Busy Sanibel Periwinkle-Casa Ybel Intersection to Get Holding Areas, New Crosswalk

Great news! After several years of discussion and planning about how to improve the safety at the busiest intersection on the Sanibel shared use path system--Casa Ybel and Periwinkle at Jerry's Market--City Council took action today to accept easements to make the plan a reality. The plan is for the new crosswalk to be installed by the end of November. Kudos to City Council and staff, the Sanibel Bicycle Club, Jerry's Market, the Bank of the Islands, and Mango Bay for working together to resolve this safety problem.
SANTIVA CHRONICLE  9/22/2015

The Shared Use Path at the intersection of Periwinkle Way and Casa Ybel Road will get a needed addition made possible by a cooperative agreement between Sanibel and businesses Mango Bay and Bank of the Islands.

The City Council passed resolutions on Tuesday, Sept. 22, for two easements, one on each side of Casa Ybel, that will create collection areas for pedestrians and bicyclists waiting to cross Periwinkle to Jerry's Market.
As part of the project, the existing crosswalk across Periwinkle on the east side of the intersection will be removed. The crosswalk will be moved to the west side of the intersection. Statistics show that this will reduce congestion and improve safety at the intersection.

Foot and bike traffic coming west along the Shared Use Path will wait to cross Casa Ybel in the small holding area to be created at Bank of the Islands. Once across Casa Ybel, the new pull-off area at Mango Bay will serve the same purpose for those waiting to cross Periwinkle on the new crosswalk.

The agreement with Sanibel Center Corp., known as Mango Bay, is for an easement. The agreement with Edison National Bank, known as Bank of the Islands, came in the form of a temporary construction easement, whereby after the city builds the holding area, the bank will retain ownership of the ground and maintain it.

The plans for the intersection, one of Sanibel's busiest, are supported by the Sanibel Bicycle Club and Jerry's Market, both of which have worked with the city on the project. The work is expected to be completed by the end of November, weather permitting.