Rail-Trail Bond Vote Headed to Ballots Next Week
Bonita Springs, FL · August 13, 2026
Early morning clouds are hovering over the Imperial River today, giving residents a cool head start before brief afternoon showers set in.
The Lead
Voters across the city are preparing for next Tuesday’s primary election, where a high-profile referendum will determine the future of a major regional trail network. On the August 18 ballot, residents will decide on a $35 million bond proposal designed to acquire 5.8 miles of inactive Seminole Gulf Railway corridor within city limits. The acquisition forms the local backbone of the planned 11.4-mile Bonita Estero Rail Trail, a multi-use recreational path spanning from Collier County northward. Partnering with the Trust for Public Land, local leaders view the corridor as a dedicated thoroughfare to separate pedestrians and cyclists from heavy traffic, while critics question municipal bond debt over road expansion. The final decision rests entirely in voters' hands when local polling precincts open next Tuesday.
Local Pulse
Kent Road Resurfacing Contract Approved City Council awarded a $335,000 contract to Ajax Paving for asphalt overlays to repair worn neighborhood streets.
Realtor Association Rebrands After 60 Years The former Bonita Springs-Estero Realtors expanded its identity as the Coconut Coast Organization of Realtors to match regional growth.
Today's Outlook
- High 91°F · Low 78°F — Drizzle
- Keep an umbrella handy today as brief passing drizzle lightens the afternoon heat.
What's On Around Town
Downtown Bonita Walking History Tour Historic McSwain Home Museum (27451 Old 41 Rd), 2:00–3:00 PM Explore early local heritage and historic landmarks on foot with guides.
Acoustic Sunset Session: Ross Brown Rooftop at Riverside (27333 Old 41 Rd), 6:00–9:00 PM Enjoy live acoustic guitar and food truck bites on the patio.
Cape Coral: Karaoke Under the Stars German American Social Club, 9:30 PM Take a short drive north for late-night outdoor music and singing.
Spotlight & Story
- Fiddlerville
- Long before Bonita Beach earned its polished resort name, early 1920s settlers called the barrier island Fiddlerville. The nickname came from the millions of tiny fiddler crabs that carpeted the untouched sand dunes before paved roads arrived in 1928.
Bonita Springs Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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