Coral Springs secures $800,000 for Everglades Memorial Loop trail

Coral Springs secured $800,000 in federal funding for the Everglades Memorial Loop, giving a long-planned trail system a clearer path toward design and permitting. The project is meant to give residents new places to walk, jog and bike along the edge of the Everglades, with access points tied to conservation land and outdoor recreation features.

City materials describe the loop as a 10.2-mile shared-use path, while a January 20, 2026 city story map updated the concept to 10.7 miles. The route would begin at the Florida Everglades Trailhead at W Atlantic Boulevard and run through Lakeview Drive, Sportsplex Drive, Sample Road and Wiles Road before crossing the Sawgrass Expressway and reaching the Everglades. Coral Springs says the plan is divided into nine segments, including 8.9 miles of existing sidewalks that would be widened to 8 to 10 feet.

The most visible pieces would come near the western end of the city. One planned segment would add a 10-foot floating dock over the Sunshine Water Control District canal, and another would build a 12-foot pedestrian-bicycle bridge over the Sawgrass Expressway at Wiles Road. The city also has sketched a scenic overlook on Sportsplex Drive with viewing platforms, an eatery and a supply shop for cyclists, plus restrooms, shade structures and bike stations as part of the long-term Everglades Enhancement Strategy.

The federal award follows years of stop-and-start financing. In June 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $1.3 million in state funding for two Coral Springs projects, including the Everglades Greenway Loop, after the legislature had approved $800,000 for the trail. Coral Springs officials then said they would look for other sources. City records have put the project’s estimated cost at about $20 million, and officials had previously said construction was expected to begin in 2025. More recent planning discussions have pointed to a possible 2032 completion target.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s appropriations disclosure listed a request for $1.6 million for “Everglades Trail Loop Segment 3,” citing local interest in spending time outdoors and experiencing Everglades wetland habitat. His office said he secured the $800,000 for Coral Springs to advance the Everglades Memorial Loop. City materials say the project has support from FDOT, the Broward MPO, Broward County, Coconut Creek and Tamarac, and that Coral Springs expects to work with the South Florida Water Management District, Sunshine Water Control District, North Springs Improvement District and Florida Fish and Wildlife. The city says the loop would open access to the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and expand environmental education along the route.