Central Florida Greenway

Central Florida Greenway
Name	Central Florida Greenway
Photo width	300
Location	Central Florida, United States
Use	Multi-use trail, bikeway, pedestrian path
Surface	Mixed

Central Florida Greenway is a proposed and partially constructed multi-use trail corridor across Orange County, Florida, Seminole County, Florida, and Polk County, Florida connecting urban centers, suburban communities, and conservation lands. The corridor concept links existing trails near Orlando, Florida, Winter Park, Florida, Kissimmee, Florida, Lake Nona, Florida and regional parks adjacent to Everglades National Park, Ocala National Forest, and Lake Apopka through a combination of new construction, easements, and adaptive reuse of rail corridors. Advocates include municipal agencies such as City of Orlando, regional planning bodies like the MetroPlan Orlando, non-profits such as the Trust for Public Land and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and transportation funders including the Florida Department of Transportation.

Overview

The corridor proposal aims to create a continuous active-transportation and green infrastructure link between points of interest such as Orlando International Airport, University of Central Florida, AdventHealth, Orange County Convention Center, and cultural sites including Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Amway Center, and Lake Eola Park. The Greenway intends to integrate with existing networks like the West Orange Trail, Cross Seminole Trail, St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, SunRail, and Florida's Coast-to-Coast Connector while intersecting conservation reserves such as Wekiwa Springs State Park, Moss Park, and Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail segments managed by agencies including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

History

Early planning drew on precedents including the conversion of rail corridors by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, regional trail expansions led by MetroPlan Orlando and county-level initiatives in Orange County, Florida and Seminole County, Florida. Pilot segments were proposed in municipal comprehensive plans influenced by funding mechanisms from the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, state programs administered by the Florida Department of Transportation, and grant awards from foundations similar to the Kresge Foundation and Surdna Foundation. Public engagement efforts involved partnerships with advocacy groups such as League of American Bicyclists, local chapters of Sierra Club, neighborhood associations around Baldwin Park, Florida, and stakeholder meetings with representatives from Amtrak, Lynx (Orlando), and community development districts like Lake Nona Community Development District.

Route and Design

The envisioned route emphasizes connectivity between transit nodes at Orlando International Airport, SunRail stations including Winter Park Station (SunRail), and multimodal hubs such as Orlando Health campuses and Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida. Design principles reference case studies from the High Line (New York City), the Atlanta BeltLine, and the Minneapolis Midtown Greenway, integrating features like permeable paving, bioswales informed by practices at Everglades Restoration Project sites, ADA-compliant boardwalks similar to those at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, and wildlife crossings inspired by the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Engineering coordination included utility owners such as Orlando Utilities Commission and rail operators like CSX Transportation for corridor sharing or acquisition.

Recreational and Transportation Use

Planners project mixed uses including commuter cycling connecting Lake Mary, Florida and Kissimmee, Florida, recreational running popular near Lake Eola Park and Baldwin Park, and ecotourism access to birding hotspots on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. Integration with transit providers like SunRail and bus systems operated by LYNX (bus) supports intermodal trips to employment centers including Lockheed Martin, AdventHealth Orlando, and University of Central Florida. Programming ideas mirror festivals and activation strategies used at Riverside Arts Market (Jacksonville) and St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park to host markets, cycling events, and educational programming partnering with institutions like Orlando Science Center and Rollins College.

Management and Funding

Management models consider public-private partnerships exemplified by Central Park Conservancy and municipal stewardship by agencies such as Orange County Board of County Commissioners and Seminole County Board of County Commissioners. Funding sources evaluated include federal grants from programs like the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), state allocations via the Florida Department of Transportation, philanthropic capital from organizations akin to the Rockefeller Foundation, and mitigation or impact fees negotiated with developers such as Darden Restaurants-area projects and Tavistock Group developments around Lake Nona. Long-term operations could involve nonprofit conservancies modeled on the Trust for Public Land and revenue streams from sponsorships, events, and concessions managed under agreements like those used by National Park Service concession contracts.

Environmental Impact and Conservation

Environmental assessments reference impacts and mitigation strategies applied in projects near Lake Apopka Restoration Area, Kissimmee River Restoration, and the Everglades Restoration Project. Considerations include stormwater management aligned with South Florida Water Management District standards, habitat connectivity supporting species protected under the Endangered Species Act such as regional wading birds and gopher tortoises, and minimization of light and noise near sensitive sites like Wekiwa Springs State Park and Black Bear Wilderness Area. Conservation partnerships have been proposed with land trusts including the Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy (U.S.) to secure easements and manage native-plant restoration efforts similar to projects at Lake Apopka North Shore.

Future Plans and Expansions

Future phases prioritize extension to regional assets including Kennedy Space Center, Tampa Bay, and connection to longer corridors like Florida National Scenic Trail and East Coast Greenway. Strategic priorities include enhanced multimodal integration with SunRail, transit-oriented development coordination with institutions such as University of Central Florida and AdventHealth, and resilience upgrades informed by studies at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and United States Geological Survey. Stakeholder roadmaps foresee phased implementation drawing on financing models used for Atlanta BeltLine and governance frameworks similar to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy partnerships.

Category:Trails in Florida