Marion County is home to one of the most extensive continuous trails in Florida, the Cross Florida Greenway. Attracting over 3 million visitors per year, the Greenway provides users with improved access to recreational, transportation, health. Greenways and other paved trails have also been shown to create positive impacts on the local economy.
In order to capitalize on these benefits, the TPO developed the Regional Trails Facilities Plan. Completed in November 2019, the Plan includes safety and connectivity as the two most important elements to maintain a successful trail system in Marion County. Some of the major takeaways from this plan include, adding refuges such as shelters along the existing trails, providing better connectivity, and adding signage along the trails to indicate how far users are from towns, refuges, restrooms and parking.
