5 5.3 Determine Needs...... 5-5 5.3.1 Future Needs...... 5-5 5.4 Identifying Future Trails ...... 5-7 5.5 Trail Prioritization...... 5-7 5.6 Refining Trail Location and Design...... 5-13 5.6.1 Trail Types...... 5-13 5.6.2 Trail Status...... 5-13

6.0 TRAIL IMPLEMENTATION...... 6-1 6.1 Trail Manager ...... 6-2 6.2 Right-of-Way Acquisition ...... 6-2 6.2.1 Right-of-Way Acquisition Strategies ...... 6-5 6.3 Construction Implementation Strategies...... 6-5 6.4 Implementation Phases ...... 6-5 6.5 Funding ...... 6-7 6.5.1 Funding Sources...... 6-7 6.5.2 Funding Goals ...... 6-8 6.6 Trail Costs ...... 6-20 6.6.1 Study Costs ...... 6-20 6.6.2 Design Costs ...... 6-20 6.6.3 Construction Costs ...... 6-20 6.7 Action Items...... 6-21

7.0 TRAILS ...... 7-1 7.1 Regional Shared-Use Trails ...... 7-1 7.1.1 South Lake Trail...... 7-3

7.1.2 Gardenia Trail (Leesburg to Lady Lake) ...... 7-11 7.1.3 Tav-Lee Trail...... 7-16 7.1.4 Leesburg-Wildwood Trail...... 7-23 7.1.5 Lake Denham Trail (Leesburg to Renaissance Trails)...... 7-29 7.1.6 West Lake Trail (Renaissance Trails to South Lake Trail) ...... 7-32 7.1.7 Sugar Loaf Mountain Trail (South Lake Trail to Tav-Lee Trail) ...... 7-33 7.1.8 Lake-Wekiva Trail (Mount Dora to Seminole-Wekiva Trail) ....7-38 7.1.9 Tav-Dora Trail...... 7-44 7.1.10 South Lake to Citrus Ridge...... 7-48 7.1.11 North Lake Trail Phase I (Tavares to Eustis) ...... 7-51 7.2 Trail Planning Concepts ...... 7-55 7.2.1 North Lake Trail Phase II and III (Eustis to SR 40) ...... 7-55 7.2.2 Black Bear Scenic Trail (SR 40) ...... 7-57 7.2.3 General James A. Van Fleet State Trail (Van Fleet Trail)...... 7-58 7.3 Minor Shared-Use Trails...... 7-59 7.3.1 Lake Apopka Loop Trail...... 7-59 7.3.2 Green Swamp Connector Trail ...... 7-59 7.3.3 Lake-Yale Loop Trail...... 7-61 7.3.4 Lake-Volusia Trail ...... 7-61 7.3.5 Seminole State Forest Trail ...... 7-62 7.3.6 Green Mountain Scenic Byway Trail...... 7-63 7.3.7 Central Lakes Trail...... 7-65 7.4 Local Trails and Community Walkways ...... 7-65 7.5 Blueways ...... 7-67 7.6 Park and Nature Trails...... 7-67 7.7 Paved Shoulders ...... 7-67

8.0 MAINTENANCE...... 8-1 8.1 Management System...... 8-1 8.2 Maintenance Plan...... 8-1 8.2.1 Analysis ...... 8-2 8.2.2 Approach ...... 8-2 8.2.3 Implementation ...... 8-2 8.3 Trail Bridges and Underpass Structures...... 8-4 8.4 Maintenance Costs...... 8-5 8.4.1 Structures Maintenance Costs...... 8-5 8.4.2 Shared-Use Trail Maintenance Costs ...... 8-5

Appendix A – Urban Bicycle and Pedestrian Corridor Design References Appendix B – Engineering Typical Sections Appendix C – Trail Intersection Details Appendix D – Technical Memorandum - Lake County Existing Trail Evaluations Appendix E – Trail Prioritization Analysis Appendix F – Trail Concept Plans Appendix G – Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Publication – A Legacy for the Future Appendix H – Potential Funding Sources Appendix I – Detailed Cost Estimates Appendix J – Sample Maintenance Agreement

List of Charts

Figure No. Title Page

1-1 Number of Miles – ROW Acquisition Strategy ...... 1-9 1-2 Number of Miles – Construction Implementation Strategy...... 1-11 1-3 Funding Plan (Miles of Trails) ...... 1-12 5-1 Number of Miles – Trail Status...... 5-15 5-2 Number of Miles – Design Concept ...... 5-16 5-3 Percentage of Miles – Design Concept...... 5-16 6-1 Number of Miles – ROW Acquisition Strategy ...... 6-4 6-2 Percentage of Miles – ROW Acquisition Strategy...... 6-4 6-3 Number of Miles – Construction Implementation Strategy...... 6-8 6-4 Percentage of Miles – Construction Implementation Strategy 6-9 6-5 Funding Plan (Miles of Trails) ...... 6-10

List of Tables

Table No. Title Page

1-1 Trail Ranking Summary ...... 1-7 1-2 Potential Major Funding Sources...... 1-10 1-3 5-Year Funding Goal ...... 1-10 1-4 10-Year Funding Goal ...... 1-11 1-5 20-Year Funding Goal ...... 1-11 1-6 20-Year Unfunded Trails...... 1-11 4-1 Shared-Use Trail Geometric Design Criteria – Major and Minor Arterial Roadways...... 4-6 4-2 Potential Overpass/Underpass Locations...... 4-15 4-3 Trailhead Locations ...... 4-22 5-1 Trail Value and Implementation Score...... 5-10 5-2 Trail Ranking Summary ...... 5-11 6-1 Potential Major Funding Sources...... 6-7 6-2 5-Year Funding Goal ...... 6-9 6-3 10-Year Funding Goal ...... 6-10 6-4 20-Year Funding Goal ...... 6-10 6-5 20-Year Unfunded Trails...... 6-10 6-6 Trail Implementation and Funding Schedule...... 6-22 8-1 Recommended Structures Maintenance...... 8-5

List of Figures

Figure No. Title Page

1-1 Existing Trails ...... 1-3 1-2 Regional and Minor Shared-Use Trails...... 1-5 1-3 Status of Trails...... 1-6 1-4 Trail Ranking...... 1-8 3-1 Stake Holder – Highest Rank Trails...... 3-3 4-1 Rails-to-Trails...... 4-7 4-2 Rails-with-Trails (Urban – Low Speed) ...... 4-7 4-3 Rails-with-Trails (Rural – High Speed)...... 4-8 4-4 Trails through Natural Areas...... 4-8 4-5 Trails Adjacent to Rural Roadway...... 4-9 4-6 Trails Adjacent to Urban Roadway ...... 4-9 4-7 Trails Adjacent to Residential Street...... 4-10 4-8 Bicycle and Pedestrian Boulevards ...... 4-10 4-9 Trails within the Urban Core ...... 4-11 4-10 Potential Overpass/Underpass Locations...... 4-16 4-11 Prototypical Minor Trailhead 1 ...... 4-19 4-12 Prototypical Minor Trailhead 2 ...... 4-20 4-13 Prototypical Major Trailhead ...... 4-21 4-14 Trailhead Locations ...... 4-23 4-15a Trail Signing Pallette...... 4-25 4-15b Trail Signing Pallette Continued...... 4-26 4-16 Equestrian Trail Design Requirements ...... 4-28 5-1 Existing Trails ...... 5-2 5-2 Trail Destinations ...... 5-3 5-3 2050 Population Centers ...... 5-4 5-4 Equestrian Emphasis Areas...... 5-6 5-5 Future Trail Network ...... 5-9 5-6 Trail Priorities...... 5-12 5-7 Trail Implementation Process ...... 5-13 5-8 Status of Trails...... 5-14 5-9 Trails Design Concept ...... 5-17 6-1 Planning Process...... 6-1 6-2 Trail ROW Acquisition Strategy ...... 6-3 6-3 Construction Implementation ...... 6-6 6-4 5-Year Study Funding Goal ...... 6-11 6-5 5-Year Design Funding Goal ...... 6-12 6-6 5-Year Construction Funding Goal ...... 6-13 6-7 10-Year Study Funding Goal ...... 6-14 6-8 10-Year Design Funding Goal ...... 6-15 6-9 10-Year Construction Funding Goal ...... 6-16 6-10 20-Year Study Funding Goal ...... 6-17 6-11 20-Year Design Funding Goal ...... 6-18 6-12 20-Year Construction Funding Goal ...... 6-19 7-1 Future Trail Network ...... 7-2 7-2 South Lake Trail Status ...... 7-4

List of Figures

Figure No. Title Page

7-3 South Lake Trail Implementation ...... 7-5 7-4 Gardenia Trail Status...... 7-12 7-5 Gardenia Trail Implementation...... 7-13 7-6 Susan Street Trailhead ...... 7-14 7-7 Tav-Lee Trail Status ...... 7-17 7-8 Tav-Lee Trail Implementation ...... 7-18 7-9 Sabal Bluff Preserve Trailhead ...... 7-20 7-10 FDOT Property Trailhead...... 7-22 7-11 Leesburg-Wildwood Trail Status ...... 7-24 7-12 Leesburg-Wildwood Trail Implementation...... 7-25 7-13 County Line Trailhead...... 7-27 7-14 Train Depot Trailhead ...... 7-28 7-15 Lake Denham & West Lake Trail Status ...... 7-30 7-16 Lake Denham & West Lake Trail Implementation...... 7-31 7-17 Sugar Loaf Mountain Trail Status ...... 7-34 7-18 Sugar Loaf Mountain Trail Implementation ...... 7-35 7-19 Lake-Wekiva Trail Status...... 7-39 7-20 Lake-Wekiva Trail Implementation...... 7-40 7-21 Tremain Street Trailhead ...... 7-42 7-22 Tav-Dora Trail Status...... 7-45 7-23 Tav-Dora Trail Implementation ...... 7-46 7-24 Tremain Street Trail Design Concept...... 7-47 7-25 South Lake to Citrus Ridge Trail Status...... 7-49 7-26 South Lake to Citrus Ridge Trail Implementation...... 7-50 7-27 North Lake Trail Phase I Status...... 7-52 7-28 North Lake Trail Phase I Implementation...... 7-53 7-29 Lake Apopka Loop...... 7-60 7-30 Green Mountain Scenic Byway Recreation & Open Plan ...... 7-64 7-31 Existing Local Trails...... 7-66 7-32 Blueway Trails ...... 7-68 7-33 Paved Shoulders Connectivity Gaps ...... 7-69