Update on the Wekiva Rail-to-Trail extension

In what has been a long and winding start to a much anticipated project, CSX Railroad is now willing to sell the railroad property for a trail extension. The previous time it committed to sell the property it reneged, so hopefully this time is different.

Lake County, the City of Mount Dora, and the City of Tavares have again agreed to partner and proceed with negotiations to acquire the land. The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a California-based nonprofit organization which has significant experience with similar endeavors, has committed its support for this rails-to-trails project.  If it comes to fruition, the trail would connect the two cities to each other, as well as other areas in Lake County.

The proposed Wekiva Rail-Trail Extension (Tav-Dora Trail) was planned to connect Mount Dora and Tavares along the railway corridor that currently connects the downtowns of the two cities.  If the project’s outcome was anything like the success of West Orange Trail’s effect on Winter Garden, residents could see improvement in both quality of life and property values, as well as a boon to the local economy.

In the spring of 2020, the two cities, Lake County, Florida Central Railroad Company and CSX Transportation (CSX) were all supportive of the trail concept.  Florida Central Railroad owned the actual railroad tracks and CSX owns the property the tracks are on.  In April 2020, both companies expressed their support of the project in letters to Lake County and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

CSX had not attempted to set forth all of the essential terms of a potential sale and purchase of the corridor, but the minimum price at that time would have been $15,000,000. The correspondence also stipulated that the letter of support wasn’t binding, but rather a basis for the parties to negotiate a definitive agreement in the future. 

With all stakeholders on the same page, Lake County, Mount Dora, and Tavares spent considerable time and money to advance the project and seek a Federal BUILD grant to help fund the acquisition of the property from CSX.  

Fast forward to November, 2022, and CSX abruptly announced it was no longer going to sell the rail corridor.  “CSX is committed to serving our customers and positioning the company for future growth.  As such, we are working to preserve our regulated corridors to support the company’s long-term business needs,” said the company’s spokesperson.  

Now that CSX is back on board, negotiations can begin again in earnest once TPL does the due diligence, including surveys, an appraisal and an assessment. 

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