BikeWalkLee’s report from Complete Streets Implementation Report 1/9/12 presentation to County Commissioners

As reported in our earlier blog post, today’s BoCC Management and Planning meeting included a presentation by Andy Getch of LeeDOT on the 2011 complete streets implementation report. Click here for the report.

Andy’s presentation highlighted the changes in the transportation planning process and the goal of making the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) more sustainable, incorporating complete streets, a transparent process for the public, & using the complete streets interdepartmental team approach. Staff’s goal is for full implementation of complete streets by 2014, when the Lee Plan amendments and related land develop code and administrative code amendments have been adopted.

The commissioners voiced support for the accomplishments to date and encouraged the staff to not wait until 2014 to implement the plan. Chairman Manning asked what the legal impediments were to implementing the plan in its totality now. He encouraged everyone to move forward now and suggested that he wants the issue to come back to the Board before the 2013 CIP. Commissioner Bigelow was interested in addressing retrofits needed on existing corridors, specifically Metro Parkway, Palomino Rd., and Fiddlesticks, as well as some needed improvements at bus stops. He also suggested that BoCC be factored into the decision-making process somewhere in the middle so that they had an opportunity for input. Commissioner Judah was interested in making sure that the Estero Blvd. project was going to be reviewed by the complete streets team.

Report by Darla Letourneau