Florida voters approve $35m to turn 5.8 miles of railroad into trail
Bonita Springs voters have greenlit a $35 million bond aimed at improving the essential rail corridor. This significant investment secures the central portion of the Bonita Estero Rail Trail, effectively bridging a gap within the Florida Gulf Coast Trail. Importantly, this development will enhance connectivity between the Estero and Collier County sections of the trail, with construction…
Florida voters have approved a $35 million bond to convert 5.8 miles of unused railway in Bonita Springs into a trail. This completion of the 11.4-mile Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT) will also help close a gap in the planned 400-mile Florida Gulf Coast Trail. The referendum was held during the August 18 primary election, with $28.6 million earmarked for purchasing the 5.8-mile railway from the Fay family owners of the Seminole Gulf Railway, and the remaining $6.4 million for engineering, design, and construction.
The vote removes the final financial hurdle to buy the full 11.4-mile rail corridor, which multiple jurisdictions have already committed funds to. With this approval, the Bonita Springs City Council now has the mandate to purchase the rail corridor, and the project is expected to be finalized in October.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
