BikeWalkLee 2009 Accomplishments

BikeWalkLee was formed in 2009 and hit the ground running, with many successful efforts in its first year. The following are highlights from 2009:

Coalition building and consensus seeking
• Partnered with 30 stakeholder organizations in the community that want to improve the quality of life and mobility in Lee County—including the university, health care organizations, safety prevention groups, AARP of Florida, citizen and community groups, environmental organizations, planners and smart growth groups, and bike clubs and shops.
o Collaborated on transit-oriented development and the TIGER commuter rail proposal with Reconnecting Lee.
o Collaborated with Lee County Health and other health partners to develop a federal grant proposal for Fit Friendly Lee project.
o Collaborated with safety prevention groups such as the Stay Alive, Just Drive campaign, to prevent and reduce pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities, and with Lee EMS on bike/ped/motorist education efforts.
• Conducted two petition drives in support of a bike/ped-friendly Lee County and a user survey on biking and walking in Lee County. These efforts demonstrated community support to elected officials.
• Enlisted local media in the long-term campaign for a more bike/ped-friendly community, resulting in News-Press editorial support for complete streets policies and publication of BikeWalkLee commentaries, and extensive media coverage by both News-Press and Florida Weekly on BikeWalkLee’s pedestrian safety report, and dangers for pedestrians and cyclists on Lee County streets.
Government policies and funding
o Advocated for Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) policy statement (Resolution 09-05) that all road projects countywide should include accommodations for bike/ped/transit when they are designed. This policy resolution was adopted unanimously by the MPO on August 21, 2009.
o Monitored road projects under development to ensure accommodations are being built in at the front-end of the process and raising issues to the MPO. BikeWalkLee continues to monitor projects as they are developed.
• Collaborated with Lee County’s Smart Growth Committee on the development of a Complete Streets policy, launched a successful community campaign that led to adoption of a BoCC Complete Streets Resolution. The BoCC unanimously adopted the resolution on November 10, 2009. Evidence of successful engagement included:
o Broad community support for complete streets resolution demonstrated at the BoCC meeting. 16 citizens from many different perspectives and organizations spoke in support.
o County gained recognition in media (both local and national) for its adoption of complete streets resolution, and received credit for taking positive action in response to the Dangerous by Design report, which identified Lee County as a dangerous area for pedestrians.
o Assisted other communities in Florida interested in using the Lee County experience as a model for developing similar complete streets campaign in their areas.
o Working with the County Manager and complete streets team on implementation plans.

• Initiated the proposal for an MPO countywide bike/pedestrian master plan to effectively connect and integrate bicycle and pedestrian travel on the county’s transportation system. The MPO approved the proposal and work is scheduled to begin in January 2010.
• Advocated for increased investments in bike/ped facilities:
o Proposed and won MPO approval to direct at least 5% of transportation stimulus funds to stand-alone bike/ped projects. To date, more than 10% of all highway ARRA (stimulus) funds have been dedicated to bike/ped facilities (including those that are part of roadway projects).
o Projects include biking shoulders on Buckingham Rd., the Sanibel toll booth and access bike improvements, three sidewalk projects in Cape Coral, as well as a shared use path and bike lanes on the Metro extension roadway project. Construction will occur in 2010.
o Continue to advocate for raising the ranking of 33 remaining bike/ped projects ($36 million) on the MPO priority list, to be used for additional funds that may become available in 2010.
o Successfully advocated for bike/ped facilities (Homestead Rd. bike path) in Lee County’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), awarded in December.
o Successfully advocated for increased Florida DOT investment in bike/ped facilities, as reflected in FDOT District 1’s December 2009 draft work plan for 2010-2015.

Analysis and Action
• Brought focus and media attention to safety of pedestrians and cyclists in Lee County and statewide, with analysis of data in national Dangerous by Design November report, and release of BWL report, “How safe are Lee County streets for pedestrians?” Working with local media and local law enforcement on safety campaign.
• Initiated statewide outreach efforts, writing letter in December requesting Governor Crist to end Florida’s #1 ranking as most dangerous state for both pedestrians and cyclists.
• Developed specific set of actions that can be taken by State Legislature, and presented recommendations to Lee Legislative Delegation in December. Collaborated with other Florida T4-America partners to get support from delegations throughout the state for BWL’s action plan.

BikeWalkLee: 1/27/2010

Updates from the Government Beat

Status on bike/ped projects and accommodating bike/ped/transit in planning road projects:
By Darla Letourneau & Steve Rodgers

• Sanibel toll booth and access bike improvements: Over the holidays, the roadway from McGregor Blvd up to about 1 mile before the Sanibel tollbooth was repaved and the shoulders were repaved and improved, including new keyhole bike lanes. It looks good! Now, we are waiting for the tollbooth construction project to begin so the remainder of the shoulder is completed and the tollbooth fixes are done. This construction project should begin soon.
• Buckingham shoulders: Construction on this project should begin soon, if it hasn’t already started this week.
• Metro Parkway extension: The MPO’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinating Committee (BPCC) has been working with the project manager on bike/ped facilities. In addition to the bike/ped path that will go the length of the project, they are going to provide bike lanes throughout the project, including solutions through the overpass and off-ramp at the south end. This project won’t be completed until 2012. Thanks to Bert Hamilton for his efforts, working with the project manager, MPO, LeeDOT, and FDOT staff, to improve the designs.
• Summerlin Road improvements: The County’s Bike/Ped Advisory Committee (BPAC) worked successfully with LeeDOT to get them to widen the planned bike lane (undesignated) from 14 ft. to 3 ft.
• Interchanges: SR 78 and I-75 interchange; and Colonial and I-75 interchange. Dan Moser raised these issues at the BPCC meeting as well as at the MPO meeting (see this week’s Florida Weekly Dan Moser column). These interchange improvement projects do not include on-road bike amenities, and the off-road accommodations are narrow concrete sidewalks. At Friday’s MPO meeting, Chairman Ray Judah asked FDOT to work to resolve these issues so that there is a connected system for cyclists and walkers. MPO staff agreed that they will be this issue back to the Board to review what accommodations can be made.

Other Government updates:

• Meeting with Rep. Gary Aubuchon. On January 26th, BikeWalkLee representatives met with Rep. Aubuchon, who is the leader of the Lee Legislative Delegation. The meeting was a follow-up to our December presentation to the delegation, requesting action at the state level to respond to the Dangerous-by-Design report. We talked about the need for state leadership to make our roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and discussed various ways that could be done, focusing primarily on promoting a complete streets approach throughout the state, and obtaining a "fair share" of federal highway safety funds for bike/ped safety improvements. Rep. Aubuchon, who chairs the Roads and Bridges Committee and is a member of the Transportation Appropriations Commitee, told us that he agrees that more needs to be done by the state to make our roadways safer for pedestrians and cyclists and supports budget-neutral approaches to accomplish that goal. As a state leader on rail issues, he understands the need to build an intermodal system that will link to future rail and transit facilities. We look forward to working with him during the upcoming legislative session.
  

• Jobs bill (stimulus) production-ready priority project list: BikeWalkLee asked the MPO Board on 1/22 to move 4 major road projects down on the priority list so that 13 additional bike/ped projects would have a chance to be funded. As a result, the Board sent the list back to the committees with instructions to divide the list into 2—one for state project priorities and one for local priorities.

• Committee leadership: Steve Jansen, with the LeeDOTTraffic Section, is now the Chair of the MPO’s BPCC committee and Dan Moser is the vice-chair. Bert Hamilton was elected as the chair of the county’s BPAC committee. Margaret Banyan is now the co-chair of the Smart Growth Committee. Congratulations to the new leadership teams.

• Smart Growth Committee’s complete street prototype study: At the committee’s Jan. 20th meeting, Joe Beck presented a complete streets prototype study of a neighborhood in North Fort Myers. This small-scale visual presentation was effective in identifying the gaps in the system for walkers and cyclists and demonstrating how mixed-use development and complete streets could be part of the community planning process. Kudos to Joe. A huge thanks to Wayne Daltry, the Smart Growth Director, for his leadership on complete streets and its place in smart growth. He retires on Feb. 4th and will be greatly missed by BikeWalkLee.

Thanks to BikeWalkLee steering group members who are serving on these various committees and to the other members who are attending and participating: Dan Moser, Bert Hamilton, Margaret Banyan, Steve Rodgers, and Joe Beck.

Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Development Underway

The MPO’s master plan development is finally ready to get underway, with the Board’s January 22, 2009 approval of the contract with RWA, who partnered with Hangen Bustlin, Inc. The scope of work is now posted on the MPO website.

The goal of the Plan is to provide a safe accessible and connected bicycle/pedestrian system, and the plan will provide a blueprint for improvements. The final master plan will be due to the MPO by December 31, 2010. The development of this plan, and the involvement of the bike/ped community in the process, will be one of BikeWalkLee’s priorities over the next year. Watch this blog for opportunities to participate in the development of this plan and for updates on its progress.

We still can't always get there from here--Dan Moser

Florida Weekly 1/27/2010
We still can’t always get there from here (at least not safely)
Dan Moser moserdeleon@juno.com
The people who work for the various transportation and community development departments who have to deal with me must really tire of my constant badgering of them. They don’t deserve it since most are merely the messengers relating decisions from their department’s leaders, news that makes it clear that we still have a long way to go before we in Lee County ever see a transportation network that works for everyone. And although we are undoubtedly making progress, significant problems continue to be ignored or sometimes even created.

Case in point: A recent transportation planning meeting included a discussion of how the surface roads at some of our I-75 interchanges that are currently being “improved” will handle cyclists and pedestrians. Anyone who’s had to traverse the segment of road under the interstate knows it’s no picnic, whether on foot or by bike — or even by car, for that matter. For some non-motorists, the interstate actually serves as a barrier similar to a river, even though the high-speed, limited-access highway is actually above the road that cyclists and pedestrians can use and shouldn’t be a problem. But if poorly designed, as are most of ours, it can be perceived as impassible except by the most accomplished — or desperate — cyclist or pedestrian.
By continuing to design and build our roads in this way, our transportation departments’ leadership is ignoring the resolution approved by elected officials from our transportation planning committee to ensure adequate accommodation for all users. In the case of those just discussed, Colonial Boulevard will have no on-road bike accommodation when it passes under the interstate, even though it has that feature on either side leading up to the interchange. And on Bayshore Road, neither cyclists nor pedestrians will have a place dedicated to them in the interchange; there will be nothing other than motor vehicle travel lanes. The only bone thrown on behalf of non-motorists is the possibility of erecting “Bikes Sharing Roadway” signs in these areas.

After all that’s been said and done in support of making our public space more suitable for the different user types it serves you’d like to think that this kind of problem is in the past. But the status quo lives on, at least among the transportation departments’ leadership. That being said, I hope the folks on the front line never take personally my criticism of the messages they deliver.

Free class for new drivers
Lee Memorial Health System’s Trauma Center offers a free class once a month for soon-to-be drivers or those who are already behind the wheel but have minimal experience. The Young Driver Program is a short version of their High Risk Driver program, a court ordered, eight-hour class that’s conducted twice each month. Bike and pedestrian elements are covered in both programs with the aim of helping anyone who’s interested (or have no choice because they have no license) get around safely and efficiently by foot, bike, and transit. The message of just how easy it is for someone operating a two-ton weapon made of steel and plastic to kill those who are most vulnerable is clearly delivered, as is advice on ways to share the road when behind the wheel.
We encourage one or both parents to attend and welcome other siblings who may not yet be ready to drive but will be in a few years. Classes are held at Lee Memorial Hospital near downtown Fort Myers and run from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. on a weeknight, the next being Tuesday, Feb. 23. Contact Syndi Bultman, the Trauma Center’s injury prevention coordinator, at 336-6797 to sign up.
Until next time, I’ll look for you on the roads and trails. 
— Dan Moser is a league cycling instructor/trainer and program manager for the Florida Bicycle Association who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. He may be contacted at dan@floridabicycle. org or 334-6417.

Florida ranks in the bottom third for bicycle and pedestrian investments and safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JAN 28, 2010
11 A.M. EST
Contact: Darla Letourneau, 239-472-1179, dletourneau@bikewalklee.org



Fort Myers, FL – January 28, 2010 – Florida has a ways to go towards investing in safe streets, according to a report released today by the Alliance for Biking & Walking. “Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: The 2010 Benchmarking Report” shows that while 8% of trips in Florida are by bicycle or foot, bicyclists and pedestrians account for 20% of traffic fatalities in the state.

Lack of investment in bicycling and walking could be to blame. Nationally, 10% of trips in the U.S. are by bike or foot, 13% of traffic fatalities are bicyclists and pedestrians, and biking and walking receive less than 2% of federal transportation dollars. In Florida the disconnect is even greater: While 8% of the trips are by bicycle or foot and 20% of the traffic fatalities are bicyclists and pedestrians, just 1.2% of Florida’s federal transportation dollars are spent on biking and walking.

Florida also ranks in the bottom third of all states because it lacks adequate state policies and priority focus to encourage walking and biking, according to the report. While many states have published goals to increase walking and biking, Florida has none. While many states have master plans for bicycling and walking, Florida has none. Many states have a bike/pedestrian advisory committee; however, Florida has none. While 72% of states have a publicly available bike map, Florida has none--although it is a major tourist state with many visitors looking for places to cycle.

While the report credits Florida with a “complete streets policy”, the longstanding FL statute requiring “full consideration” of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in planning state road projects, has not been implemented by the state consistent with a complete streets approach. Complete streets are 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. Both this report and the national “Dangerous by Design” report released in November recommend a complete streets approach as a way to make our streets safer for all users.

“This report provides new evidence of Florida state government’s neglect of pedestrians and bicyclists, as shown in the poor scoring by every benchmarking indicator—from the share of commuters who bicycle and walk to work, to safety, funding, staffing, and bike/pedestrian policies, “ said Darla Letourneau, a local community advocate and BikeWalkLee leader.

Recently, Lee County, through adoption of complete streets resolutions this year by both the Metropolitan Planning Organization and by the Board of County Commissioners, has embarked on a path to safer streets for everyone. In addition, Lee County is developing a countywide bicycle pedestrian master plan that will provide the blueprint for a safe, accessible, and connected bicycle/pedestrian system throughout the county. “For the county to be successful it needs support and leadership from the governor and state agencies. BikeWalkLee has asked the Governor and Lee Legislative Delegation to make complete streets a state priority, and to provide a fair share of highway safety funds for pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements,” said Letourneau.

While minimal investment in bicycling and walking has caused thousands of preventable deaths across the U.S., it doesn’t have to be. “State and local governments choose how to spend their transportation dollars – whether it’s on roads that encourage speeding traffic or on complete streets that are safe for everyone, including bicyclists and pedestrians,” says Jeff Miller, President of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. “Data show that increasing investment in biking and walking could lead to more people biking and walking. The more people who bike and walk, the safer it is and the healthier the community. It’s a virtuous cycle.”

“Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.” was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made possible through additional support from Bikes Belong Coalition and Planet Bike. For more information and to download the report, visit www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org/benchmarking.

About BikeWalkLee:
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. For more information, visit www.BikeWalkLee.org.

About the Alliance:
Alliance for Biking & Walking is the North American coalition of over 160 grassroots biking and walking advocacy organizations. The Alliance works to strengthen state and local organizations through research, sharing best practices, training, resources, and grants. For more information or to find a local organization, visit www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org.

Kudos to Naples Pathways Coalition for 1/24/10 Ride in support of bike/ped friendly community

Naples Daily News
Hundreds of cyclists join annual ride to support more sidewalks, bike lanes
By SARAH DONOVAN
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Naples may not be friendly to those who pedal, but that didn’t stop about 525 bicyclists from riding all around town Sunday morning.
Despite strong winds and the League of American Bicyclists’ recent decision to deny Naples a bicycle-friendly community designation, more bicyclists than ever rolled out to the Naples Pathways Coalition’s fourth annual Pedaling for Pathways bike ride and brunch at Lowdermilk Park on Sunday....
“What Naples Pathways Coalition is trying to do is get a safe system of interconnected pathways so that people can get from one point to another without having to be in a car,” said Michelle Avola, NPC’s executive director. “Naples is just infamous for our sidewalks that end at nothing, bike lanes that end at a guard rail or just don’t continue on the other side of an intersection.”
Avola was not surprised when she found out that Naples was deemed unfriendly to bicycles."

To read full article, click here.

What are your comments on BikeWalkLee's recommendations to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists?

To make Lee County's streets safer for all users, our ped safety report laid out specific actions that we urge Lee County officials,agencies, and others in the community to consider in five broad areas:

1. Ensure that Lee's streets take into account all users (see Saturday's post)
2. Fix problem areas (see Sunday's post)
3. Focus on public education for all road-user groups (see 1/18 post)
4. Enhance enforcement of existing laws (see 1/25 post)
5. Put safe walking and biking into a broader context

As we move forward to advocate action on these suggestions, BikeWalkLee would like to get input from our network of supporters. This is the last of the 5 action areas. If you missed the earlier posts, check out the links. We invite your comments and suggestions.

Today's post focuses on:

5. Put safe walking and biking into a broader context
1) Encourage biking and walking as a transportation alternative as appropriate
2) Recognize the public health benefits of enhanced bike/walk facilities and use.
3) Encourage the Lee County School District to promote walking and biking to school.
4) Recognize the economic benefits of better bike/walk facilities for tourism, economic development and "smart growth" policies
What are comments? suggestions?

What are your comments on BikeWalkLee's recommendations to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists?

To make Lee County's streets safer for all users, our ped safety report laid out specific actions that we urge Lee County officials,agencies, and others in the community to consider in five broad areas:

4. Enhance enforcement of existing laws
1) Well-publicized strategic enforcement of existing laws on pedestrian and cyclist safety by the Lee County Sheriff's Office and local law enforcement agencies is often the best way to educate the public about the rules and to promote voluntary compliance.

What are your comments? Stay turned for the next in the series of recommendations.

What are your comments on BikeWalkLee's recommendations to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists?

To make Lee County's streets safer for all users, our ped safety report laid out specific actions that we urge Lee County officials,agencies, and others in the community to consider in five broad areas:

1. Ensure that Lee's streets take into account all users (see Saturday's post)
2. Fix problem areas (see Sunday's post)
3. Focus on public education for all road-user groups
4. Enhance enforcement of existing laws
5. Put safe walking and biking into a broader context

As we move forward to advocate action on these suggestions, BikeWalkLee would like to get input from our network of supporters. Over the next week, I'll be posting the action items in each broad area and invite your comments and suggestions.

Today's post focuses on:

3. Focus on public education for all road-user groups:

1) Pedestrians/bicyclists: Learn how to walk/bike safer, how to walk/bike defensively in high-traffic areas and how existing laws affect your actions.
2) Drivers: Learn how to be more aware of pedestrians and their safety, and how to avoid unsafe distractions while driving.
3) Officials: Learn how to create a more walkable and bikeable community, and why that is important
4) Media: Take a role in educating the public, and shine a spotlight on problems and solutions.

What are comments? suggestions?

What are your comments on BikeWalkLee's recommendations to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists?

To make Lee County's streets safer for all users, our ped safety report laid out specific actions that we urge Lee County officials,agencies, and others in the community to consider in five broad areas:

1. Ensure that Lee's streets take into account all users (see yesterday's post)
2. Fix problem areas
3. Focus on public education for all road-user groups
4. Enhance enforcement of existing laws
5. Put safe walking and biking into a broader context

As we move forward to advocate action on these suggestions, BikeWalkLee would like to get input from our network of supporters. Over the next week, I'll be posting the action items in each broad area and invite your comments and suggestions.

Today's post focuses on:

2. Fix problem areas:
1) Look at what caused pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities discussed here, and what could have been done to avoid them.
2) Look at what information we're lacking to make better safety decisions based on this analysis, and how could it be better gathered.
3) Look at funding options to make crucial bike and pedestrian roadway improvements.
4) Provide more transparency and accountability in regular reporting and analysis of indicator data and recommendations for action.

What are your comments/suggestions?

Safety Tips

Important Safety Reminders for Bicyclists
• All bicyclists should wear properly fitted bicycle helmets every time they ride. A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash.
• Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators; they are required to obey the same rules of the road as other vehicle operators, including obeying traffic signs, signals, and lane markings. When cycling in the street, cyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic.
• Bicyclists should increase their visibility to drivers by wearing fluorescent or brightly colored clothing during the day, dawn, and dusk. Florida law requires that when riding at night, use a white front light and a red rear light; also recommended are reflectors and retro-reflective tape or markings on equipment or clothing.

Important Safety Reminders for Pedestrians
• When possible, cross the street at a designated crosswalk. Always stop and look left, right, and left again before crossing. If a parked vehicle is blocking the view of the street, stop at the edge line of the vehicle and look around it before entering the street.
• Increase visibility at night by carrying a flashlight when walking and by wearing retro-reflective clothing that helps to highlight body movement.
• Florida law requires that, if one is present, you must walk on a sidewalk. If you must walk in the street, walk facing traffic.

Important Safety Reminders for Drivers
• Drivers of motor vehicles need to share the road with bicyclists. Be courteous ― allow at least three feet clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road; look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space; and yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals. Be especially watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.
• Drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing streets in marked or unmarked crosswalks in most situations (by law all intersections have crosswalks, marked or not, that require motorists to stop/yield to pedestrians or cyclists). Pedestrian are frequently put at risk at intersections when drivers are turning onto another street and do not stop/yield as required.

PRIMARY SOURCE: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis

What are your comments on BikeWalkLee's recommendations to make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists?

To make Lee County's streets safer for all users, our ped safety report laid out specific actions that we urge Lee County officials,agencies, and others in the community to consider in five broad areas:

1. Ensure that Lee's streets take into account all users
2. Fix problem areas
3. Focus on public education for all road-user groups
4. Enhance enforcement of existing laws
5. Put safe walking and biking into a broader context

As we move forward to advocate action on these suggestions, BikeWalkLee would like to get input from our network of supporters. Over the next week, I'll be posting the action items in each broad area and invite your comments and suggestions.

Today's post focuses on:

1. Ensure that Lee's streets take into account all users

1) Support Lee County commission's Nov. 10 vote to adopt a "Complete Streets" resolution. [adopted by BoCC on 11/10. The focus now on county implementation]
2) Encourage intergovernmental coordination in street design.
3) Promote community designs that emphasize alternative transportation options.
4) Incorporate Complete Streets principles into road designs and upgrades.

What are your comments/suggestions? Stay tuned for the next in the series of recommendations.

Everyone's a winner in Tour de Cape events

News-Press
January 14, 2010

The News-Press staff
Pull out those bicycles, air up those tires and adjust your seat - it's Tour de Cape time, when you can bike or run in challenging yet noncompetitive events. No winners are declared in the City of Cape Coral's 19th annual Tour de Cape, which features running, walking and bicycling events. They take place Saturday and Sunday. The 5K run and walk will be at 7 a.m. Saturday. Admission covers a continental breakfast. And Sunday's bike event, which begins at 7 a.m. Sunday, is one of the largest in the state with several hundred cyclists hitting the streets for 15-, 30-, 60- and 100-mile rides. Sunday also has been designated "Family Fun Sunday." Families are encouraged to participate in a 7-mile bike ride beginning at 10 a.m. The cost is $10 and includes T-shirt, hot dog, chips and beverage. And plan to stay after the bike rides for live music. Participants in the Tour de Cape will notice something different this year - the location. Last year, more than 800 other cyclists left from Rotary Park. This year, participants leave from Cape Harbour. The Cape Coral Parks and Recreation Department organizes the race, which is sponsored by The News-Press. Routes take bike riders through many residential neighborhoods in southwest Cape Cora l and even the northern part of the city for the longer rides. To read the more, click here...

Adventure Cycling Fort Myers Event, Jan. 15th

Join BikeWalkLee on Friday, Jan. 15th 3-4:30 p.m. at Spirits of Bacchus (1406 Hendry St., Ft. Myers--at the corner of Hendry and Bay Streets in downtown Fort Myers))
Jim Sayers, Executive Director of Adventure Cycling Association, is traveling throughout Florida next week to speak about the life-changing potential of cycling and bicycle travel.
The public is invited to participate in this interactive presentation at 3 p.m. at Spirits of Bacchus, with Happy Hour--with complimentary food, to immediately follow. for Happy Hour at Bachcus' to meet some of the local riders and BikeWalkLee coalition supporters. He'll have a chance to share with us the latest news on bicycle travel and adventures in North America. Hope to see you there on Friday! Please visit www.adventurecycling.org for more information. To RSVP or for more information, contact Dan Moser (239-334-6417), dmoser@bikewalklee.org, or dan@floridabicycle.org.