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.

Plans for a toll road in eastern Polk County advanced last week with the release of four potential alignments a state agency is considering. Representatives from Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise ...