Latest News

During these unfamiliar times, the Center for Disease Control encourages everyone to remain physically active. The Office of Greenways and Trails encourages you get outdoors and use the trails to walk, run, bicycle, paddle or ride your horse to enjoy the fall weather and the many benefits of fresh air and exercise.

Florida’s award-winning system of state parks include 11 multiuse trails that are a part of a system of interconnected trails across the state. This system includes 7,500 miles of multi-use trails (paved and unpaved) for hiking, bicycling, equestrian and multi-use and 4,000 miles dedicated to paddling.

Greenways and trails provide open spaces where individuals or families can exercise and relieve stress while avoiding crowds and maintaining social distancing guidelines. You can push a stroller, bring the children along for a walk or strike out on your own for a run or bicycle ride. Many trails have an adjacent path for riding your horse, if that’s your preferred way to enjoy the outdoors. Florida also offers a huge variety of paddling trails, if you’d prefer to canoe or kayak.

Over-achievers can even participate in the Trailblazer Challenge. Challenge yourself to use Florida’s network of trails frequently throughout the month. Enter your activity information daily to earn digital prizes to share on social media. Use the hashtag #GreenwaysAndTrailsMonth to tag your photos.

Visit the Office of Greenways and Trails  website to learn more about the system of trails across Florida. The Florida Online Trail Guide gives a lot of information about the network of land and water trails.

September 29, 2020 – 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

The next Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (MCORES) Southwest to Central Florida Corridor Community Open House will take place at the Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven on Tuesday, September 29^th from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. All members of the public are invited to attend and leave comments/feedback.

---

Original Press Release:

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host a Community Open House to share information about the Florida Multi-Use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) Southwest-Central Florida Connector, which extends from Collier County to Polk County. The purpose of the Community Open House is to provide an opportunity for the public to view information presented at the Task Force meetings for the Southwest Central Connector.

There will be two different ways for the public to participate in this open house: in-person and online (virtual).

The in-person Community Open House will take place at the Nora Mayo Hall, 500 3rd Street NW, Winter Haven, FL 33881 on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Attendees will be able to view displays, speak to project staff, and submit handwritten comments.

Those wishing to view the same materials online (virtual) without visiting the Community Open House can visit www.FloridaMCORES.com anytime beginning Thursday, September 24, 2020. Comments can be submitted through the website, by email to FDOT.Listens@dot.state.fl.us, or by mail to 605 Suwannee St, MS 54, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450. All comments will be part of the public record.

Public engagement is a critical element of the M-CORES program. Both in-person and online (virtual) options are now offered for all M-CORES events and meetings. As safety remains FDOT’s top priority, enhanced safety and sanitation measures will continue to be taken at all in-person M-CORES events, including:
• Using CDC-recommended products to sanitize high-touch areas before, during and after the event
• Requiring all FDOT and consultant staff to wear masks
• Requesting that all attendees wear masks
• Providing hand sanitizer and masks for attendees
• Limiting the number of people in a room at one time to 50
• Utilizing signage and other tools to facilitate social distancing
• Implementing the use of single use sign-in materials and speaker cards

The Florida Department of Transportation may adopt the result of this planning effort into the environmental review process, pursuant to Title 23 U.S.C. § 168(4)(d) for the state project development process.

Notice: Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Marlon Bizerra at Marlon.Bizerra@dot.state.fl.us, or (863) 519-2250 at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800) 955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800) 955-8770 (Voice).

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Marlon Bizerra at Marlon.Bizerra@dot.state.fl.us, or (863) 519-2250.
For more information, please visit www.FloridaMCORES.com.

The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) is seeking comments from the public on an amendment to the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for Fiscal Years 2020/21 – 2021/22. The UPWP describes the transportation planning projects to be performed within the HRTPO area and includes the following components:

• Summary of planning tasks to be completed by the HRTPO
• Definition of work products and a timeline for major activities
• Budget proposal using federal and other funds for planning
• Estimate of cost for each task

The adopted UPWP forms the basis for federal and state transportation planning funds to be awarded through agreements or grants to the HRTPO.

The UPWP is a biennial document covering two budget years. The HRTPO coordinates with the FDOT District to determine the necessary revisions.

View the amended task here.

Changes to the budget include:

• Task 2: Transit Planning Adjust FY 2020/2021 FTA 5305 funding based on actual allocation
  • Financial Impact: Increase of $1,989

The amended funds are shown in red with the deletions struckthrough.

The comment period for the amendment to the UPWP begins on September 23, 2020, and comments will be accepted through September 30, 2020. After the comment period closes and all input has been considered, the amendment to the UPWP will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. The amendment was authorized by the HRTPO at their meeting on June 17, 2020 by Resolution 06-2020.

Printed copies are available upon request.  Anyone interested in submitting a comment may do so by using the form below or by contacting Transportation Director, Marybeth Soderstrom, by email at msoderstrom@cfrpc.org, mail to 555 East Church Street, Bartow, FL 33830, or call (863) 838-98762.

---

Submit Your Comment

The Heartland Regional Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) announces the start of a seven-day public comment and review period proposed amendment to the FY 2020/21 through FY 2024/25 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  The TIP is a list of funded transportation projects covering a period of five years. Adopted each year in June, the TIP is updated by amendment throughout the year to ensure authorization of federal funds.

The proposed amendment includes:

• Roll-Forward Report for the FY 2020/21 to 2024/25 TIP: Each year, there are projects scheduled to be authorized before June 30 (when the previous TIP is in effect), but for various reasons, they do not get authorized. These projects will automatically roll forward in FDOT’s Work Program but need to be accounted for in the TIP. This amendment is being done to account for the roll-forward projects within the TIP.

• FPN: 435066-1: SR 17 at CR 17A/Truck Route Environmental Phase Added in 2021, Highlands County

The comment period for the TIP proposed amendment begins on September 8, 2020, and comments will be accepted through September 15, 2020. The proposed TIP amendment will be presented for adoption to the HRTPO Board at their meeting on September 16, 2020. An opportunity for public comment will be available at the meeting before Board action is taken.

Printed copies are available upon request.  Anyone interested in submitting a comment may do so by contacting Transportation Manager, Marybeth Soderstrom, by email at msoderstrom@cfrpc.org, mail to 555 East Church Street, Bartow, FL 33830, or call (863) 534-7130 x 134.

August 25, 2020 – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

The M-CORES Southwest-Central Florida Corridor Task Force Meeting #7  is scheduled for August 25, 2020, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Public comments will be taken at approximately 5:00 p.m., following the Task Force meeting.

Public engagement is a critical element of the M-CORES program. Both in-person and online (virtual) options are now offered for all M-CORES events and meetings. The public may attend the virtual meeting online or, as an option, can attend in person at one of the public viewing sites. CDC Advisories and Recommendations, FL Department of Health Advisories and Recommendations, and Local Ordinances will be followed and encouraged.

Public Viewing Location #1
Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center
75 Taylor Street
Punta Gorda, FL 33950  

Public Viewing Location #2 Bert Harris Agricultural Center Auditorium 4509 George Boulevard Sebring, FL 33870

 

If you would like to attend the virtual version of the meeting, please visit floridamcores.com to register and receive the virtual meeting link.