Florida voters have approved $35 million to buy and transform 5.8 miles of underused railroad...

Voters in the coastal Florida city of Bonita Springs have approved a $35 million general obligation bond Voters in the coastal Florida city of Bonita Springs have approved a $35 million general obligation bond, clearing the way for the local government to buy a key 5.8-mile stretch of unused railway. The ballot decision unlocks the missing central section of the wider 11.4-mile Bonita Estero Rail Trail (BERT). The project will also help close an important gap in the planned Florida Gulf Coast Trail, a 400-mile network that is intended to run across Southwest Florida. The referendum was held during the 18 August primary election. It allows the city council to issue up to $35 million in general obligation bonds with a 30-year repayment period. According to public election filings, $28.6 million will be used to buy the 5.8-mile inactive railway corridor from the Fay family, owners of the Seminole Gulf Railway. The rest will pay for engineering, design and the first stage of construction from downtown Bonita Springs.Completing the regional puzzleThe vote removes the final financial hurdle to buying the full 11.4-mile railway corridor, which covers about 180 acres across Southwest Flori...