Sidewalks and Trails
Investment

Sidewalks

The Polk TPO has set a performance target of achieving 100% sidewalk coverage within one mile of elementary, middle and high schools, ensuring sidewalks on at least one side of collector and arterial roads.

Evaluation Process:

The Polk TPO conducted a Geographic Information System based analysis to evaluate sidewalk coverage within one mile of public schools in Polk County. The analysis identified schools in the bottom third percentile for sidewalk coverage and carried out a more detailed study on the 10 lowest scoring schools to address gaps. The study also included an evaluation of lighting conditions to ensure safe pedestrian pathways.

Trails

Polk County has about 120 trails totaling nearly 400 miles, offering opportunities for walking, jogging, hiking, in-line skating, bicycling, horseback riding, canoeing and kayaking.

Master Planning

In 2015, Polk TPO prepared master plans for four trail corridors contributing to Polk County’s 2040 regional trail network initiative. The corridors studied include the Bartow to Fort Meade Trail, Lakeland Highlands Trail, North Ridge to Van Fleet Trail, and Poinciana Trail. These trails connect Central Florida residents to the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and the statewide trail network via connections to the Coast to Coast Trail and Florida National Scenic Trail.

Economic Benefits of Trails

Trails offer significant economic benefits to the communities they connect:

Trails are the top community amenity sought by prospective homeowners.
Homes adjacent to rail trails sell faster and closer to the list price than other homes.
Every $1 million spent on multi-use trail construction yields 9.6 jobs.
The repeated annual economic impact of cyclists is nine times the one-time cost to build bicycle facilities.
Nearly 75% of Florida visitors participate in nature-based activities during their visit.

Master Plan Components

Each master planned trail includes:

Potential and preferred trail alignments
Costs and typical cross sections
Implementation steps and phasing opportunities
Connectivity, environmental opportunities and constraints
Constructability, barriers, utility corridor sharing opportunities, trailhead opportunities and stakeholder coordination

Polk TPO’s Momentum 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan includes an additional 290 miles of multi-use trails to enhance connectivity between other trails, parks, cities and neighborhoods, integrating with regional networks like the Florida National Scenic Trail, Coast-to-Coast Trail and SUN Trail network.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the study document, please contact Polk TPO.