Friday, April 29, 2016

Cape Police bike/ped safety focus shifts from education to enforcement

Kudos to CCPD for their continuing bike/ped safety efforts, supported by a 2nd FDOT grant, and thanks to News-Press for their ongoing coverage.

News-Press, April 29, 2016: Cape Coral PD says bike-ped scofflaws to get tickets not pamphlets

Main objective is to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists

The Cape Coral police will be targeting areas of the city where bicycle and pedestrian traffic is more active and will issue warnings and/or citations to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists who commit violations of Florida statutes.

The activity is part of a transition in the department's Bike-Ped Operations to a new phase.

Initially, the department Bike-Ped Operations focused on distributing informational materials to violators, educating them about applicable traffic laws, the importance of wearing a helmet, and other issues regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety.

The main objective of this effort is to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists through the use of selective traffic enforcement operations.

During May officers will be actively looking to enforce the rules of the road as they relate to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. They will be looking to enforce the bicycle helmet laws in order to keep those cycling in the city safe.

The funding for these operations is provided through a $20,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation for High Visibility Enforcement addressing pedestrian and bicycle safety. This is the second such grant awarded to the Cape Coral Police Department by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Cape Coral police reminders
  • Pedestrians should always walk on the sidewalk and if no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
  • Pedestrians and bicyclists should not wear headphones or talk on their cell phones.  
  • Pedestrians and bicyclists should cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections when possible and obey traffic signals such as WALK/DON'T WALK signs.
  • Bicyclists should have their bicycle equipped with a white light on the front visible from a distance of 500 feet and a red light visible from a distance of 600 feet, between sunset and sunrise during operation.
  • Bicyclists operating on the roadway are subject to obeying all traffic control devices to include stop signs and lighted traffic signals.
  • Bicyclists operating upon a sidewalk or crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian.
Unsafe driver behaviors
  • Speeding (5 MPH can make the difference between types of injuries)
  •  Failure to stop for red lights or stop signs
  •  Failure to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists
  • Distracted driving
  • Blocking crosswalks
  • Turning on permitted light (green signal) but not looking for pedestrian properly crossing in crosswalk- Right and Left turn crashes with pedestrians.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

BWL Column: Who to call if there's a problem with a roadway

Last week's BWL blog post "How to report a bike/ped facilities or operations problem and get results," was so popular we decided to write a column about the topic. The column also highlights the upcoming May 7th Bonita Springs Historical Bike Tour.

 UPDATE: Click here for one-pager with all who/what/when/how to report (keep this handy)

BikeWalkLee's Column in News-Press "Go Coastal" section: 4/28/16

News-Press photo
We spend a lot of time talking about bike and pedestrian safety in terms of what motorists do, what other cyclists or walkers do or what you should do when you’re biking or walking.

But what if the safety issue is not an individual but the infrastructure itself? What should you do?
Obviously and most immediately, avoid the obstacle and warn others nearby about it as well. If it’s something that can be moved out of the way for temporary fix, do so if you think it could improve safety.

But the next step is the most important – let someone know it needs to be fixed. Don’t assume someone else will do that so you don’t need to – and certainly don’t assume that the powers-that-be will notice the issue on their own (they have a lot of ground to cover and usually not enough people to cover it).

If it’s something bringing urgent danger, consider calling 911 – but only if it’s an immediate threat that warrants immediate action.

If it’s less pressing, you need to do two things:

1. Figure out what the problem is so you can explain it to someone succinctly. Clarity and brevity work wonders for getting things done… and, since a picture may still be worth a thousand words, take a photo (or even a video) of the problem to help illustrate the issue.

2. Figure out whose jurisdiction it is in. This is where the problem lies. Contacting the wrong entity just delays the time until the fix is in place – assuming you can discern who’s responsible for maintenance (sometimes a tricky issue).
Depending on where the problem lies, here are some options for contacting someone to fix it:
  • Cape Coral: You can request action online at egov.capecoral.net/CSC/ or call the Citizen Support Center at (239) 574-0425. You can also go to www.CapeCoral.net/Bicycling and click on the Maintenance Requests tab on the left side of the page which take you to the city page.
  • Sanibel: Either contact the Public Works Dept. at (239) 472-6397 or the police non-emergency line at (239) 472-3111.
  • Estero: The county handles road issues for the new and growing village.
  • State roads: You can try the local operations center at (239) 985-7800, but it may be faster to report problems to the county and letting them pass it along.
Figuring out who fixes what may be the toughest obstacle you face in some of the county’s municipalities, since the county maintains county roads in some cities (and all the roads in others). Unless you’re certain, the county maybe your best first stop for action.

There are independent websites and apps out there – SeeClickFix, PublicStuff, PotholeAlert311 and more – but with no guarantee that our local governments monitor them, you’re better to contact the correct entity directly.

-- Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, 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. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.

A slow roll through Bonita history

Want to combine history, cycling and fun? Then this is the ride for you.

The City of Bonita Springs’ Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee present the first historic bike tour on Saturday, May 7, beginning at 4 p.m. The ride starts and ends at the Liles Hotel, 27300 Old U.S. 41, and will cover about 3 miles at a leisurely pace, promising a little landmark lore along the way.

Helmets required, refreshments and a raffle will follow. Registration also required – email lindsay.rodriguez@waldropengineering.com to participate.

Ready to ride or run?
Run? Enjoy Olde Naples at the Tropicool 5Kbright and early on Sunday (gcrunner.org) or support Head and Neck Cancer Awareness with Saturday's 5K run/walk at CenturyLink Sports Complex at Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers (3dracing.com).
Ride? Three Critical Mass rides will be rolling soon: Cape Coral on Friday night, followed by the Slow Roll training ride Saturday in downtown Fort Myers, and the downtown night ride rolls in on Friday, May 6.
Both? On Sunday, you can tackle the Lake Avalon Reverse Triathlon & Duathlon (eliteevents.com), or you can finish your preparations for the Cape Coral Yacht Club Sprint May 14 (capeparks.com or active.com)… or you can register and get ready for one of the raft of races coming up (including the Galloway Captiva Tri, which opens registration Sunday).

#BeSeenLee
#BeSeenLee: To keep people safe at night while biking, we’re working to provide free bike lights to those unable to afford them (but who have to ride at night). BikeWalkLee partners (including Pawnbroker Marketing and Billy's Bikes) will be coordinating events during this campaign. Be sure to watch the BikeWalklee Facebook and Twitter pages for more #BeSeenLee event announcements and details.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:
Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

May 7th Bonita Springs Historical Bike Tour

Looking for something fun and different to do on Saturday afternoon (5/7)?  Join the Inaugural Bonita Springs Historical Bike Tour, sponsored by the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee.  It's an opportunity to "learn, ride, and eat".  Someone from the Bonita Historical Society will be on hand to talk about the historical downtown landmarks on your bike ride. It's also an opportunity to see the Bonita Downtown redevelopment project with a complete streets focus, taking shape in area. (where ride starts--at Liles Hotel).  

There will be lots of great raffle prize giveaways – all you have to do is register to be entered into the drawing! Sign up now..and invite your friends and neighbors to join in the fun.




Cape Coral Police Department's Bicycle Safety Videos

Kudos to the CCPD for their focus on bicycle safety and all their efforts to educate the public, including these excellent new bicycle safety videos.

At the April 26th Lee MPO Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinating Committee (BPCC) meeting, Sargent John Kulko with CCPD made an informative presentation about the bicycle and pedestrian education and enforcement efforts underway in the Cape, with the goal of enhancing the safety of the community. 

 Thanks to assistance from an FDOT grant they have conducted 216 hours of enforcement, using a balanced approach (drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians).  They have placed particular emphasis on educating children, including education and enforcement of the requirement for kids under 16 to wear helmets.  They have also conducted bike safety rodeos and a summer bike safety camp for Oasis Middle School students.  They also have a bike patrol unit, which in addition to its regular duties, has been providing route security, safety and awareness for the monthly Cape Coral SWFL Critical Mass rides.
CCPD's Bike Safety Summer Camp

Sgt. Kulko also showed three excellent  PSA videos produced by the CCPD to educate the public about bicycling safety.  There is one 4 minute video about sharing the road and the rules of the road for both cyclists and drivers; then from that video, two shorter clips have been made into 30 second PSAs.  It's great to see the introduction and closing in each video by  a CCPD Captain, including this closing message on the full length video:
"Be aware, be considerate,  be safe, show respect.  When you share the road everyone gets there safely."

Be sure to watch the videos and share with your organizations and networks.

Full (4 minute) Share the Road/Rules of the Road PSA


The Cape's plan is to put these PSA spots on "electronic message boards" in key public locations, businesses, restaurants, bike shops, Chambers of Commerce, etc., just as the Sanibel Bicycle Club has done with their safety video and their safety PSA slides on "message boards".  It's great to see a successful approach in one Lee County community being adapted and implemented in other communities.
So, be inspired and be the next community to take these ideas and examples and adapt them for use in your community.

Thanks to the Cape Coral team!

Report by Darla Letourneau

Monday, April 25, 2016

April 25th: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events



Upcoming events
Running/walking:

·       Friday, April 15: Beach Bums 5K, on the beach at 6:30 p.m. at Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
·       Saturday, April 23: Third annual Run4Kayla, held at Patriot Elementary, once again, with a 5k run/walk, a 1 mile fun run, and the main event, the Wheelchair Dash. (3dracinginc.com)
·       Saturday, April 30: 4th annual Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Run/Walk. 5K run, 2-mile walk. Century Link Sports Complex at Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers. (3dracinginc.com)
·       Sunday, May 1: Tropicool 5K, 7:30 a.m. in Olde Naples. (gcrunner.org)
·       Saturday, May 14: 11th annual Lover Key Turtle Trot 5K. 8 a.m., to support the Friend of Lovers Key. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
·       Saturday, May 21: Cape Cops 5K run/walk and fun run, starting at 7:30 a.m. to benefit the families of fallen or injured officers. Cape Coral Yacht Club. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
·       Monday, May 30: Memorial Day 5K. Celebrate Memorial Day with a fun 5k at North Collier Regional Park. Proceeds of the race benefit the Special Olympics. (gcrunner.org)
·       Saturday, June 18: Sugden Stride 5K, 7 a.m. at Sugden Regional Park in Naples. (eliteevents.org)

Cycling:

·       Friday, April 29: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather beginning at 7:30 p.m. for a 8 roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.
·       Saturday, April 30: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
·       Friday, May 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or Facebook)
·       Friday, May 13: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd.
·       Saturday, May 14: Sanibel Critical mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry's parking lot (corner Periwinkle and Casa Ybel) on Sanibel.
·       Wednesday, May 18: Ride of Silence, to honor those who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. The Fort Myers ride starts at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park; the Sanibel ride starts at 7 p.m. from Matzaluna, 1200 Periwinkle Way.  Start gathering at 6:30 p.m. for both events.

Triathlons:
·       Sunday, May 1: Lake Avalon Reverse Triathlon & Duathlon. Triathlon: 5K run, 10 mile bike, 1/4 mile swim. Duathlon: 5K run, 10 mile bike, 1 mile run. Sugden Regional Park, Naples. (eliteevents.org)
·       Sunday, May 1: Registration opens for the 2016 Galloway Captiva Tri, set for Sept. 10-11. (captivatri.org)
·       Saturday, May 14: Cape Coral Yacht Club Sprint. (capeparks.com or active.com)
·       Sunday, June 5: Naples Fitness Challenge Reverse Sprint. Naples Beach Club. (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com)
·       Plan ahead: Other upcoming area tris include the American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples July 20 (eliteevents.org), the Englewood Sprint tri July 16 (swflymca.org), the Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon June 25 or Aug. 6 (multirace.com), the Venice Sprint Sept. 3 (swflymca.org), the Siesta Kay Sprint Tri Sept. 24 (siestakeytriathlon.org) and the Marco Island Sprint Oct. 2 (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com). Willing to drive? Check trifind.com for other state tris.

Friday, April 22, 2016

Cape Coral residents share ideas for improving walking and biking

 Thanks to everyone who came to Wednesday's Community Workshop in Cape Coral to provide ideas for the city's Bike/Ped Master Plan. There was a good turnout and lots of great feedback. Thanks to the consultant and staff team. Below are two articles about the event. See BWL's April 4th blog for more background. (Photos by Darla Letourneau.)

Cape Coral Breeze, April 22, 2016, by Chuck Ballaro:
 Residents have say in bike/ped master plan

Lee Waller plans to move to Cape Coral in the next month, and he hopes to see some improvements made in bicycle accessibility for Hancock Bridge Parkway, as he commutes by bike to work.

John Karcher wants to see more connectivity between the dedicated bike routes already in the city, as well as fix the choke points.

City residents had their say on Wednesday as the city of Cape Coral hosted a community workshop on the city's Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan at the Cape Coral Public Works Building on Nicholas Parkway.

Residents had an opportunity to look at the current routes and make suggestions of what improvements need to go where, as well as ask them what they would like to see in a bike/ped master plan to make it safer and to enhance the experience for those enthusiasts or those who might want to get involved.

Persides Zambrano, Public Works planning manager, said the idea was to get the community to bike and walk more often and find out what their priorities are.

"Once we put the plan together, if they identify with the plan, they will protect it and make sure it gets implemented and make it like it's theirs," Zambrano said.

Also on hand were consultants from Alta, which focuses on making active communities where walking and biking are an integral part.

Brad Davis, said he saw a lot of excitement in regards to having more places to walk and bike.

"We are focusing on the goals that people want to see in Cape Coral, so we'll take everyone's input and put it all together so there's a cohesive vision," Davis said.

The city is working with the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation on developing the master plan, with the goal of creating a safe, healthy, and more-vibrant cycling and walking community.

City staff applied for a FDOT grant through the MPO to cover the $152,000 cost of the master plan process.

The first step of such a project is always to get input from the public, and they came out to do just that.

Among the questions asked were:
  • What does it mean to you walk and bike in Cape Coral, both currently and in the future?
  •  What are the priority walking and biking issues and needs in Cape Coral?
  •  What are the best place to walk and bike?

  •  Could you imagine walking or biking to work once per week?
Waller does it every day from his home in North Fort Myers, crossing the Edison Bridge into Fort Myers, putting in about 60 miles of biking per week.

He said he wants to see work done when he moves to Cape Coral, since where he will need to commute from isn't up to snuff.

"Right now, Hancock is not a very bike-friendly area. It's crowded and has a bumpy sidewalk. We need more protected bike lanes that get us away from traffic and make riding a bike an alternative to driving a car," Waller said.

Karcher said this is a great opportunity to bring the city closer together.

"We need to find the choke points. Veterans Parkway has a great bike path, but it's difficult to cross Pine Island Road. Instead of new paths, let's fix the choke points," Karcher said.

Residents said that among the program items they would like to see are car-free street events and bike/walk safety campaign. They also said people want to see protected and buffered bike lanes, bike friendly intersections and pedestrian crossing improvements.

Mike Swanson, of Cape Coral Bike/Ped, rides 60 to 75 miles per week. He said the city is doing a good job getting community input and looking at the options.

"The people who use the facilities are important to get their input and from those who would desire to walk or ride, but can't because there are no facilities," Swanson said. "We need more bike lanes and more sidewalks."

Cape Coral currently has nearly 90 miles of bike paths, some of them created by taking double lanes and making them single lanes.

Cape Coral earned bronze status from the League of American Bicyclists in 2015. Zambrano said the goal is to be raised to silver status, which very few cities have earned.

The city is still accepting input online.

Those interested can post comments of pedestrian, bicycle, transit or motorized nature. Participants also can propose a desired bike and/or walking route. Visit the online interactive map. 

The master plan should be completed sometime in the fall, which the city council will then have to accept or reject.

NBC-2 Report, 4/21/16: Paths, sidewalks become a Cape planning priority

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/n1vU5LRBOA4
The city of Cape Coral is in the middle of a master plan to add sidewalks and bike paths.

It's a huge and expensive undertaking, considering the size and the number of streets that need them, so planners are focusing first on neighborhoods around schools.

"If they are not safe, I am not happy," said Kevin Hendry, whose son will be a freshman at Mariner High School later this year. "I do not want my child to get run over."

The family lives two miles from the school, too close to be picked up by a school bus. But there are no sidewalks to help him get there safely.

"It is dark when the high schoolers go to school," Hendry said. "There is no light out. There are no street lights."

He's hoping, after posting his concerns on the city's interactive map, that something will get done. The city created the map to see where the needs for sidewalks and bike paths are the greatest.

It's part of a $150,000 grant toward the master plan.

The top priority now is Southwest 20th Avenue, near Trafalgar Elementary and Middle schools. Hendry is hoping the area around Mariner will make the list before his son begins classes.

"You built the school, you build the sidewalks," Hendry said.

Councilman Jim Burch addressed the challenges of the way Cape Coral was designed in the 50s and 60s. The city was built up without the infrastructure it would later need.

"The grant money we get to do these things have criteria attached to them that don't allow us to put them in other places," said Burch.

The great recession set back infrastructure projects 10 years, but Burch says the city is catching up and priorities are in place.

"The number one priorities are the schools," said Burch, referring to the need to for sidewalks within two miles of all city schools.

On Wednesday night, the city took more input at a workshop at the City Public Works Building. The meeting was filled with people voicing their concerns over biking safety around town.

"Increased bike paths, not lanes, bike paths," said Jo Zeller, who wants the city to step up.

She bikes five to six days each week with her husband Tom. She says she likes Veterans Parkway best.

"I've had many real close calls," said Zeller.

Cape Coral resident Gary Wilson lives near Old Burnt Store Road and wants the city to address continuity issues in bike lanes.

"It seems we have a mile of bike lane and then it just stops," said Wilson. "That doesn't work for anyone who is trying to get anywhere."

Whatever happens, Burch says, people will need to be patient.

"It's gonna take a lot of time to do it and a lot of money," said Burch.

The feedback from this process will be turned into a draft proposal this summer and in the fall. City Council will approve the master plan.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

April 20th: Dan Moser's Column: Earth Day

Dan Moser's article published in Florida Weekly Outdoors section this week reminds us all to be Earth friendly and promote respect to the environment. A common sign of disrespect to one's environment is litter. We all see it on the trails and in parks. This Earth day, take the initiative with us and remember to properly dispose of trash and recycling you may be bringing with you as you bike, walk, or run!

Florida Weekly "Outdoors" section: April 20th


Earth Day, April 22, reminds all of the inhabitants of our world to treat our home planet with respect and kindness. We’ve undoubtedly changed our ways at least to the degree that many of the dire predictions made as part of the first Earth Day in 1970 have so far been avoided. Organizers and speakers at that inaugural event spoke of near-future famine in much of the world, mass extinction of scores of animal species and widespread air and water pollution.

The most serious forecast has not come true, but a number of potential cataclysms never even considered can now be added to the original list of concerns — global climate change being the primary concern.

The 50th anniversary of the initial Earth Day reminds one that the carbon footprint created as we go about our daily business is reduced by those who use human power for recreation, exercise, and particularly in place of driving.


Litter like this strewn along the North Colonial Linear Trail is common. 
DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY 
Litter like this strewn along the North Colonial Linear Trail is common.
Understandably, most people relate Earth Day to purely environmental undertakings, but human-powered activities such as biking, walking and running are certainly part of the spirit of this symbolic day. Earth Day is a good time to turn it up a notch by spending less time behind the wheel and more on foot or on a bike.

Another element of our disrespect for our home that’s highlighted by Earth Day is our propensity to litter.

Just as bad as the act of trashing our environment is society’s seemingly tolerance and apparent acceptance of it.

Thankfully there are a number of ongoing efforts to clean up or messes, spearheaded by organizations and initiatives such as Keep Lee County Beautiful and Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A-Waterway. But the sheer amount of trash that’s out there overwhelms
these well-intended endeavors.

As well, almost all are working to clean up after the fact. Individual behavior is the primary cause of the problem, but our government’s reluctance to put in place laws and policies that would reduce the potential problem for fear of negatively impacting businesses (i.e., plastic bag bans, packaging guidelines, glass bottle deposits, and other similar measures) is also part of the cause.

We can’t expect one symbolic day to stop our downward spiral. To have an ongoing positive impact on our planet we each must strive to use human power for daily activities, reduce the use of energy that’s created by nonrenewable sources, be frugal when using water, and do whatever possible to fight our widespread litter problem. It’s the least we can do every day.

Streets Alive! reinvented

It’s been a while since a Streets Alive! event was held in Lee County. Due to its high cost and labor-intensive nature, the organization responsible for organizing Open Streets (i.e., Cyclovias) events locally, Streets Alive Lee, has stepped back from that focus in order to help grow SWF Critical Mass.

Anyone who’s participated in a Critical Mass ride can attest to the positive impact it’s having on our community. And these highly social outings are popular because it’s all about having fun; there’s no pressure to ride fast or put in more miles than is comfortable.

New Streets Alive Lee leadership has recently emerged with the intention of eventually hosting more Open Streets events, but in the near term the organization will be the concentrating on the established slow-roll Critical Mass rides, which are currently happening four times each month in three different Lee County locations — Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Sanibel. ¦

— Dan Moser is a long- time bicycle/ pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness.

What: Critical Mass Rides

>> Cape Coral Critical Mass
April 29, 7:30 p.m.
Farmer’s Market Parking Lot, 4706 SE 11th Place

>> Saturday Slow Roll
April 30, 9 a.m.
Next to Publix, 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers

>> First Fridays Ride
May 6, 8 p.m.
Next to Publix 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers

>> Second Saturdays on Sanibel
Meet-up at 7:15 p.m.; roll out 7:45 p.m.
Jerry’s Shopping Center, off Periwinkle Way at Casa Ybel Road

Monday, April 18, 2016

April 18th: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

It is going to be a beautiful week here in sunny SWFL, we have a few events this week, and plenty to put on your calendar for the month! Keep checking back as events for summer are added. Get out and walk or bike with some friends, or get ready for some triathlons coming up next month.

Upcoming Events:
Running/walking:

Saturday, April 23: Third annual Run4Kayla, held at Patriot Elementary, once again, with a 5k run/walk, a 1 mile fun run, and the main event, the Wheelchair Dash. (3dracinginc.com)
Saturday, April 30: 4th annual Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Run/Walk. 5K run, 2-mile walk. Century Link Sports Complex at Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers. (3dracinginc.com)
Sunday, May 1: Tropicool 5K, 7:30 a.m. in Olde Naples. (gcrunner.org)
Saturday, May 14: 11th annual Lover Key Turtle Trot 5K. 8 a.m., to support the Friend of Lovers Key. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
Saturday, May 21: Cape Cops 5K run/walk and fun run, starting at 7:30 a.m. to benefit the families of fallen or injured officers. Cape Coral Yacht Club. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
Monday, May 30: Memorial Day 5K. Celebrate Memorial Day with a fun 5k at North Collier Regional Park. Proceeds of the race benefit the Special Olympics. (gcrunner.org)
Saturday, June 18: Sugden Stride 5K, 7 a.m. at Sugden Regional Park in Naples. (eliteevents.org)

Cycling:
Friday, April 29: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather beginning at 7:15 p.m. for a 8:00 p.m. roll-out for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.
Saturday, April 30: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
Friday, May 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for a 8 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm)
Wednesday, May 18: Ride of Silence, to honor those who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. The Fort Myers ride starts at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park; the Sanibel ride starts at 7 p.m. from Matzaluna, 1200 Periwinkle Way.

Triathlons:
Sunday, May 1: Lake Avalon Reverse Triathlon & Duathlon. Triathlon: 5K run, 10 mile bike, 1/4 mile swim. Duathlon: 5K run, 10 mile bike, 1 mile run. Sugden Regional Park, Naples. (eliteevents.org)
Sunday, May 1: Registration opens for the 2016 Galloway Captiva Tri, set for Sept. 10-11. (captivatri.org)
Saturday, May 14: Cape Coral Yacht Club Sprint. (capeparks.com or active.com)
Sunday, June 5: Naples Fitness Challenge Reverse Sprint. Naples Beach Club. (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com)
Plan ahead: Other upcoming area tris include the American Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon in Naples July 20 (eliteevents.org), the Englewood Sprint tri July 16 (swflymca.org), the Siesta Key Olympic and Sprint Tris and Duathlon June 25 or Aug. 6 (multirace.com), the Venice Sprint Sept. 3 (swflymca.org), the Siesta Kay Sprint Tri Sept. 24 (siestakeytriathlon.org) and the Marco Island Sprint Oct. 2 (thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com). Willing to drive? Check trifind.com for other state tris.


Saturday, April 16, 2016

How to report a bike/ped facilities or operations problem and get results



Note: updated to add (at the bottom of blog) contacts for all the jurisdictions, not just LeeDOT. See BWL's Column, 4/28/16, "Who to call if there's a problem with a roadway".

 UPDATE: Click here for one-pager with all who/what/when/how to report (keep this handy)

How many times have you been out walking or biking and seen a safety hazard, a sidewalk that is in disrepair, debris in the bike lanes, a shared use path that needs repaved, a pedestrian signal that's not working, a bike lane turn "trigger" that's not working, etc.? I'm sure you've made a mental note and told yourself you were going to report it when you got back but never followed through.

Don't be lazy...take the time to take a few pictures of the problem, make notes on the approximate location (e.g., X feet east of Oakwilde Street), and then when you get back home, file a report through LeeDOT's RFA system. You can either fill out a form online, email or call (239-533-9400). Below is the key contact information that you should keep handy:
 Dirk Danley (DDanley@leegov.com) in LeeDOT Construction is the project manager for the road resurfacing program and also manages resurfacing for asphalt paths

Ehab Guirguis (EGuirguis@leegov.com) is the LeeDOT Operations manager. Operations manages sidewalk repair projects (concrete and asphalt).


RFA online form
The LeeDOT RFA team does a terrific job of responding to the reports in a timely manner, not only sending you an email response but actually going onsite to fix the problem and reporting back to you when it's done.  Below is just one testimonial of many we receive about the results from RFA reports:

Email to LeeDOT RFA team from Jim Stiger, March 3, 2016: 
Road repair complete!!! RFA 201600902

 We saw the road crew working on the repair in the bike lane on Coconut Rd. yesterday.  We will get our first opportunity to ride over it tomorrow morning.  Thanks for caring about our safety. 
 Jim Stiger

So next time you see a problem when you're out walking or biking, take the time to report it to the RFA team.  Not only is your walk or ride likely to be safer and more enjoyable next time, the fix will benefit everyone who uses these facilities in Lee County.  We, the thousands of users of the bike/ped facilities throughout the county, can be the eyes and ears for the staff on a daily basis. And when you get that email from RFA telling you that the problem is fixed, don't forget to send them a thank you email....and share it with us (info@BikeWalkLee.org) so we can share it with the BikeWalkLee network.

Thanks for being an engaged user...and a big thanks to the RFA team that quickly responds to the reports.
p.s.  put the RFA contact info in your I-Phone NOW so you have it when you need it. Thanks!

p.s.s. After I posted this blog, I received the "after" photo of the same intersection (New York Drive and Tice Street)....so, yes, reporting problems does get action. Thanks to David Wagley (LeeDOT) for sharing the "after" photo with us.
Report by Darla Letourneau
 Before and After photos


BikeWalkLee's photo.










Contact List for All Jurisdictions


·       Lee County: The Request For Action hotline is (239) 533-9400, or there is an online Request For Action form at the county Dept. of Transportation website, www.leegov.com/dot/requestforaction/online-submission-form.

·       Cape Coral: You can request action online at egov.capecoral.net/CSC/ or call the Citizen Support Center at (239) 574-0425. You can also go to www.CapeCoral.net/Bicycling and click on the Maintenance Requests tab on the left side of the page which take you to the city page.

·       Fort Myers: Contact Public Works at (239) 321-7445 or submit a request online at www.cityftmyers.com/761/Support-Center.

·       Sanibel: Either contact the Public Works Dept. at (239) 472-6397 or the police non-emergency line at (239) 472-3111, or email sanpw@mysanibel.com

·       Fort Myers Beach: Submit a request online at fl-fortmyersbeach.civicplus.com/ or contact Public Works at (239) 765-0202, ext. 1701.

·       Estero: The county handles road issues for the village.

·       Bonita Springs: You can contact the city’s Public Works Dept. at (239) 949-6246 or online at www.cityofbonitasprings.org/for-residents/report-a-problem/

·       State roads: Contact the local FDOT operations center at (239) 985-7800.