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To celebrate, take a heart-healthy hike with your sweetheart to explore Florida’s hiking trails. Besides spending time with your sweetheart and making happy memories, you’ll enjoy the many benefits of outdoor recreation.

Trails provide safe, clean open spaces where families can exercise, relieve stress and get fresh air. You’ll find health benefits for outdoor recreation that include lower blood pressure, improved fitness, improved mood and more.

If you are looking for a destination hike, check out Florida’s Trail Towns. Each one provides a vibrant location for outdoor fun, including hiking, biking, horseback riding or canoeing and kayaking. To find a trail near you, use our statewide Online Trail Guide.

Dates to Remember

Feb. 7 – Wear Red for Women’s Heart Health Day

Feb. 14 – Valentine’s Day

For an extra special Valentine’s Day, take a hike with your sweetheart for both your hearts.

Hike for Your Health Challenge

Hikers are invited to complete a virtual 5K to celebrate Hiking Trails Month. Just walk a 5K or 3.1 miles on any given day in February. Register here to tell us when you completed the 5K and which trail you enjoyed. You will receive cool race gear for your photos on social media. You’ll be able to down a virtual race bib, photo frame and background for your virtual meetings. Use #HikeForYourHealth.

Getting started is easy:

1. Find a trail in the statewide network of trails using this Online Trail Guide.

2. Use your favorite fitness tracker to count your miles.

3. Get Outside and Hike or Walk (5K or 3.1 miles)

4. Register here to tell us you completed the Hike for Your Health Challenge.

5. Complete challenge and win digital prizes.

Share your experiences on social media using #HikeForYourHealth and encourage your family members and friends to participate too.

The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) is seeking comments from the public on the Draft 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) which identifies regional goals and transportation projects. Comments are accepted through February 25, 2021. After the comment period closes and all input has been considered, final documents will be presented for adoption to the HRTPO Board on March 10 with at least seven (7) days public notice.

Learn more or view the draft plan at www.hrtpo2045.org

The Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) provides a common vision for the community’s future transportation needs and guides the investment of public funds in transportation facilities, addressing a timeline of 25 years. It includes both short and long term transportation strategies using multiple modes of transportation for moving people and goods. As one of the major planning documents of the HRTPO, the long range plan was developed in conjunction with local governments and citizens of the Heartland.

Submit a comment:
Email: info@heartlandregionaltpo.org
Mail: Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization, 555 East Church Street, Bartow, FL 33830
Call: (863) 534-7130 x 134

FDOT, District One has made the FY22-FY26 Draft Tentative Work Program available, and the ePublic Hearing has been advertised to be held on January 11, 2021 – January 15, 2021 (Monday – Friday).  

The FY22-FY26 Draft Tentative Work Program by County is available here: http://swflroads.com/WorkProgram/2020/about-the-project.html

The face to face portion of the ePublic Hearing will be held on January 12, 2021 (Tuesday) from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the following locations:

Bartow HQ                                                                          SWIFT Center

801 N. Broadway                                                              10041 Daniels Parkway

Bartow, FL, 33830                                                             Fort Myers, FL, 33913

(800)292-3368                                                                    (239) 225-1900

During the ePublic Hearing timeframe, the Draft Tentative Work Program can be reviewed and comments can be left electronically through the website SWFLRoads.com or during the face to face meeting comments can be left in person.  Additionally, a GoToWebinar will be conducted during the ePublic Hearing on January 12th to allow participation virtually.  Please use the link below to register for the webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7056467027085747983

District One will present the Draft Tentative Work Program to the HRTPO Board at their meeting on January 20, 2021.

Legal Notice: RFP 10-20-1

View the questions received and responses for RFP 10-20-1.

View the minutes from the Pre-Proposal Conference For RFP NO. 10-20-1

The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) is accepting proposals from qualified agencies or firms for the award of a contract to coordinate transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged in DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee Counties, Florida. The selected contractor will be the designated Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) under Florida’s Transportation Disadvantaged Program, as authorized by Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, and more fully described in Chapter 41-2 of the Florida Administrative Code.

A Pre-Proposal Conference was held at the HRTPO Conference Room located at 555 E. Church Street, Bartow, FL 33880 on November 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. EST.

Submissions: Interested respondents should request a Proposal Package via email to Shannon McPherson at smcpherson@cfrpc.org. A complete package of items specified in the Proposal Package should be mailed or delivered to: Attention: Shannon McPherson; Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization, 555 East Church Street, Bartow, FL 33830-3931. All submissions must be received in the HRTPO’s offices by December 16, 2020, 4:00 p.m. EST.

No questions regarding this RFP may be directed to the HRTPO, nor any members of the DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee Counties Transportation Disadvantaged Multi-County Coordinating Board, nor any employees nor Board members of the HRTPO, nor any commissioners or staff to the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged are to be lobbied either individually or collectively concerning this project. Violation of this prohibition shall result in the disqualification of the consultant from further consideration.

The HRTPO reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject all submissions, reissue a subsequent RFP, terminate, restructure or amend this procurement process at any time.

The HRTPO reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses in the best interest of the State. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes.

Legal Notice: RFP 10-20-1

The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) is accepting proposals from qualified agencies or firms for the award of a contract to coordinate transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged in DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee Counties, Florida. The selected contractor will be the designated Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) under Florida’s Transportation Disadvantaged Program, as authorized by Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, and more fully described in Chapter 41-2 of the Florida Administrative Code.

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held at the HRTPO Conference Room located at 555 E. Church Street, Bartow, FL 33880 on November 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. EST.

Submissions: Interested respondents should request a Proposal Package via email to Shannon McPherson at smcpherson@cfrpc.org. A complete package of items specified in the Proposal Package should be mailed or delivered to: Attention: Shannon McPherson; Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization, 555 East Church Street, Bartow, FL 33830-3931. All submissions must be received in the HRTPO’s offices by December 16, 2020, 4:00 p.m. EST.

Questions: Questions should be addressed in writing via email to Shannon McPherson at smcpherson@cfrpc.org no later than 4:00 p.m. EST on November 17, 2020. Responses shall be in writing. Responses to questions shall be provided to all persons who have requested a copy of this RFP and will be posted on www.heartlandregionaltpo.org website. No questions regarding this RFP may be directed to the HRTPO, nor any members of the DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee Counties Transportation Disadvantaged Multi-County Coordinating Board, nor any employees nor Board members of the HRTPO, nor any commissioners or staff to the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged are to be lobbied either individually or collectively concerning this project. Violation of this prohibition shall result in the disqualification of the consultant from further consideration.

The HRTPO reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject all submissions, reissue a subsequent RFP, terminate, restructure or amend this procurement process at any time.

The HRTPO reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses in the best interest of the State. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes.