Wekiva Trail rail corridor acquisition
Summary
The county is buying the 11-mile CSX rail corridor between Sorrento, Mount Dora, and Tavares for a paved trail — the missing link residents have pushed for over 20 years. It connects to the Coast to Coast Trail, and supporters cite big safety and economic benefits; opponents worry about cost, maintenance, and losing any chance of passenger rail.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 18
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Aug 11, 2026.
Impact analysis
$23.5 million of the $50 million voter-approved bond now, within a $27 million total purchase, with cities sharing due diligence costs.
Cyclists, walkers, families, and the tourism economies of Mount Dora, Tavares, and surrounding towns get a safe off-road corridor.
Residents hoping to preserve passenger rail options lose that corridor, and taxpayers bear debt service of roughly $3.8 million per year on the full bond.
Mentions & discussions (3)
Board of County Commissioners - Aug 11, 2026
The county is buying the 11-mile CSX rail corridor between Sorrento, Mount Dora, and Tavares for a paved trail — the missing link residents have pushed for over 20 years. It connects to the Coast to Coast Trail, and supporters cite big safety and economic benefits; opponents worry about cost, maintenance, and losing any chance of passenger rail.
Board of County Commissioners - Jul 30, 2026
The county has a two-year option to buy 11 miles of CSX rail corridor to complete the Wekiva Trail from Sorrento through Mount Dora to Tavares, connecting to a regional network reaching the coast. Supporters call it a landscape-changing economic driver; it would consume roughly half the voter-approved bond.
CRA - Jun 16, 2026
The next trail segment is stuck in right-of-way negotiations and federal grant paperwork; construction is now hoped for 2027. Segment 2B into Sorrento hinges on whether the acquired rail line can be used.
Related development
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Lake County
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.