Public meeting to discuss locally preferred alternative for Ding Darling transit

A formal presentation and comment session for the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge Alternative Transportation Study will be held at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at the Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL. At this meeting the project team will present the Draft Locally Preferred Alternative to the public. This alternative, which the public helped generate last year in Phase I of the study, includes non-motorized elements in and near the Refuge and motorized circulators (shuttle/tram) connecting the Refuge to other areas of the islands.

Meeting Agenda (4:30 - 6:30 p.m.)
4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Open house and project overview
5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Formal presentation of Draft Locally Preferred Alternative
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Comments/questions on the Draft Locally Preferred Alternative

Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. to allow the public to view display boards and review project information. At 5 p.m. there will be a formal presentation of the Draft Locally Preferred Alternative. This will be followed by a question and answer session. Representatives from the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, City of Sanibel, LeeTran, and the consultant team, will be available to answer questions and take comments.

In 2008 Lee County Transit (LeeTran) in cooperation with its partners, the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and the City of Sanibel, Florida, was awarded a grant through the Federal Transit Administration under the Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands Program (ATPPL-now funded by the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Public Parks Program). The program is designed to assist national parks and public lands (including wildlife refuges) in managing their visitation, while protecting habitat for wildlife and flora.

Alternative transportation strategies aim to protect environmental resources by reducing congestion, pollution and automobile dependency. The Refuge, LeeTran and the City of Sanibel desire transportation options that will complement the mission, goals and objectives of the Refuge and Sanibel Plan and improve transportation conditions on Sanibel Island. This public information meeting is being held to give people an opportunity to express their views concerning the Draft Locally Preferred Alternative.

To review project documentation prior to the workshop, visit the project website.