Regional Transit
Regional Support for Regional Transportation Issues
In 2004, FHREDI formed a Regional Road Committee to help the region prioritize road projects for SIS funding and FDOT funding. In November, 2004, the Committee unanimously approved the following list and submitted it to FDOT:
- Four-lane Hwy 70 west of Okeechobee to Hwy 27
- Four-lane segments of non-planned four-lane of 17 north of Arcadia (4 miles in DeSoto and approximately 10 miles in Hardee County)
- Four-lane Hwy 80 (23 miles) from LaBelle to US 27)
- Four-lane from Arcadia west on 70 West
- SR64 from 17 to Hwy 27
- SR78 from Okeechobee to Moore Haven
In 2005, the following county BOCC's signed a Resolution approving an Inter-local Agreement for creation of a Regional Transportation Plan:
- DeSoto
- Glades
- Hardee
- Hendry
- Highlands
- Okeechobee
In 2006, a Transit Development Planning Advisory Committee was first formed to assist in developing the Heartland Rural Mobility Plan (hyperlink to the actual Plan), which FHREDI undertook with FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) to improve the economic health of the Region through the development and implementation of an overall mobility improvement process.
In 2008, FDOT contacted FHREDI asking for their TRIP project priority list for Fiscal Year 2012-2013. The Regional Road Committee's consensus was to leave the priorities list in place.
In 2009, the Regional Road Committee chose to leave the priorities list is place, with the addendum: First Priority Intersection for the region is Hwy 80 and 27 in Hendry County. The Committee also selected the Glades County segment of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail and trailheads project for the number one priority in the regional trails division. Highlands and Okeechobee County projects tied for second.
