BREAKING NEWS!!
Trust for Public Land and Friends of BERT Announce Landmark Agreement with Seminole Gulf Railway to Advance 11.4-Mile Bonita Springs – Estero Rail Corridor Acquisition
Friends of Bonita Estero Rail Trail ‘Pack the House’ at Estero Village BERT Workshop
Estero, Bonita Springs, and Collier County, Fla. — Trust for Public Land (TPL) and Friends of BERT (Bonita–Estero Rail Trail) today announced a major milestone in the effort to transform the first phase of the trail. Faced with raising the $70.4 million to purchase phase 1 by March 2026, TPL was able to reach a revised agreement with Seminole Gulf Railway for a lower purchase price of $60 million and an extended timeline to complete the purchase by October 2026. The corridor’s northern boundary begins at Estero Parkway within the Village of Estero and extends south to the Cemex cement plant at the eastern end of Wiggins Pass Road. Once acquired, the 11.4-miles of former rail corridor will be converted into a publicly accessible, hard-surface trail for pedestrians, cyclists, commuters, and other non-motorized users—creating a safe, dedicated transportation, and recreation route for the region.
“Thanks to the efforts of Councilmembers McLain (Estero) and Corrie (Bonita Springs), Commissioner Hall (Collier County), as well as Friends of BERT and Trust for Public Land, we have been able to put new life into the tangible opportunity for the rail corridor’s conversion into a public trail accessible to all,” said Doug Hattaway, Southeast Region Conservation Director for Trust for Public Land. “Attention now turns toward the local government boards to decide whether to move forward with the inspections and ensure adequate time to finalize purchase of the corridor in October.”
The acquisition is pivotal for several reasons. Trails are proven drivers of economic investment and job creation, while enhancing nearby property values – representing $52.3 billion in economic activity. They improve mental and physical health outcomes and save lives by offering a safe, separate route for students, workers, and shoppers—reducing reliance on cars and increasing opportunities for safe, active transportation. Florida, and specifically parts of Southwest Florida, ranks as one of the deadliest metropolitan areas for pedestrians within the United States, according to Dangerous By Design.The proposed greenway trail — estimated at approximately 180 acres—will provide meaningful access to outdoor spaces, waterways, and the region’s natural environment. It will also fill a critical gap in the regional Florida Gulf Coast Trail, which is ultimately intended to connect communities along an uninterrupted trail and greenway network exceeding 420 miles across Southwest Florida.
“With the new proposal between the joint task force and Seminole Gulf Railway we are now entering a new and exciting phase of this rail to trail project,” said Friends of BERT President Deb Orton. “This has been truly a collaborative effort between Bonita Springs, Estero, Collier County and Trust for Public Land in negotiating the new proposal. The completion of the BERT rail-to-trail will be transformational to the region. It will create an11.4-mile-long open space for the community to enjoy the outdoors and it will connect communities together. It will improve Bike/Ped safety and will provide significant positive economic impact to the region benefiting local businesses and improving property values. As a result of the task force’s hard work we are now closer than ever to BERT becoming a reality.”
The purchase price has been allocated proportionately among the participating jurisdictions based on their share of the appraised market value:
• Village of Estero: $19.8 million
• City of Bonita Springs: $28.6 million
• Collier County: $11.6 million
Securing the corridor will significantly strengthen applications for state and federal construction funding, positioning the project to compete successfully for additional investment needed to design and build the trail. Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the outdoors and protect land for people, will continue partnering with Friends of BERT and local governments to complete the acquisition process and advance the trail’s design and funding strategy.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,504 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, and raised $112billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
About Friends of Bonita Estero Rail Trail
Friends of Bonita Estero Rail Trail is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) citizen group dedicated to bringing the Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT) and Florida Gulf Coast Trail (FGCT) to Lee County and Collier County communities. Friends of BERT mission is to generate public support for BERT and all sections of the FGCT trail network. Our advocacy group started in late September of 2022 and currently we have over 4000 members. Visit our website at: https://bonitaesterorailtrail.com/ or contact us at FriendsofBERT@bonitaesterorailtrail.com.
