Marco Island Loop Trail

The Marco Loop Trail, a multi-use trail (shared-use path) along SR 951 and CR 92, could become a reality within five years, according to Florida Department of Transportation’s Katherine Chinault, project manager for the Collier to Polk Regional Trail master plan. Chinault was in Naples on Thursday, June 6, at the University of Florida/IFIS extension on Immokalee Road to conduct the fifth of five workshops designed to gather public input.

“Conservatively speaking,” said Chinault, "if we did the PD&E study and we started on Marco Island and it was a shorter study with less alternatives and there weren't as many impacts to the environment, that could be wrapped up within probably 24 months. Then, two or three years of design and right-of-way procurement. So, construction could be five years out. That's not a guarantee. That's just thinking about it in our timelines, what we typically do.”

Project Development and Environment (PD&E) is a comprehensive study that evaluates social, economic and environmental effects associated with the proposed transportation improvements. The Marco Island Loop Trail has already had a feasibility study completed. The Marco trail is part of the Collier to Polk Regional Trail that encompasses six counties. The Marco Loop would connect state road 951 (6.6 miles) and county road 92 (6.1 miles) to US 41 and Marco Island’s existing network of shared-use paths and in-road bike lanes. Altogether, the Marco Loop encompasses 28.9 miles. Another segment of the trail network of local interest is the Everglades City trail that runs along SR29, connecting at the Immokalee community park. Everglades City, a designated Trail Town, will become a railhead when the restoration of the Bank of the Everglades restoration is completed. The railhead will be located at the restored bank building.

Patty Huff of Everglades City was on hand. Huff is leading the historic Bank of the Everglades renovation in addition to her leadership role in the bicycling community.

"I'm very excited about the possibility of having the Collier to Polk Regional Trail so that we can finally connect Everglades City up to Immokalee and beyond,” Huff said. “Having the FDOT behind it and the Florida Wildlife Corridor, it’s going to connect the trail towns. Everglades City is a trail town. And our next trail town up the road is Brooksville. So, we're looking to have some more trail towns along the way to try to connect the whole wildlife corridor to this area. It's very exciting."

With the feasibility studies complete, next up for Marco Island and Everglades City are the PD&E studies.

“The next phase would be to further define where that trail would be located,” Chinault said. “The feasibility just says, we can do it, it's something that we want. We absolutely do want it. That's why we're doing this master plan. And we also have funding for PD&E studies for each county, all six, in our next fiscal year of funding.”

The Collier open house marks the close of this round of open houses conducted by FDOT.

 “We've received numerous comments at our open houses and online at our virtual open house,” Chinault said, "which has all the same materials we have here. They have gone well."

Chinault said PD&E studies can be costly.

 "They can be expensive,” she said. "It depends on how many alternatives you're studying. So, for this area and Collier County, all of these lines are part of what we call our defined planning corridor. So, they have already been looked at. So, like State Road 29, you have the Panther preserve, you've got big Cypress. There's just not a lot of places to deviate off of the roadway area. So, when you have less alternatives then it goes a lot faster. And it costs less because you have to evaluate all the different things that might be impacted by your project as part of the PD&E study. Once it goes into the PD&E study, then there'll be a lot more details. We'll have better estimates. We'll know if we need to buy property, those kinds of things. We'll know what impacts are coming up next. The goal is to get all of these pieces off the ground and get them built.”

With FDOT’s backing, Marco Loop’s future looks bright. Chinault said Marco Islanders should just stay connected to the project.

"The FDOT’s kind of championing the effort,” Chinault said. "So, it's not something that needs a champion, so to speak. Just stay plugged in, ask questions, and visit the website (https://colliertopolktrail.com/collier-county/). I guess if you talk to your elected officials and say, ‘Hey, I want this, you know, how can we put money towards it to make it go faster?' We have some trail money for the PD&E studies, but it doesn't have to be constructed with Sun Trail money. If there are local agencies or local groups that have money available to move it faster, then we're not going to say no.”

Chinault said the only thing that can stop the project now would be money.

“Just a lack of funding,” she said. “Or maybe there’s something on the route where that’s just no way to go forward. For this to move forward I presented to the Collier MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) board and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. That then opened it up our Sun Trail funding program. They all passed resolutions in support of the trail. I know at this point they’re all adding them into their long range transportation plans. So, it’s got the support of local government and of the planning agencies as well."

Chinault said that these pieces usually mean the project will move forward to completion.

“Typically, yes,” she said, “as long as the funding keeps rolling in.”