The Archway Trail: A Grant Proposal Case Study

When I had the opportunity to write a grant for an imagined​ non-profit organization, I chose to create a cycling advocacy group which hoped to develop a new bike trail on what is left of the historic Old Dixie Highway. This grant proposal outlines the project's historical significance, benefits, objectives, site evaluation and budget.

Every year, dozens of bicyclists die on Florida roads. In fact, our state has the “highest number of bicyclist deaths in the country with a rate of 7.56 deaths per 1 million residents” (More bicyclists struck by vehicles in St. Johns County). The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) attributes 80% of these accidents to cyclist error — cyclists making “right-of-way” violations in intersections or veering into the roadway “to prepare for left turns, change lanes, or due to loss of control” (Bicycle and Pedestrian Reports).

One of the more dangerous roads in St. Johns County is U.S. 1. This four-lane highway does feature a bike lane — which stops dead at the southern end of Duval County. From there, cyclists must pick their way through traffic as they travel towards St. Augustine. Without infrastructure, they are forced onto the limited and rough shoulder, dangerously close to automobiles that whiz by at 65 miles per hour or more. The St. Johns County Road and Bridge Department reports “55 total bicycle traffic accidents and 56 pedestrian accidents in 2013, and a total of five deaths and 89 injuries between both kinds of accidents” (Reynolds, Tiffanie).

The Jagged Trail Society (JTS) is a volunteer group of cycling activists formed to support bicycling infrastructure in Northeast Florida and beyond. We believe that if there were more infrastructure for bicycles and pedestrians, what FDOT calls “cyclist errors” would not have been fatal, because the cyclists would not have been so near the cars. We have advocated for the addition of bicycle lanes and trails in Northeast Florida for 11 years, and now we hope to take on our most ambitious project yet: The Archway Trail. This five-mile paved trail, when complete, will protect Northeast Florida cyclists, pedestrians, students and outdoorspeople; connect two quickly-growing residential areas; breathe new life into a historic roadway which is in danger of being lost to time; and cut down on pollution by allowing more people to freely travel without a car in St. Johns County. By reimagining what is now known as the Old Dixie Highway for the public to enjoy, our project helps to realize the estimable mission of the Recreational Trails Program.

Download the full grant proposal below.

The Archway Trail case study - by Jocelyn Tolbert.pdf

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