Bike/Ped
Fatalities Update
We're now three months into 2014, and to date,
Lee County has had 5 pedestrian fatalities and 1 bicyclist fatality.
Of those numbers, there were 4 pedestrian fatalities in March alone. Given
our terrible stats for 2013 (25 pedestrian and 4 bike fatalities), we're closely
watching 2014 numbers, so stay tuned. Please, everyone, be careful out there!
Below are links to media stories from March:
- Florida Highway Patrol targets
pedestrian and bicycle safety with special details on Wednesday at high crash
areas (see March27th blog story)
Thanks to FHP, and LT Greg Bueno for leading this bike/ped safety education and enforcement detail. The 3/26 FHP detail targeted US 41, Palm Beach Blvd., and Bayshore Road since they have the highest concentration of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. According to Lt. Bueno's presentation to the MPO BPCC on 3/25, these details will occur once a quarter. LMHS, SAJD, and BWL were on site to support traffic safety by handing out bike lights and other materials. As you can see from the results from the detail, it was a balanced approach, focusing on all road users--drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists; and there was good media coverage.
- Lee County's second law enforcement bicycle and pedestrian safety initiatives meeting held on March 14th (see BWL's 3/18 blog)
On Friday, March 14th, Commissioner Pendergrass and FDOT officials convened
the second meeting with local law enforcement officials from all jurisdictions
as part of a dialogue about bike/ped safety and enforcement issues and
implementation of the Lee MPO Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.
BWL Column: Plenty of room for bikers and walkers if youplay by the rules (BWL 3/20 blog post) This column featured some simple "rules of the path"
for peaceful coexistence for bikers and walkers on the many path systems
throughout Lee County in this busy season.
News-Press
"Go Coastal" section, March 20, 2013
Actions on roadway safety by Florida
Legislature:
BikeWalkLee has three safety
priorities for the Florida Legislature this year: strengthen a ban on texting while
driving by making it a primary offense; strengthen hit-and-run laws, and oppose
efforts to raise speed limits in general. To date, no action has been taken to
strengthen the texting statute, the bill to strengthen hit-and-run laws is
moving forward, while the bill to raise speed limits is moving forward. Below are reports on the 2 latter bills:
Hit-and-Run:
One positive development on bike/ped
safety in Florida Legislature--Senate approved toughening state hit-and-run
law.
Speed Limit:
The bill to raise speed limits to 75 mph on
some roads moved forward in the Florida State Senate this week, despite
opposition from a broad array of safety advocates, including AAA.
I Can Drive 75…Maybe (3/27/14)
National Developments on Bike/Ped
Safety
Over the past two years, BikeWalkLee
has worked alongside national and local advocates across the country to urge
USDOT to establish a non-motorized safety performance measure as part of the
new performance measurement system required by MAP-21. On March 11th FHWA
issued the proposed performance measures without a non-motorized safety
performance measure. The public has until June 9th to comment on the
proposed rules, so tell USDOT we must have a national goal to make biking and
walking a safe transportation option.
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