Bonita Springs honored as 2014 ‘Complete Streets Champion of the Year’

Kudos to the Bonita Springs City Council and Staff on being the 2014 Complete Streets Champion of the Year!
12/14/14 update:  News-Press reported on the award in its Government Notes article on 12/14.

BikeWalkLee presents 2014 Complete Streets Champion Award to Bonita Springs City Council and Staff

BikeWalkLee Press Release 

Issued Dec. 3, 2014

BikeWalkLee, a local community coalition advocating for complete streets in Lee County, has selected the Bonita Springs City Council and staff as the 2014 Complete Streets Champion of the Year for “its embrace of a comprehensive complete streets approach, culminating in its recent adoption of a complete streets policy." BikeWalkLee representatives will present the award at the Dec. 3 city council meeting. 

BWL's Darla Letourneau presents trophy to Bonita Springs

“Today we are here to honor the Bonita Springs City Council and staff for its various actions in 2014 in support of complete streets and livable communities,” said BikeWalkLee’s Darla Letourneau. "We also want to recognize the role of the many citizens of Bonita Springs who have contributed to the council and staff efforts in support of complete streets." It's clear that the city council, staff, consultants, and citizens of Bonita Springs understand the value of complete streets and are committed to integrating those concepts in various city policies and projects in visionary ways.

BikeWalkLee cited the following accomplishments in making the award:

• The adoption of a complete streets policy by the city council on Oct. 15 and its direction to staff to begin implementation of the policy by incorporating it in the city's comprehensive plan, ordinances, local development codes, and other policies and procedures.

• The integration of complete streets concepts in the downtown redevelopment project recently awarded to a consultant team for design and construction. The design for this project holistically incorporates complete streets and livable community concepts in a visionary way ― from safe walking and biking facilities, to roundabouts, on-street parking, attractive streetscape designs, innovative storm water treatment, to creating attractive public spaces that will draw people and investment to a vibrant downtown.

• The city's plan to conduct a visioning study of Bonita Beach Road, inclusive of all users of the roadway ― bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and automobile ― with opportunities for community participation in creating this vision.

• The council's action to delete funds in its current transportation budget for widening Bonita Beach Road to six-lanes from Old 41 to Vanderbilt Drive is an indicator of the importance placed on creating a community vision for this road.

• The city's planned review of all of the projects in its current transportation plan (CIP) for consistency with its new vision, along with exploration of a potential mobility plan/fee system, are all indicators of the comprehensive and realistic approach being taken by Bonita Springs to create a permanent paradigm shift in city development.
  

Lots of exciting developments are happening in South Lee County, the Bonita Springs and Estero areas, aimed at attracting younger residents by creating mixed-use developments where people can live, work and play in the area, and a complete streets approach is an integral part of these efforts.

"BikeWalkLee looks forward to working with the city council and staff on all of these complete streets- related initiatives," said Letourneau.

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BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County—streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Other information, statistics and background is available online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. Also see our blog at http://bikewalklee.blogspot.com, and look for us on Facebook & Twitter.