Think outside the box: Solar Highways

Solar Highways

This is a short video of a revolutionary way to build roads for the 21st century, which was designed by a company that won a USDOT grant. Yes, Solar Roadways proposes to pave roads with solar panels that you can drive on. It’s an intelligent pavement that generates power & pays for itself. Check it out!

BikeWalkLee's 10 Key Questions to Ask about MPO 2035 LRTP

BikeWalkLee analyzed the MPO documents in preparation the 10/26 public workshop on the 2035 LRTP Cost Feasible Plan, and developed the following 10 key questions to ask. If you weren't able to make the meeting, please go online and get a comment form,or send your comments directly to Don Scott, dscott@swfrpc.org.

10 Key Questions to Ask
Lee County 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
Public Workshop on Cost Feasible Plan

1. How can the MPO develop a long-range transportation plan when there is no vision or goals to integrate all modes into the planning process?
2. The county has a goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) -- How does the draft plan reduce VMTs either by investing in infrastructure or promoting policies (HOV lanes, parking policies, telecommuting)?
3. Does the MPO have goals for shifts in mode shares (e.g., increasing biking, walking, and public transit)? Where is the shift in mode reflected in the plan?
4. The MPO has a mandate to set goals to reduce greenhouse gases. How does this draft plan accomplish these goals?
5. How is the MPO proposing to prioritize the projects for the cost feasible plan? What methodology? What criteria?
6. What priority is the MPO giving the safety of all road users (walking, bicycling, transit, and automobile) in the prioritization of projects?
7. How is the MPO maximizing the use of the existing transportation facilities before building new facilities?
8. How is the MPO going to support a workable transit system (e.g., promote “choice riders”)? What is the MPO doing now to model a system that will accomplish that goal (e.g., 15 minute headways and efficiency in the system)? The MPO should show the economic and congestion–related benefits of a workable and efficient transit system.
9. How is the MPO designing the cost feasible plan so that it represents an integrated multi-modal system with integrated funding (roads, transit, bike/ped, ITS, etc.)?
10. Why isn’t the MPO modeling the impact of the wide variety of policy tools that would reduce the need for automobiles (e.g., parking fees, transit usage, or HOV lanes)?

Implementation Status of Lee County Complete Streets Program presented to BoCC on November 1st

At the County Commissioners' Management & Planning meeting on Monday, November 1st (1:30 p.m.), the first annual report to BoCC on the implementation status of the complete streets program will be presented. Click here for the report package. If you want to watch the BoCC discussion, you can tune into Channel 97 at 1:30 p.m. on November 1st, or watch it later on the Lee County website.
The package contains the following documents:
1. Memo from County Manager
2. Matrix of nine key elements of action plan, with actions required, timelines/deliverables.
3. Action Plan Status Report (narrative that accompanies the matrix). Note the ongoing roles of the Complete Streets Team, Community Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC), and the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)in the action plan.
4. Exhibit A--Executive Summary of LeeDOT (Andy Getch) research paper on roadway design and construction: comparison of guidance for sustainable communities, complete streets, and context sensitive solutions
5. Exhibit B--Exceptions Report, detailing the road projects during 2009-2010 that deviate from current development standards for bike/ped accommodations and basis for exception. In future years, the report will be reflect complete streets criteria.

On October 20th, the Community Sustainability Advisory Committee adopted the changes to the draft documents as recommended by their complete streets subcommittee (Margaret Banyan, Darla Letourneau, and Dan Moser), and those edits were reflected in the package that is being presented to the Board.

Kudos to the County Manager, Karen Hawes, and her complete streets team, Andy Getch(LeeDOT), Mikki Rozdolski (DCP), and Tessa LaSage (Sustainability Director), for their commitment to complete streets & their hard work in developing this implementation plan for taking the complete streets policy statement to a plan for action. Thanks to the CSAC committee for its continuing leadership and support. BikeWalkLee has been working with the team over the past year and is looking forward to moving into the implementation phase. We're making progress!

11/1 Update:
At today's M & P meeting, the County Commissioners accepted the staff report and action plan on complete streets implementation and the staff will now move forward to implement the actions and deliverables in this report.

News-Press: Sidewalks to keep kids safer

News-Press 10/24/10
Sidewalks to keep kids safer

By Andrea Jackson • Ajackson@news-press.com

A project starts ahead of schedule Monday to install
sidewalks along both sides of Trafalgar Parkway
near Challenger Middle School, relieving the
principal and parents.

Students will be safer and walk more frequently to
school once the sidewalks are built, said principal
Teri Cannady.

"I have a lot of students that walk and parents have
been voicing concerns the last few years," Cannady
said. "We're very excited."

School is out Monday and Tuesday, but crews will
be hard at work beginning a nine-month project to
install the sidewalks between Chiquita and Santa
Barbara boulevards.

Holly Ford's 15-year-old son, Cameron, died June
23 after he was struck by a vehicle on his bike along
Trafalgar.

She believes the sidewalks are going in as a result
of her son's death.

"Hopefully, the children in that area will have safer
protection from traffic," said Ford, who is lobbying
the City Council to adopt a policy to complete
sidewalks throughout city.

Click here to continue reading the article.

BPAC makes recommendations to BoCC on paved shoulders

At the October 20th meeting of the County's Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), the committee considered long-standing requests from residents on Fiddlesticks Road for facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. The committee adopted a motion stating they recognize the problems for pedestrians and cyclists on Fiddlesticks Rd. and recommended that at a minimum, share the road signs should be posted on this road and the county should look at the speed issue.

In a separate motion, the committee recommended to the Board that as part of the county's annual resurfacing contract, shoulders should be included when the road is resurfaced if the need for shoulders on that road has been identified on the BPAC needs list (which will be updated and refined as part of implementation of the County's complete streets action plan). In the case of Fiddlesticks, the need for shoulders has been identified on the BPAC list since 2003, which means that the committee is recommending that shoulders be installed on Fiddlesticks Rd. the next time it is scheduled for resurfacing.

BPAC also passed a motion to hold monthly (vs. quarterly) meetings. The committee expressed a need for more frequent meetings in order to assist the county in implementing its complete streets action plan.

Participate in the Caloosahatchee River Ride November 14th

The 14th annual Caloosahatchee River Ride, sponsored by "Riverwatch", is scheduled for Nov. 14th in Alva(starts 8 or 8:30 a.m.). The ride is designed to allow participants to enjoy the Caloosahatchee's watershed & scenic beauty. The ride starts at Lee County's Caloosahatchee Regional Park, and follows back roads to LaBelle and back. To register for the ride, click here.

Lee County New Horizon 2035 Vision Framework Report available for review

The County's review of the Comprehensive Plan has been underway all year, and the next document is now available for review:
The Lee County New Horizon 2035: Vision Framework Report The report and list of remaining community presentations is available online.

The proposed Evaluation and Appraisal Report, which will be based on this framework, is scheduled to be complete by the end of December. The LPA and Board of County Commissioners are scheduled to hold public hearings about the report in January 2011 with submission to the FL Department of Community Affairs by February 1, 2011.

Your input is needed on the MPO 2035 transportation plan--public workshop 10/26

LEE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
ANNOUNCING PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON THE COST FEASIBLE PLAN
We invite you to join us at a public workshop at the following location to present the 2035 Needs Plan and draft Cost Feasible Plan:
Tuesday, October 26, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Three Oaks Banquet & Conference Center
20991 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero, FL 33928
(Accessible through transit, LeeTran Route 60)
HERE IS WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING
During this past year, Lee MPO has been working hard to determine the transportation needs of the County by identifying projects that will be shown on their 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Needs Plan. This “Needs Plan” is a visual map that shows the proposed transportation projects that are needed to improve the way
we get around, reduce highly congested roads and provide better means of travel using all modes of transportation. A Draft Needs Plan was presented to the public for comment at the workshop held on July 19,2010, and after further analysis, a Final Needs Plan was developed and will be on display at the Workshop.
From the Needs Plan, Lee MPO developed a draft Cost Feasible Plan, which identifies specific transportation improvements that the County can afford to build. Unfortunately, the needs of the County are greater than the
funds available to build all of the projects identified in the Needs Plan. This draft Cost Feasible Plan will also be presented at the workshop so that you can provide comments before it is presented to and approved by the Lee MPO Board later this year. Once approved, a Final 2035 LRTP will be produced and used as a guide for future planning efforts.

You can phone, write or email us (see contact information below), or visit our website to comment on the Cost Feasible Plan.. Click here for the LRTP web page.
Contact Person:
Mr. Don Scott, 1926 Victoria Avenue, Ft. Myers, FL 33901
239.338.2550, dscott@swfrpc.org

Additional details:

The workshop will be formal style, from 5-5:30 it will be open for people to walk around and talk to staff. From 5:30 – 6:30 it will be a PowerPoint Presentation and Q&A. From 6:30 – 7 it will be open again for individuals to speak with staff and walk around the different stations. There will be comment forms at the meeting but people can also access them on the website. The latest maps and information located on the website.

NOTE: The video from Friday's 10/22 MPO Board meeting should be online by 5 p.m. 10/25. (click on "sound file" for agenda for 10/22 meeting--top left side). It's worth watching the 20 plus people who spoke during public comment period.

BikeWalkLee speaks out for balanced transportation system in MPO's 2035 transportation plan

News-Press 10/23/10
Flyovers get ax in Lee County

By Brian Liberatore • bliberatore@news-press.
com• October 23, 2010

1:10 A.M. — Lee County leaders say they want
transportation planning that does more than add
lanes, flyovers and more pavement. But finding
alternatives has proven elusive.

Members of the Metropolitan Planning Organization,
a group of 17 elected officials, on Friday axed a
handful of controversial road projects.

Gone from the region’s long range plan, a state-
mandated 25-year road work blueprint, are:

• The Colonial Boulevard flyover in Fort Myers.

• An extension of Route 951 south of Corkscrew
Road connecting to Collier County.

• A flyover on Veterans Parkway over Santa Barbara
Boulevard in Cape Coral.

Finding and funding alternatives that work, MPO
members said, will be harder than cutting out what
doesn’t work.

“In my lifetime we will remember $4 gas as a
luxury,” said Lee County Commissioner Brian
Bigelow. “We need to accept that as reality. We are
truly, truly addicted to that petroleum. And we need
to change how we (plan for transportation).”

The state requires planning boards across Florida
to submit an updated long-range plan every five
years. Past plans moved through approvals with
little fanfare and minimal comment. Friday’s hours-
long meeting, Lee County Commission Chairwoman
Tammy Hall said, marked a sea change.

“We recognize that we’re going to add another
600,000 people here,” Hall said. “We have to make
sure that we’re doing everything in our power not to
just make this a concrete jungle.”

This is the first year the long-range plan details
public transportation. It’s a hopeful sign, said Darla
Letourneau, a member of BikeWalkLee, but little more
than paper without the funds to back it up.

Click here to continue reading the article.

Your input requested on Florida's Strategic Highway Safety Plan

FDOT is updating its 5-year highway safety strategic plan. BikeWalkLee expressed concerns about the last 5-year plan and here's our chance to help them improve the plan for the next 5 years so that it better addresses the need to make the roads safer for vulnerable users--pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. FDOT has designed an easy 5-minute online survey to solicit your input. The survey asks you about your top safety concerns and ways to improve them, and then asks you to identify three important safety-related problem/crash-prone areas.

Here's a chance to be heard--please take 5 minutes and share your concerns! Just click here and go to the online survey. The survey closes October 30th, so please act now! Thanks.


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Draft Florida 2060 Transportation Plan ready for public comments

The recommended draft 2060 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) is ready for public comment

During 2010, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and its partners worked to update the Florida Transportation Plan (FTP). The 2060 FTP is a plan for all of Florida – including local, regional, and state partners who make decisions about future transportation investments.

The draft 2060 FTP is posted on the project website (click here to review). The 30-day public comment period begins today and goes through Monday, November 22nd. During the public comment period, the FTP will also be reviewed by the Florida Transportation Commission. When the public comment period ends, we will consider the feedback received and make revisions as appropriate. The revised final FTP will be forwarded to FDOT Secretary for adoption.

BikeWalkLee's quick review found that the draft plan doesn't include a commitment to complete streets, and doesn't have a strong enough commitment to pedestrian and bicycle safety. If BikeWalkLee supporters want these deficiencies to be addressed in the final plan, we need you to fill out the short survey online.

Thank you!

Click here to read BikeWalkLee's comments.

Dan Moser's Florida Weekly column: Upcoming bridge runs allow foot racers to work the inclines

The Fort Myers Police Department holds its annual Cops and Joggers 5K in downtown Fort Myers at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, starting in Centennial Park. The course takes runners and walkers over the Edison Bridge and back. From its inception a few years back Cops and Joggers has been a hit, especially with those who work in or have ties to the public safety community. For more information, click here.

Runners and walkers (those who can cover 3 miles in less than 45 minutes) will have access to a bridge that’s otherwise off limits to pedestrians on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11. YMCA’s Midpoint Madness 5K begins at 7 p.m. on the McGregor Boulevard overpass. There’s one change this year: race day registration and pre- and post-race activities will take place in the parking lot of Royal Palm Square Shopping Center on Colonial Boulevard just west of Summerlin Road.

Fit-Friendly SWF Update

Having heavy-hitters with a major interest in seeing an effort as big and important as Fit-Friendly Southwest Florida succeed means putting together a well thought-out plan with lots of input. This vital step began recently with Lee Memorial Health System and Lee County Health Department providing their best talent to facilitate the development of a strategic plan.

Fit-Friendly Southwest Florida is no small undertaking. The aim is to get our community as a whole thinned-down through better nutritional choices and increased activity. The majority of health problems American’s experience can be traced to being overweight or obese, as well as a sedentary lifestyle. We all have a stake in the outcome of the Fit-Friendly SWF initiative. For those who are overweight or obese (amazingly, around 70 percent of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control), not only will one’s lifespan be shortened, but quality of life will likely be compromised. Diabetes, heart problems and strokes are common complications that are showing up at earlier and earlier ages.

Based on what has been suggested so far, the problem will be attacked from a variety of fronts and using a number of approaches. Among them will be support for efforts currently being undertaken to provide safe, attractive and convenient opportunities for anyone to walk, run and cycle as part of everyday activity. That means there will be even more champions for creating complete streets, reforming land development patterns and improving transit opportunities. That’s good news for those who are already active as well as for those who find our built environment a deterrent.

For helpful fitness and nutrition resources, go to the American Heart Association’s “Start!” program.

Advocacy update

Anyone who lives in Bonita Springs or takes bike rides down that way will be interested to know that some in city hall have a problem with Lee County’s transportation department plan to add bike lanes to Hickory Boulevard, the beautiful two-mile stretch of road that runs along the beach. I’m not sure why there’s such resistance to improving conditions for a specific class of road user (the same situation arose when the state transportation department was asked to mark as bike lanes the existing paved shoulders on U.S. 41 in Bonita) but the fact is that they’re making a case against it, based primarily on incidental costs to property owners who will have to relocate their mailboxes and adjust driveway access. Go to BikeWalkLee’s blog pages for more details and to see what can be done to ensure bike lanes are added to Hickory Boulevard.

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 can be contacted at dan@floridabicycle.org or 334-6417.

Turning tragedy into advocacy for a safer Cape Coral

Fall 2010 Florida Bicycle Association Newsletter (The Messenger)

by Holly Ford
SideWalks4Kids

Cameron was 15 when on the tragic night of June 23,2010,he died instantly from
massive head, neck and torso injuries. He was hit by a car while riding a bike and didn’t have a chance for survival. Even if he had, I wonder if he would have
been crippled or brain damaged.

We recently moved to Cape Coral, Florida from Missouri, where we lived in the suburbs
of St. Louis. There were sidewalks, crosswalks, speed limits of 25 or 35 mph. There were no 45 mph school zone speeds and we had more signs and flashing yellow
lights operating before and after school each day, slowing the speed down to 15 mph.
There were also crossing guards in front of the elementary schools helping the children cross the street. This was something I took for granted and now regret!

Cape Coral is completely unsafe for our children to walk or ride bikes. The city has
not planned for this community to travel this way. To continue reading the article, click here and see page 9.

Note: Holly is now working with BikeWalkLee to bring complete streets to Lee County, to make our roadways safe and accessible for all users.

Hickory Blvd. bike lanes saga continues

News-Press 10/13/10

Bonita bike lane bill may fall on residents
by christina cepero • ccepero@news-press.com•
October 13, 2010

1:10 A.M. — Lee County is planning to add bike
lanes to each side of Hickory Boulevard in Bonita
Springs, but some residents don't want the hassles
that will come with them - including paying to
rebuild driveways and move mailboxes. Click here to continue reading the article.

BikeWalkLee analysis of Lee County trends (compared to national and state trends) in modes of transportation to work: 2000-2009

Last month, the U.S. Census Bureau released 2009 American Community Survey (ACS) data, which includes information on “journey to work”, which allows us to track the trends between the decennial Census, which asks the same question.

Our analysis and graphs can be found on our website (click here). Here are some of the highlights:

• The percentage of people walking to work has declined slightly at all levels (national, state, and Lee County) between 2000 and 2009. However, Lee County’s share continues to be less than half of the national share (1.3% vs. 2.86%), and about 13% less than Florida’s overall share.
• The percentage of people taking public transit to work held steady at all levels between 2008 and 2009. However, the greatest contrast between the national level and the Florida and Lee County levels occurs with the share of people taking public transit to work. Nationally, a worker is 2.6 times more likely to take public transit to work than someone who lives in Florida. In Lee County, the national share is over 7 times greater than Lee County’s share.
• Only on the measure of biking to work does Florida and Lee County out perform the national levels. While biking to work has increased substantially since 2000 at all levels (national, state, county), the rates between 2008 and 2009 held steady at the national level, while it increased 18% in Florida and 20% in Lee County.
• Looking at all forms of alternative transportation, Lee County’s share increased 30% between 2008 and 2009. Although our use of alternative modes of transportation to work is substantially below the national and state levels, at least the numbers are moving in the right direction.

While the ACS data is one of the best sources for tracking trends in walking, biking, or taking transit to work, there are several limitations in using the ACS data, which are detailed in the full analysis on our website.

StreetSmart demonstration urges drivers, riders, and pedestrians to look out for each other

Here's what USDOT Secretary LaHood had to say today in his blog, "In the Fast Lane":

This morning the Department of Transportation took a step toward protecting the lives of our dedicated professionals with a pedestrian safety demonstration.

Two months ago, I blogged about a pair of crashes involving pedestrians near DOT headquarters. Soon after, the DC Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Police Department introduced "No turn on red" restrictions and added crossing safety officers at the area's busiest intersections.

And today's StreetSmart demonstration, again in partnership with the terrific folks at DDOT and the MPD, brings us even closer to the kind of safety we need to achieve near DOT headquarters--and in communities across America.

As DDOT director Gabe Klein said this morning, the burden is on everyone--drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians--to be more careful out there.

But the fact remains that pedestrians are the most vulnerable users of our roadways, with bicyclists not far behind. And when you are driving, you are the sole pilot of a 4,000-pound projectile; you must slow down, pay attention, and proceed with caution.

That means, first and foremost, respecting the law. It means turning carefully, no speeding, and no distracted driving. Click here to continue reading the story.

Maybe our local officials could host a similar StreetSmart demonstration in Lee County!

BikeWalkLee's letter to County Commissioners re: Fort Myers Beach trolley lane

On October 8, 2010, BikeWalkLee sent the following letter to Lee County Commissioners:

BikeWalkLee is pleased to learn that LeeTran has been working on a study to determine if designating a trolley lane for beachgoers will increase use, thereby reducing private passenger vehicle congestion. We are very much in favor of this effort. However, based on what was presented to you and your fellow commissioners at the October 4, 2010 Management & Planning meeting, we are concerned that on-road bicycle accommodation, specifically on northbound San Carlos Blvd., may not be included. Click here to continue reading the letter.

Release of 2009 craash data

On Sept. 9th Secy LaHood announced that the nation had seen the lowest traffic fatalities in six decades. The Florida database (FL Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles) now has 5 year data through 2009 by county with lots of interesting data on bike/ped related issues.

In Lee County, while our overall traffic crash rate (per 100 M VMTs) is down (2009 vs. 2008) by 4.9% (compared to State average of a 2.1% reduction), our fatality rate is UP 4.3%, with alcohol-related fatalities up 4.6%, which compares with Florida's average of DOWN 13.2% by each of these measures.

A quick look at the 2009 bike/ped data in the FLHSMV report shows that in Florida, pedestrians are 18.8% of all traffic fatalities, and bikes make up 3.9%, for a total of 22.7% of all traffic fatalities. The share of all fatalities that are bike/ped actually went up a percentage point from 2008. Florida's rates were already 60% higher than the national averages. With respect to Lee County, pedestrian fatalities are up (from 11 to 15), but injuries down slightly (from 192 to 190) and bicycle fatalities are down (from 6 to 4), but injuries up (from 98 to 106). The report highlighted that drinking is a major problem with pedestrians in traffic crashes in Florida. Ten percent of all pedestrians in crashes had been drinking, and 41% of all pedestrian fatalities involved pedestrians that had been drinking.

For more detailed information on Lee County crashes, check out the LeeDOT analysis for 2009 crashes. The report includes maps as well as a list of locations for each of the pedestrian and bicycle crashes.

Dan Moser's Florida Weekly Column: Distracted driver causes intersection smash-up

Florida Weekly 10/6/10

Crash illustrates vulnerability of runners, walkers and cyclists
danMOSER dan@floridabicycle.org

Recently I was using the crosswalk to get across U.S. 41 from Gladiolus to Six Mile Cypress when a red light runner heading south slammed into another vehicle that was making its turn. Both cars were wrecked badly. Because I was so close to the crash I was among the first to reach the victims. Fortunately for both drivers and their child passengers, everyone appeared to be uninjured. The fact that the woman whose minivan was broadsided by the red light runner was nine months pregnant made their apparent condition yet another confirmation of the effectiveness of seatbelts, airbags and child car seats.

As the motorists were getting their children out of their vehicles I asked the person who caused the crash if she was on her phone since she never even hit her brakes. She assured me she was neither talking nor texting. A while later I asked again how she managed to enter the intersection on a red light after at least half-a-dozen vehicles that had a green signal were well into their left turn. It was then that she admitted her child was fussing in the back seat and she was turned around dealing with the situation — clearly a case of distracted driving.

About an hour after leaving the scene of the crash and tending to the tasks I was planning to do before being sidetracked it dawned on me that I very well could have been the victim of this red light runner. As I recalled the timing of events (it appeared as slow-motion as I watched it unfold in front of me) I realized that had I not waited until the pedestrian signal turned to “WALK” I would have been the victim. Needless to say, unlike everyone in the cars, I wouldn’t have walked away from this one.

Being at the mercy of traffic operations managers, I’m often frustrated by the second-class status we get when we use pedestrian features. In order to make vehicle traffic flow as quickly and efficiently as possible (making the “car sewer” work) crosswalk users are frequently made to wait longer than is appropriate or equitable. In this particular case I could see that even though I hadn’t yet gotten the walk signal it should have been safe to start crossing since vehicles in the lanes closest to me already had a red light. But I had decided to wait what turned out to be a mere few seconds until the signal illuminated, a decision that turned out to be the difference between life and death.

I’m relating this story of distracted driving to remind everyone who is a vulnerable road user to be ever-vigilant and not be distracted, lest we become victims. We’ll almost assuredly pay a high price if others screw up. Because of this, we must pay enough attention to see it coming and be able to react. This goes for vehicular cycling as well as side-path riding, walking and running. In my case, I feel very fortunate to have been following the rules precisely and being hyper-aware of my surroundings at this very busy, multi-lane high-speed intersection.

Advocacy update

Unless Lee County commissioners agree to amend their recent decision involving resurfacing a number of roads we’ll once again be missing opportunities to add paved shoulders to those without any bike accommodations. Among them are roads that are on popular cycling routes. Contact your commissioner and urge him or her to approve the funding necessary to do what’s needed as part of these and all resurfacing projects. Better yet, come to the meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 12, when the Lee Department of Transportation presents updated cost estimates for consideration as additions to the approved projects. For a complete list of roads being resurfaced, go to BikeWalkLee’s blog page.

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.

SideWalks4Kids

Some of us are passionate about complete streets from a policy perspective, while others come to their passion from tragic experience. BikeWalklee is starting to hear from parents and loved ones of those who were killed while walking or biking on Lee County streets, and who are working to make our streets safer for children so that others can be spared their tragedy.

One of these moms is Holly Ford. Her son, Cameron (age 15), was struck and killed on June 23, 2010, while riding his bike in a 45 mph Cape Coral school zone. The sidewalk ended and he crossed over to the median area, where a street light was out, and was struck by a car and killed. She is now campaigning for safer streets for our children, and has started an organization called SideWalksAmerica, promoting awareness of street safety for children and others. She is pressing city and county officials for more street lights, street signs, crosswalks, sidewalks, and reducing the city speed limits in order to make our community safer.

Check out her website, blog, and Facebook connections.

Thanks, Holly, for your passionate work in support of completing our streets so that it’s safer for the children in our community.