TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ ES-1 SECTION - 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 PROJECT CONCEPT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 PROJECT LOCATION AND LOGICAL TERMINI ............................................................................................ 1-2 SECTION - 2 PROJECT NEED ................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION ........................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................................................ 2-3 SECTION - 3 STUDY APPROACH AND SCHEDULE ............................................................................. 3-1 3.1 DESIGN CRITERIA ...................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 CONSTRAINTS ........................................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3 POTENTIAL ISSUES .................................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.4 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .............................................................................................................................. 3-8 3.4.1 Identification Potential Issues ....................................................................................................................... 3-8 3.4.2 Preparation of Initial Informational Document ........................................................................................ 3-8 3.4.3 Briefings to MDX Members ............................................................................................................................ 3-8 3.4.4 Briefings with Elected Officials at the Local, State and Federal Level ................................................. 3-9 3.4.5 Interagency Coordination ............................................................................................................................ 3-10 3.4.6 Initial Key Stakeholders Identification and Outreach ........................................................................... 3-10 3.5 NEEDED REPORTS.................................................................................................................................. 3-11 3.6 SCHEDULE .............................................................................................................................................. 3-11 SECTION - 4 EXISTING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 EXPRESSWAY SYSTEM ............................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 ROADWAY CHARACTERISTICS .................................................................................................................. 4-5 4.2.1 Typical Sections ................................................................................................................................................ 4-5 4.2.2 Right-of-Way ..................................................................................................................................................... 4-6 4.3 ROADWAY NETWORK .............................................................................................................................. 4-6 4.3.1 East-West Arterials ........................................................................................................................................... 4-6 4.3.2 North-South Arterials ...................................................................................................................................... 4-8 4.4 RAILROADS ............................................................................................................................................ 4-10 4.5 STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................................................ 4-13 4.6 DRAINAGE AND PERMITTING ................................................................................................................ 4-13 4.7 UTILITIES ................................................................................................................................................ 4-13 4.8 TRAFFIC DATA ....................................................................................................................................... 4-17 4.9 PLANNED / PROGRAMMED IMPROVEMENTS ......................................................................................... 4-19 4.10 LAND USE .............................................................................................................................................. 4-28 4.10.1 Existing Land Use ........................................................................................................................................... 4-29 4.10.2 Project Study Area Facilities and Institutions .......................................................................................... 4-30 4.11 AREA CHARACTERISTICS ........................................................................................................................ 4-30 SECTION - 5 FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND ........................................................................... 5-1 REVENUE ESTIMATES ................................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 TRAVEL TIME DIFFERENTIALS ................................................................................................................... 5-7 5.3 ANNUAL REVENUE ESTIMATES .............................................................................................................. 5-10 SECTION - 6 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS ....................................................................... 6-13 DRAFT - For Deliberative Purposes Only SR 836 Southwest Extension Project Concept Report i TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 6-13 6.2 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................ 6-13 6.2.1 Land Use ........................................................................................................................................................... 6-13 6.2.2 Community Cohesion .................................................................................................................................... 6-18 6.2.3 Social and Economic Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 6-18 6.2.4 Community Services ...................................................................................................................................... 6-22 6.2.5 Archaeological and Historical ..................................................................................................................... 6-24 6.2.6 Visual Characteristics and Aesthetics ........................................................................................................ 6-25 6.3 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT...................................................................................................................... 6-27 6.3.1 Wetlands .......................................................................................................................................................... 6-27 6.3.2 Water Quality.................................................................................................................................................. 6-28 6.3.3 Aquatic Preserves, Outstanding Florida Waters, Wild and Scenic Rivers ......................................... 6-28 6.3.4 Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) ........................................................................................................................ 6-28 6.3.5 Floodplains ...................................................................................................................................................... 6-28 6.3.6 Wildlife and Habitat ...................................................................................................................................... 6-30 6.3.7 Permit Conditions .......................................................................................................................................... 6-32 6.3.8 Farmlands .......................................................................................................................................................