Bicyclists are celebrating today's official opening of a 10.6-mile rail-to-trail that links Sarasota and Venice.
The Legacy Trail takes the place of an abandoned CSX Transportation railway line that was purchased for $14.5 million in 2004. It's one of more than 1,460 rail-trails in the US that stretch across nearly 14,000 miles of landscape.
The paved path is 12 feet wide and is already popular with walkers and rollerbladers as well as cyclists. It has six trailheads.
History
The railway came to Venice in the early 1900s and served as a convenient method of getting freight and travelers to the area for many years. It was heavily used by the military during WWII and by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus which wintered in Venice from 1962 to 1992.
The historic Venice Train Depot was reconstructed as a transit facility earlier this decade and also serves as a trailhead for the Legacy Trail.
According to the Herald-Tribune, people have been using the trail for weeks before its official opening. At least one cycling club is expected 80 members to show up for a trail ride this weekend.
Rank
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy records show that Florida is ranked about 14th in the nation for rail-to-trail mileage with some 330 miles. Wisconsin leads all states with 1,552 miles.
The state of Florida's Department of Environmental Protection lists all the trails — including waterways — at its Florida state trail guide.
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