For more than a decade, the state and county have coveted a high-speed alternative to U.S. 27. Two public meetings are scheduled to discuss a route.

The four possible paths cut through a swath of eastern Polk County, with various impacts on development and the environment.

Instead of honking horns in traffic jams, the public can sound off in person twice in November at the County Administration Building in Bartow by giving their feedback at hearings on the future of ...