March is Florida Bicycle Month! This month, the weather is perfect to go outside and ride your bike! There are so many great biking trails in Volusia and Flagler Counties, including:

St. Johns River-to-Sea (SJR2C) Loop:

This is a 260-mile paved, multi-use trail project underway in northeast Florida. It is one of two top-priority Florida SUN Trails (shared-use non-motorized paved trails). This trail runs through five Florida counties, including Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, and Putnam Counties, and is the longest loop trail underway through the American Southeast. A great guide on where to ride, as well as all things Loop-related, is available on the St. Johns River to Sea Loop Alliance website. The Alliance's mission is to advance, advocate, support, promote, and protect the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop (SJR2C) multiuse Florida SUN Trail and connected trails, and to increase equitable active transportation and recreation in our region by making the area safer and more attractive for cycling and walking and working for safe connections to trails and other major destinations. The Alliance encourages people of all ages and abilities to engage in active transportation for their own health and the health of their communities and the planet.

Coast-to-Coast Trail:

This trail is the result of an effort to create a continuous, paved, multi-use trail across the state of Florida from the Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean. Once complete, it will run about 250 miles across Florida, connecting the Gulf Coast at St. Petersburg on the west, through Central Florida, and to the Atlantic Coast on the east at Canaveral National Seashore. The section of the trail in Volusia County has been completed. It includes the Spring-to-Spring Trail and the East Central Regional Rail Trail and connects to the St. Johns River to Sea Loop and the Heart of Florida Trail.

Spruce Creek/Doris Leeper Preserve Mountain Biking Trails:

There are multiple trails in the Preserve. One trail is approximately seven miles and is a singletrack; there are some technical areas, but most of the trail is moderate. Even better, most of the ride is in the shade!

Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail:

The Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail is a 34-mile double loop of roadways covering some of the most beautiful natural scenery in coastal Central Florida. All along the Loop, there is access to the Atlantic Ocean, and North Peninsula, Bulow Creek, and Tomoka State Parks. The roadway view includes views of rivers, creeks, marshes, dunes, and beaches. For more information on the amazing attractions you will encounter, click here.

Regardless of where you choose to ride, always wear your bicycle helmet! If you don't have one, the Volusia-Flagler TPO can fit you for one free of charge; contact Pamela at PBlankenship@r2ctpo.org.

Pictured above: CFMPOA Vice Chair, Mimi Hanley (Space Coast TPO); CFMPOA Chair, Mayor Chris Cloudman (Volusia-Flagler TPO); CFMPOA Secretary, Brian Yates (Polk TPO)

Mayor Cloudman Elected as CFMPOA Chair

City of DeLand Mayor Chris Cloudman has been elected as Chairperson of the Central Florida MPO Alliance (CFMPOA). He will serve as Chair through February 2026. Mayor Cloudman has also served as the Volusia-Flagler TPO Board and Executive Committee Chairperson from January 2023 through June 2024. Congratulations to Mayor Cloudman on serving in this important position!

The CFMPOA is a coalition of transportation and government organizations that are committed to addressing transportation challenges in the larger Central Florida area. The CFMPOA has a policy-setting board of 18 members, three from each of its six member organizations: Lake-Sumter MPO, MetroPlan Orlando, Ocala/Marion TPO, Polk TPO, Space Coast TPO, and Volusia-Flagler TPO.

The CFMPOA was formed in January 1997 as the MetroPlan Orlando-Volusia MPO Alliance (now Volusia-Flagler TPO) and expanded to include the Brevard MPO (now Space Coast TPO) and Lake County (now Lake-Sumter MPO). The Alliance has since expanded to include the Polk County TPO and the Ocala/Marion TPO. Representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation also participate on the Alliance. The group maintains a regional Transportation Priority Project List and pursues opportunities to plan and fund projects that benefit the Central Florida region. They also provide a forum for information on projects of regional significance and encourage the sharing of transportation planning ideas and methods.

The Alliance meets quarterly at MetroPlan Orlando. Exact dates and times can be found by clicking here. For more information on the CFMPOA go to their website here.

The Florida Bicycle Association is now accepting applications for the School Grants for Safer Students program that offers schools up to $500 each to teach free, online, 30-minute safety lessons. The interactive lessons teach safe practices to young drivers and children who ride bicycles, aiming to reduce traffic-related injuries and create safer roads across Florida.

The program pays elementary schools and high schools up to $2 per student who completes a lesson, up to $500 per school. 

“Many people, including parents, don’t know what to teach kids when talking about bicycle safety. We’re bringing that knowledge,” said Ed Barsotti, a volunteer who donates his time to manage the initiative. “It’s very rewarding to look at the before-and-after results to see how much kids learn.”

High schools use modules designed for young drivers and adult bicyclists, while elementary schools use modules geared toward 3rd through 5th graders. Middle schools may be included in future cycles of the program. The lessons are brief, engaging, and easy to incorporate into classroom activities, providing critical education in a convenient format.

Last year, the inaugural program reached 3,866 students at 16 schools, awarding a combined $6,522 in funding to schools that implemented the lessons. This year, more than $9,000 is available. The Florida Bicycle Association is calling on parents, teachers, and community members to urge schools to apply for the funding.

“By reaching young drivers and children who bicycle, we’re taking real steps toward reducing crashes and injuries, and building a culture of safety and respect on Florida’s roads,” said Kelly Morphy, Executive Director of the Florida Bicycle Association. "There is no denying the positive impact of this program in Florida so far.”

Funded in part by a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation, the program is modeled after a similar initiative that Barsotti launched in Illinois that has reached more than 250,000 students.

Applications are simple and funds are awarded on a rolling basis until expended. For more information or to apply, visit FloridaBicycle.org/SaferStudents or email ed@floridabicycle.org.

March Calendar

*Meeting held in the Conference Room at the Volusia-Flagler TPO office (1 Deuce Court, Suite 100, Daytona Beach)

**Meeting held in the Airline Room at the Daytona Beach International Airport (700 Catalina Drive, Daytona Beach)

March TPO Board and

Advisory Committee Activities

During March, the TPO Board and advisory committees will take action on a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) amendment and the 2024 Annual FDOT/TPO Joint Certification Report. Each year, FDOT and the TPO must jointly certify the metropolitan transportation planning process. The FDOT/TPO Joint Certification process begins in January, and a joint certification package is created, which includes a summary of noteworthy achievements from the TPO and, if applicable, a list of recommendations and/or corrective actions from the District. The District also shares positive findings and best practices identified during the Certification Process. In addition to these action items, the TPO and advisory committees will receive a presentation on the Volusia-Flagler 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).



Information on TPO Board and advisory committee agendas is available at TPO Agendas, and information on the TPO's community outreach/activities can be viewed at Outreach & Activities.

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