USPS Publication Number 16300
THE
SUMMATIONWeeklyy
This Community Newspaper is a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
S E RV I N G T H E F I RS T J U D I C I A L C I RC U I T Vol. 25, No. 9
February 26, 2025
SummationWeekly.com
1 Section, 10 Pages
Section A, Page 1
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ANNOUNCES GRANT AWARDS FOR TWO PENSACOLA PROJECTS
By Morgan Cole
T
he U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently awarded grants for two Pensacola projects through its Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program. A total of 82 projects in cities across the U.S. were selected to receive federal funding through the grant program. One of two local projects selected to receive funding was the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park Underdeck and Community Connector Project. In late January, the City of Pensacola announced the $5 million grant award for the Hollice T. Williams Park project to complement and further fuel the construction of the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park to help reconnect Pensacola’s eastside neighborhood. The Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to help reconnect communities previously cut off from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure. The goal of the program is to advance community-centered transportation connection projects, with a priority for projects that benefit disadvantaged communities, that: • Improve access to daily necessities such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, nature and recreation • Foster equitable development and restoration The grant funds will be used to help fund the construction of the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park Underdeck and Community Connector Project. This project will remove the "under the highway" urban barrier beneath Interstate 110, thus uniting the Eastside neighborhood adjacent to the project area. The total cost to complete the project is estimated to cost $10 million. The project will focus on improving the 1.3 mile-park area and amenities, expanding and beau-
tifying the stormwater pond and connecting the park and pond to the surrounding neighborhoods. Largely hidden from public view, Long Hollow Stormwater Pond is located adjacent to Hollice T. Williams Park, and is one of a series of retention pond areas that overflowed during a 2014 rainstorm. This overflow contributed to massive flooding in downtown Pensacola and untreated water runoff into Pensacola Bay. The Hollice T. Williams Design and Expansion project aims to address these and other stormwater issues by expanding the Long Hollow Pond and improving flood control throughout the park area. "We have a vision of what the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park can become," Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said. "This is the first money we can use to make this more than a stormwater collection system. This enables us to connect the surrounding neighborhoods in a transformational way." The city also proposes introducing a 1.7-acre multi-modal pathway network, a 9-acre public open space, a multi-use trail and Class 1 bicycle path to create a new connection to North Palafox Street to the park, which will provide direct and safe access for people traveling to jobs, resources and local destinations. The project also includes proposed improvements to rail crossings, crosswalks, sidewalks, pedestrian-scale lighting and ADA upgrades. "A few generations ago, this area under the interstate was a vibrant neighborhood, which we now know as the 'Lost Neighborhood.' I'm hopeful that this project will culminate with a park design that is worthy of the people who lived— and live—there, and be an exciting, engaging community space for generations to come," Reeves said. Over the past 20 years, several efforts have been made to improve Hollice T. Williams Park and its surrounding areas, which was left
when hundreds of residents were displaced during the construction of the I-110 overpass in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The current park design effort, following the recent Equitable Development Framework Plan and the city’s new strategic plan, will work to involve residents in the planning process and integrate the history of the ‘Lost Neighborhood’ into the overall park design. For more information about the project and updates on future public engagement events, visit htwpensacola.com and follow @HTWPensacola on Facebook and Instagram. In addition to the $5 million capital construction grant awarded to the City of Pensacola for Hollice T. Williams, Bluffline Inc., a Pensacolabased nonprofit organization, was also the recipient of a $1.2 million grant to study waterfront access improvements along Escambia Bay. Bluffline Inc. was one of 66 community planning grants awarded through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot program. “This grant allows us to take meaningful steps toward fulfilling our mission of reuniting people with their environment and one another,” Director of Strategy for Bluffline Inc. T.S. Strickland said.
The Escambia Bay Waterfront Access Study will examine potential connections from the University of West Florida campus to Chimney Park and Corry Station, with plans to develop multi-use paths, pedestrian overpasses and water transportation networks. In addition to improving transportation access, Bluffline’s planning will align with ongoing Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) projects to enhance environmental sustainability. Bluffline Inc. has gained the support of local government officials, including City Councilman Casey Jones and Escambia County Commissioner Mike Kohler, who both drafted letters of support for the project. The $1.2 million grant is the first major win toward making the group’s vision a reality. One of the group’s main ideas was to create a rails-with-trails path alongside the railroad tracks along the Escambia Bay Bluff. A Florida Department of Transportation study has previously ruled out that idea, but Strickland said the funds could be used to further explore the concept along with other alternatives, such as pedestrian bridges over the railroad to allow safer access to the beach at places like Chimney Park.
The initiative complements Bluffline’s existing efforts, including a pending $20 million EPA Community Change Grant application that would create a 70-acre public park and greenway at Jackson Lakes. The organization plans to work closely with the local community to ensure the project addresses their needs and priorities. A total of $544.6 million in RCP grants were awarded to community projects across 31 states. The RCP Program is the first federal initiative specifically designed to address the impacts of historic highway construction that divided neighborhoods and limited access to essential resources. The program supports planning and capital construction projects aimed at restoring community connectivity and promoting equity in underserved areas. Both grants will be finalized by later this year, and the city reports that construction on Hollice T. Williams Park could begin as soon as next year. To learn more about the Bluffline project, visit bluffline.org. To learn more about the RCP Grant Program and view the complete list of RCP awarded projects, visit the webtransportation. gov/reconnecting. ■
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