Along the unused rail corridor from Wiggins Pass Road (Collier County) to Alico Road
The proposed Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT) will run from just south of the Lee-Collier County border to Alico Road along the 15-mile unused rail corridor through downtown Bonita Springs and Estero, ending just north of San Carlos Park at Alico Road. BERT will connect to the John Yarborough Trail to the north and the Paradise Coast Trail to the south. Once complete, BERT will become part of the planned 42-mile Florida Gulf Coast Trail network in Lee County and, ultimately, part of the 400+ mile Florida Gulf Coast Trail stretching from Collier County to Tampa.
After four years of negotiations, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) secured a purchase and sale agreement on the 14.9-mile segment of the Seminole Gulf Railway that stretches from Alico Road to Collier County for $60 million.
The Village of Estero has earmarked $19 million from the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the northern section of the rail corridor. On Aug. 18, 2026, Bonita Springs voters passed a crucial bond referendum to cover the city’s $35 million share of the cost. This milestone completes the municipal funding pool needed to acquire the 11.4-mile inactive Seminole Gulf Railway section in Bonita Springs.
The plan for the Estero trail is as follows:
- The trail will go north to the intersection with Estero Parkway.
- When a biker or walker gets to Estero Parkway, the plan is to go either left to US 41 or right to Ben Hill Griffin Parkway and then north in each case.
- Both routes will take bikers/walkers to Alico Road, where they can join the Yarbrough Trail to Sarasota and beyond.
The parties need to complete a due diligence process, including an environmental inspection of the site, before the expected sale closing in October. Plans to fund BERT design and construction are set to begin afterward.
The vote was the final measure needed to secure funding for the landmark $60 million sale agreement reached earlier this year between the three governments and the railway operator.
Schenkel Shultz, based in Estero and specializing in strategic planning, architecture and urban design, has begun examining the logistics and details needed to ensure the project's success. They are reviewing where to locate restrooms, parking, and bridges, as needed. Although it will still take time before work begins to convert the Seminole railway land into a bike and walking trail, the described outcome is very encouraging.
BERT has raised $140,000 and has pledges totaling $160,000, for a total of $300,000 to be used for trail development now that the land has been purchased.
Expected Timeline:
Corridor purchase: 2026
Final design and engineering: 2026-2027
Construction starts: 2027
Phased trail openings: 2028-2030
