Plans for a 200-mile route from Collier County to Florida’s Heartland by FDOT

The Florida Department of Transportation is developing the Collier to Polk Regional path Master Plan, which aims to establish a multi-use path spanning about 200 miles through the counties of Collier, Hendry, Glades, Highlands, Hardee, and Polk.
The regional path will cross a variety of landscapes, connecting small towns, parks, preserves, heritage sites, and animal corridors. This vast project aims to boost economic and nature-based tourism throughout Florida’s Heartland, an area rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage.
The trail network will include key Collier County locations such as Big Cypress National Preserve and Collier-Seminole State Park, as well as local attractions like Baker Park and Gordon River Greenway Park, according to a recent article by Alexa Velez of NBC2.
The master planning phase, which began in late 2023, is projected to conclude by July. This phase will describe concepts and routing options while soliciting community feedback. Following that, Project Development and Environmental studies will determine the exact site and conceptual design of the route.
The FDOT is holding a series of public open houses to engage the community and solicit comments. The Collier open house is scheduled for Thursday, June 6, from 5-7 p.m. at the UF/IFAS Collier Extension Office in Golden Gate Estates. For more information and updates on the Collier to Polk Regional Trail Master Plan, please visit the project website here.
This article originally appeared on NBC2.