BikeWalkLee's Column: Plenty of reasons to ride this weekend

 Today's BikeWalkLee column in News-Press highlights tomorrow's SWFL Critical Mass ride in downtown Fort Myers and the Sanibel Bicycle Club's being named the Bicycle Club of the year by Florida Bicycle Association.

BikeWalkLee's column in "Go Coastal" section of News-Press, March 31, 2016

One of the great things about cycling and running/walking is that they are activities you can do at almost any level and almost any time – and if you want to be part of a group, that’s eminently accessible as well.

This weekend is a great example of that in the world of two wheels, with literally something for everyone who’s willing to get on a bike.

On Friday, of course, it’s the monthly SW Florida Critical Mass ride in Fort Myers – and, since you’ll note it’s April Fool’s Day, those who wish to dress for the occasion are encouraged to wear their PJs (optional, of course) – and their helmets and lights, too. 

Riders gather to set up and socialize starting at 7:15 p.m. next to the downtown Publix at 3560 McGregor Blvd. The ride rolls out at 8 p.m. for a 12-mile easy-paced pedal. There’s a break in the middle at the Edison Restaurant, and after-ride events will be announced as part of the fun. (It’s also Art Walk Friday, so downtown will be busy all night.)

This is about as easy as it gets to be part of a group ride, and the Critical Mass crew work hard on the fun. If night isn’t your thing, there’s a daylight slow roll in Fort Myers the last Saturday of the month – and if Fort Myers isn’t your thing, try the Cape Coral Critical Mass ride on the last Friday evening of the month.

Need more of a challenge? Head up to Punta Gorda for the Pedal and Play in Paradise two-day event, which also starts Friday with a ride around the city, yoga and wine & cheese. That will get you ready for the main event Saturday, with rides of 15, 30 and 62 miles, a 10-mile mystery ride, food, music and more (including Taste of Punta Gorda for those who’ve worked up a healthy appetite).

These three distances are popular and allow riders to push hard (on the long hauls) or poke along as they wish. But helmets are required and riding skills are recommended, since you’ll be on open roads with faster cyclists and traffic. The rides are supported, bur rest stops will close by a stated time so plan your pace and distance accordingly.

Group rides such as these are good for those who like to socialize their ride, with the Critical Mass ride better for the easy-going and the Paradise ride better suited for the serious (and faster) cyclist. If hanging around with other cyclists is not your thing, you can still go it alone… but it’s always nice to see what other cyclists are up to and discover some strength (and safety) in numbers.

Sanibel Bicycle Club honored

(L to R: Tom Sharbaugh, Patti Sousa, Diane Olsson, Becky Alfonso

Congratulations to the Sanibel Bicycle Club on being named the Florida Bike Club of the Year by the Florida Bicycle Association (FBA). FBA's Executive Director Becky Afonso was on hand to present the award to Club President Diane Olsson, VP Patti Sousa, and Tom Sharbaugh. 

In presenting the award, Afonso highlighted the outstanding "Cycling on Sanibel" safety video, along with the Club's overall safety education initiative. "The Sanibel Bicycle Club's 'Cycling on Sanibel' video is a high-quality product that communicates the safety message using a "fun" approach. It is one of the best bike safety videos I've seen," said Afonso. 

The video project was initiated by the club In 2014, when they proposed to the city that it apply for a Tourist Development Council grant to support the development of a tourist-focused "Cycling on Sanibel" safety video. The city applied for the TDC grant and received $4,000 in November 2014, which served as seed money to get started. Sharbaugh and Patti Sousa led the project on behalf of the club. 

Its team first went door to door to businesses and organizations on island to raise over $20,000 to pay for the production of the video, which they successfully raised by January 2015. This fund-raising effort also got community buy-in and support for the project. The finished video was rolled out in May to widespread critical acclaim by local officials, residents, the business and tourism industry, and media, both locally and statewide. The SBC team then got to work on making sure the video was receiving the broadest distribution by all travel related organizations and businesses. 

Building on this success and the relationships developed through this project, the SBC team pursued a second safety education opportunity – developing nine key messages on how to be safe on Sanibel's shared use paths and displaying them on electronic displays in island and businesses, in partnership with Blue Ash Media Group. These messages have been running in 14 popular locations on Sanibel and Captiva since August 2015. 

"Not only are these two innovative projects improving the safety and the biking experience for visitors on Sanibel, they are serving as models for other communities throughout Florida. The Sanibel Bicycle Club received the FBA's 2011 Club of the Year award, and it's gratifying to see this outstanding Club continue to serve as a model for other clubs in Florida," Afonso said. 

Ready to ride or run?

Run? You can run to support animals (The Fast and The Furriest 5K April 9), fight cancer (Run for a Cure 5K April 2) or support the arts (Artis-Naples 10K Run For Music April 9). Just feel like running? Then head to the Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K April 10 in Naples.

Ride? The Fort Myers Critical Mass ride is Friday night; Pedal and Play in Paradise takes over Punta Gorda Friday and Saturday.

Both? On May 1, you can tackle the Lake Avalon Reverse Triathlon & Duathlon… or you can start planning to be ready for one of the raft of races coming up (including the Galloway Captiva Tri, which opens registration May 1).

#BeSeenLee: To keep people safe at night while biking, we’re working to provide free bike lights to those unable to afford them (but who have to ride at night). BikeWalkLee partners (including Pawnbroker Marketing and Billy's Bikes) will be coordinating events during this campaign. Be sure to watch the BikeWalklee Facebook and Twitter pages for more #BeSeenLee event announcements and details.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.

March 21st: Upcoming walking/running/biking events

It's Monday morning and the weather is perfect in SWFL. Time to get some great running and riding events in before the dog days of summer arrive. The Cape Coral Critical Mass ride is Friday night, March 25; the Fort Myers ride rolls out the Friday after that (BOTH with a later start time at 8 p.m. after a gathering time of 7:15 p.m.); both are family-friendly slow rolls just perfect for this time of year.

Upcoming events

Edison Lights 5K (News-Press photo)

Running/walking:
   Saturday, March 26: Eggs and Ears 5K and Fun Run. Starts at 8 a.m. at Lakes Park, Fort Myers. (3dracinginc.com)
   Saturday, April 2: 2nd Annual Run for a Cure. Lakes Park, Fort Myers, to benefit the Fort Myers Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. (3dracinginc.com)          
   Saturday, April 9: 6th annual The Fast and the Furriest 5K, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers. (3dracinginc.com)          
   Saturday, April 9: Artis-Naples 10K Run For Music, to benefit the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and its youth music education programs. (gcrunner.org)   
   Sunday, April 10: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K. (www.naplesmarathon.com)
   Friday, April 15: Beach Bums 5K, on the beach at 6:30 p.m. at Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
   Sunday, May 1: Tropicool 5K, 7:30 a.m. in Olde Naples. (gcrunner.org)
   Saturday, May 9: 11th annual Lover Key Turtle Trot 5K. 8 a.m., to support the Friend of Lovers Key. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)

Cycling:

2016 Royal Palm Classic (photo: Letourneau)

   Friday, March 25: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather beginning at 7:45 p.m. for a 8:00 roll-out for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.
   Saturday, March 26: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
   Friday, April 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 7:15 p.m. for a 8:00 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm)

SWFL Critical Mass ride

   Saturday, April 2: Pedal and Play in Paradise, offering ride distances of 62, 30, 15 and a mystery ride (all supported), plus free events Friday afternoon if you register for the Saturday ridge. It all starts in historic Punta Gorda.(http://pedalandplayinparadise.com)

Triathlons:
   None scheduled locally, check trifind.com or active.com for events statewide.

BikeWalkLee Column: Who has the right of way?

 We're in peak season and not only are the roads congested, so are the sidewalks and shared use paths. BWL's column provides some tips on who has the right-of-way and when. As Ken says at the end of the column, "It comes back to the basics – be predictable, be visible, be sensible and be nice. Practice those, and everyone can share the road or walk or lane comfortably."

BWL's Column in News-Press "Go Coastal" section, March 17, 2016

(Photo: news-press.com, Sarah Coward/news-press.com)

High-season congestion isn’t confined to our local roadways, as any biker or walker can attest. But in the competition for a limited amount of a public transit corridor space – pedestrian, cyclist, vehicular or whatever – who has the right of way and when?

Let’s take them in order of vulnerability, just to make it easy:

Pedestrians: Everyone else is supposed to avoid colliding with them, even if they’re not behaving properly (that’s not etiquette, it’s the law). At intersections and in crosswalks, they have the right of way (at least if there are signals saying so or, if no signal, they give others enough time and distance to react). If you share a sidewalk with walkers, yield to them (we’re talking to bicyclists here – if anyone in a motor vehicle is sharing that sidewalk, you have made a serious directional mistake and need to get back on the roadway right now).

Cyclists: No matter where they are riding, they get the right of way over everyone but pedestrians. If they are on the sidewalk, they are viewed as pedestrians (albeit second-class pedestrians) – so that’s easy. If they are on the roadway – whether on a bike lane, a shoulder or sharing the road – they still have rights as vehicles and should be treated as equals. So, unless you regularly buzz, cut off or otherwise harass your fellow motorists, you don’t get to do any of that to cyclists. (An aside: Cyclists, it makes it a whole lot more likely that your fellow vehicle operators will treat you with some respect if you don’t break vehicular rules… such as blowing through stop signs/lights, riding abreast when conditions do not allow, going the wrong way, etc.)

Average motorists: Everyone else in a vehicle should know how to negotiate rights of way with their fellow vehicles… that’s what that driver’s license test was all about, remember? So we won’t dwell on that here, except to note a couple of unique circumstances that warrant attention: Motorcycles, because they can be harder to see (so watch for them); semis, because they have some unique issues (chiefly in turning and visibility) that deserve attention; and other lumbering and large vehicles, because the laws of physics can make sharing the roadway with them interesting, since they take longer to speed up, slow down and turn… and must drive accordingly.

Golf carts: A special case around here that warrant their own category because they can violate the rights of every other road user once they escape from the golf course. Contrary to the habit in some neighborhoods, carts are not meant to be driven on any sidewalk or bike lane… just because they fit doesn’t mean they’re legal. Nevertheless, if they are driven on said areas, they should yield to every other walking or biking user because the carts are the motor vehicles here, putting them on the low end of the rights scale. Similarly, carts are not meant to be driven on any old roadway, unless said roadway has been designated for their use (which usually means other traffic will go slow enough to allow them not to impede the flow). There are very few public roadways that allow carts to travel legally; look for a sign allowing such use before you assume it’s OK.

One final thought on rights: Common sense and courtesy always need to be aggressively exercised when it comes to transportation interaction. You may have the right to be there doing what you’re doing, but if the operator of a two-ton motor vehicle doesn’t see you (or doesn’t know what you doing when you dart in front of them), you may end up being dead right.

It comes back to the basics – be predictable, be visible, be sensible and be nice. Practice those, and everyone can share the road or walk or lane comfortably.

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.

Ready to ride or run?
Run: Want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a 5K? Head to Naples for the inaugural St. Patrick’s Fun Run, which starts (appropriately) from Rip Tide Brewing Co. (gcrunner.org). On Saturday, you can join the 5Ks set for Lehigh (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com) and Cape Coral (3dracinginc.com).
Ride: The Cape Coral Critical Mass ride is Friday night, March 25; the Fort Myers ride rolls out the Friday after that (with a later start time at 8 p.m. after a gathering time of 7:15 p.m.); both are family-friendly slow rolls just perfect for this time of year.

National news on bike/ped safety: Pedestrian fatalities rise and USDOT announces new bike/ped safety performance measures

Once again, bike/ped safety is in the national news. First, last week the Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA) issued a report showing that pedestrian deaths rose 10 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. This week, USDOT issued its long-awaited Safety Performance Measures, and for the first time, states and MPOs are required to set targets to reduce biking and walking fatalities and serious injuries.

GHSA Report: Pedestrian Deaths Make Up a Rising Share of U.S. Traffic FatalitiesLast week a report from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association found that pedestrians account for a growing share of total traffic fatalities in the U.S., a trend that didn’t get any better in 2015.

As reported by Angie Schmitt in Streetsblog USA 3/10/16, "Pedestrian deaths rose 10 percent in the first half of 2015 compared to the same period the year before, according to preliminary data released by the Governors Highway Safety Association. If that increase held up over all 12 months of 2015, it would be among the worst single-year changes since the GHSA started collecting data in 1975."

"In a typical year, nearly 5,000 Americans are killed while walking. While fatalities for car occupants have been dropping, pedestrian fatalities have not. As a result, pedestrian deaths now make up about 15 percent of traffic fatalities, compared to 11 percent a decade ago, according to the GHSA."

"The big question is “Why?” So far, no one has offered a compelling answer backed up with thorough research. The best we have are educated guesses. Of course, you’ll also see some wild and irresponsible victim-blaming in the media. Here are some of the potential explanations that have been put forth and some thoughts on how seriously we should take them."
Click here to continue reading the Streetsblog article.

How does Florida and Lee County Compare?

While the national data shows the number of pedestrian fatalities up 10% between 2014 to 2015, the number of fatalities in Florida actually went down 4%. In Lee County, pedestrian fatalities went from 18 in 2014 to 19 in 2015, for a 5.6% increase. In terms of the percentage of all traffic fatalities that were pedestrian, the national average was at 15% (compared to 11% a decade ago). In Lee County, the percentage went from 22.2% in 2014 down to 18.9% in 2015. Note that while Lee County's share of all traffic fatalities that are pedestrians shows a decline, it is still 27% higher than the national average.

The bad news is that Florida continues to be the most dangerous state in the nation for pedestrians. In 2014 New Mexico took first place, with Florida 2nd, but in 2015, Florida returned to first place with the highest pedestrian fatality rate. In terms of the absolute number of pedestrian fatalities, Florida ranks second highest, behind CA.

Note: the GHSA report is preliminary for 2015, with just first 6 months but assumes trend continues for rest of year. Lee County data is preliminary data for the entire 12 months of 2015.

USDOT Safety Performance Measures On March 14th, FHWA announced new Safety Performance Measures (as required by MAP-21 statute) and for the first time, states and MPOs are required to set targets to reduce biking and walking fatalities and serious injuries, and to track their performance against those targets. States and MPOs will also be required to use this safety performance information in their investment programming and will be accountable for achieving their annual targets.

In issuing the new measures on March 14th, FHWA stated, "The addition of bicycle-pedestrian performance measures is an acknowledgement that non-motorized safety is of particular concern and improving conditions and safety for bicycling and walking will help create an integrated, intermodal transportation system that provides travelers with real choices."

As reported by Angie Schmitt in Streetsblog USA's 3/15/16 article, this is a win for bike and pedestrian safety. Advocates for walking and biking (including BikeWalkLee) pressed FHWA to include bike and pedestrian safety measures in the performance standards, after they were initially excluded.

As Andy Clarke, the past President of the League of American Bicyclists stated, “having the non-motorized measure will mean that a more holistic approach to traffic safety is likely — as safety gains for one group are less likely to be made at the expense of another if we are tracking both. We know that making the streets safer for pedestrians first and bicyclists second helps make the streets safer for everyone — the same is not necessarily true for measures that are designed to make the roads safer exclusively for cars.”

Report by Darla Letourneau

Related Links:

• FHWA Press Release 3/14/16 "FHWA Announces New Safety Performance Measures, including Bike/Ped Safety
•  HSIP and Safety Performance Management Measures: Final Rules Overview, FHWA March 15, 2016
• HSIP and Safety Performance Measures Final Rule

• Streetsblog USA's 3/15/16 article by Angie Schmitt, "Finally, a Little Accountability for State DOTs on Bike and Pedestrian Safety"

• Streetsblog USA's 3/10/16 article by Angie Schmitt, "Pedestrian Deaths Make Up a Rising Share of U.S. Traffic Fatalities" 

• 2016 Benchmarking Report: Bicycling and Walking in the United States, by the Alliance for Biking and Walking., released March 2, 2016

• BikeWalkLee's April 10, 2014 letter to FHWA re: National Performance Measures for Safety

Sanibel Bicycle Club receives Florida Bicycle Association 2015 Club of the Year Award

FBA's Afonso (R) presents award to SBC team (L)

Congratulations to the Sanibel Bicycle Club on being named the Florida Bike Club of the Year by FBA. A big "Thank You" to the Florida Bicycle Association for recognizing their accomplishments.

At its monthly potluck this week, the Sanibel Bicycle Club (SBC) was honored as Florida's Bicycle Club of the Year by the Florida Bicycle Association (FBA). FBA's Executive Director Becky Afonso was on hand to present the award to Club President Diane Olsson, VP Patti Sousa, and Tom Sharbaugh. Vice-Mayor Denham and City Manager Judie Zimomra were in attendance to celebrate SBC's honor.

In presenting the award, Afonso highlighted the outstanding "Cycling on Sanibel" safety video, along with the Club's overall safety education initiative. "The Sanibel Bicycle Club's 'Cycling on Sanibel' video is a high quality product that communicates the safety message using a "fun" approach. It is one of the best bike safety videos I've seen," said Afonso.

The video project was initiated by the Club In 2014, when they proposed to the City of Sanibel that it apply for a Tourist Development grant to support the development of a tourist-focused "Cycling on Sanibel" safety video. The City applied for the TDC grant, and received a grant of $4,000 in November 2014, which served as seed money to get started. SBC was made the project manager by the City, and Tom Sharbaugh and Patti Sousa led the project on behalf of the Club. Its team first went door to door to businesses and organizations on island to raise over $20,000 to pay for the production of the video, which they successfully raised by January 2015. This fundraising effort also got community buy-in and support for the project. The SBC team selected a top notch video company to do the project and worked closely with them on the development of the video. The finished video was rolled out in May to widespread critical acclaim by local officials, residents, the business and tourism industry, and media, both locally and statewide. The SBC team then got to work on making sure the video was receiving the broadest distribution by all travel related organizations and businesses.

"Cycling on Sanibel" video


Building on this success and the relationships developed through this You Tube video project, the SBC team pursued a second safety education opportunity--developing nine key messages on how to be safe on Sanibel's shared use paths and displaying them on electronic displays in island and businesses, in partnership with Blue Ash Media Group. These messages have been running in 14 popular locations on Sanibel and Captiva since August 2015.

"Not only are these two innovative projects improving the safety and the biking experience for visitors on Sanibel, they are serving as models for other communities throughout Florida. The Sanibel Bicycle Club received the FBA's 2011 Club of the Year award, and it's gratifying to see this outstanding Club continue to serve as a model for other Clubs in Florida," Afonso said.

SBC has a long tradition of building successful public/private partnerships to improve the island's shared use path system and this latest effort is yet another stellar example of what can be accomplished through this approach. Congratulations to the Sanibel Bicycle Club, and a big "Thank You" to the Florida Bicycle Association for recognizing their accomplishments.

Report by Darla Letourneau 


Related Links:

• Cycling on Sanibel video

• Bike Safety Slides for Blue Ash media, created by SBC 8/4/15  

• Santiva Chronicle 3/15/16: Bike Club Named 2015 Club of the Year by Florida Bicycle Association

• BWL Blog: March 4, 2016: Sanibel's successful promotion of biking and walking as a way to get around the Island provides ideas for other communities

• BikeWalkLee Blog, January 24, 2016: FBA Board Impressed by Sanibel Bicycle Club's Bike Safety Programs

• BWL Blog, January 2, 2016: Santiva Chronicle's 2015 top stories:#3--Shared Use Paths and Bicycle Safety

• BWL Blog, September 21, 2015: Sanibel Cycling Safety PSA

• BWL Blog, August 4, 2015: Sanibel Bicycle Club Initiates New Digital Safe Biking Messages

• BWL Blog, June 11, 2015: BWL Column: New video will get you safely biking Sanibel like a pro

• BikeWalkLee Blog, June 3, 2015: Sanibel Bicycle Club Releases New Bicycle Safety Video

• BWL Blog, January 23, 2015: Video will help market bike safety on the islands (Sanibel/Captiva

• BikeWalkLee Blog, November 18, 2014: Sanibel awarded "Silver" Bicycle Friendly Community Status

• BWL Blog, July 24, 2014: BWL Column: Bikers focus on Sanibel

• BWL Blog, April 23, 2013: Sanibel’s Weekly Newspapers Publish “Cycling Safety Notes” To Promote Bike Safety

• BikeWalkLee Blog: April 15, 2011: Sanibel Bicycle Club Honored by Florida Bicycle Association

USDOT report shows how transportation agencies can integrate bikeways into their resurfacing program

One of the tenets of complete streets (which takes into account the needs of all road users when streets are designed, built, operated and maintained) is "doing it right the first time". There is no more cost-effective time to make bike/ped improvements than during resurfacing. Since 2009 with the adoption of Lee County's first complete streets policies (MPO and BoCC), BikeWalkLee has advocated for incorporating bike/ped design improvements concurrent with the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resurfacing of roadways. From the County's 2010 Complete Streets Implementation Plan to the MPO's Bike/Ped Safety Action Plan in 2013, to the 2015 USDOT Secretary's Mayors Challenge for Safety, there have been recommendations to change the current planning and budgeting processes for resurfacing projects so that this cost-effective approach can be implemented. However, this approach has yet to come to fruition in any Lee County jurisdiction or agency.

Last week USDOT's FHWA issued new guidance regarding bikeway development with resurfacing projects, and encourages the practice to be commonplace.  The guide provides Lee County jurisdictions with useful case studies and best practices for how to reinvent the resurfacing process so that bike/ped facilities can be integrated into their resurfacing program.  As jurisdictions continue the journey to implement their adopted complete streets policies, we hope that they will focus on implementing this important and cost-effective recommendation.

Report by Darla Letourneau

 

Overview

On March 7, 2016, FHWA issued a report entitled "Incorporating On-Road Bicycle Networks into Resurfacing Projects"  This workbook provides recommendations for how roadway agencies can integrate bikeways into their resurfacing program. By installing bicycle facilities during resurfacing projects, agencies can create connected networks of bicycle facilities in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

The report's press release states, "FHWA supports a flexible approach to roadway design that can allow the installation of bicycle facilities on many roadways when they are resurfaced. There should be continued education targeted at design practitioners to emphasize the flexibility that exists within current design guidance, and the strong support of FHWA for using this flexibility to create connected bicycle networks everywhere. These connected bicycle networks provide increased transportation options, enhance access to jobs, schools, and essential services, and increase the utility of our existing transportation network. Providing bicycle facilities when resurfacing roadways is one tool that cities, counties, and States can use to expand their bikeway networks."

Link to Report: Incorporating On-Road Bicycle Networks into Resurfacing Projects

2015 Florida legislative session disappointing for bike/ped and safety advocates

The Florida 2016 Legislative Session ended on March 11th, and was a disappointment for bike/ped and safety advocates, esp. the failure to pass the Vulnerable Users safety bill (aka the Passidomo bike safety bill).

Background 

In October 2015, BikeWalkLee sent a letter to the Lee County State Legislative Delegation, outlining our requests for the coming session and we followed up by testifying at the annual Lee County Legislative Delegation in Oct. 2015.  In February, BikeWalkLee issued its 2016-17 priorities, which re-affirmed how state legislators could assist in addressing major bike/ped safety issues in Florida. Several times throughout the session, BikeWalkLee communicated its views to the Lee Legislative delegation (see below).  

2016 FL Legislative Outcomes for Bike/Ped bills:

Below is an assessment of how legislation we supported or opposed fared: 

1.  Vulnerable Users Safety bill (HB 231/SB 332):  This bike safety bill was BikeWalkLee's top legislative priority both this year and last year. While Rep. Passidomo worked hard to get this bill passed, Rep. Oliva (Miami)'s amendment in the last committee removed some important provisions in the House bill; and in a Feb. 20th letter to the delegation, we urged our members to support the Senate version of the bill (SB 332).

According to the Florida Bicycle Association (FBA)'s March 14th report (from their Tally lobbyist, Capitol Alliance Group),
"During the last week of Session there was a successful attempt by the House to add the vulnerable road user language to one the “Transportation Trains” (HB 1394). HB 7061 ultimately became the official “Transportation Train” however our vulnerable road user language was not included in Senator Brandes’ strike-all amendment due to continuing disagreements between the two chambers. The vulnerable user language in Rep. Passidomo's bill was included in one of the last two transportation bills on the special order calendar in the Senate on Friday. However, the bill had too many amendments and the House did not want to take it up. Consequently, the language did not pass. We worked closely with the Rep and Senator Richter to try to get it done, but the House and Senate only passed one major highway safety bill and it had very little in it. Passidomo indicated she would refile the bill next year with more targeted language. The whole motorcycle issue was also one of the hang ups she wants to avoid next year.... After conversations with Representative Passidomo, we remain confident in successfully passing language to protect our cyclists next session."

2. FBA funding. In February, in a surprise move, Senator Brandes offered an amendment which was attached to SB 7062, which eliminated FBA from receiving any of the proceeds generated by the Share the Road license plate. The FBA team successfully spearheaded efforts to restore this funding, and BWL sent a letter on Feb. 14th urging the committee to delete this provision.

This was good news for the bike/ped community since these funds are used by FBA for their bicycle safety outreach program. However, the action just succeeded in keeping a bad thing from happening, not making progress to make Florida safer for walkers and cyclists.

3. Distracted Driving. Another of BWL's longstanding legislative priorities has been to strengthen the laws against distracted driving, esp.to strengthen the 2012 ban on texting while driving by making it a primary offense. Bills were introduced (SB 328 and HB 537) to make it a primary offense but they didn't move. There were several bills dealing with enhancing penalties for drivers violating the texting ban in school zones but those bills died, too.

4. Other bike/ped safety bills. There were several other minor bills proposed related to specific issues (e.g. lighted bicycle ways, safety paths to school program, and guardrail safety) but all of them died.

Report by Darla Letourneau

Links to related blog posts:

FBA's full 2016 Legislative Report (add)

BWL's 2/14/16 letter in opposition to Sen. Brandes amendment excluding FBA from Share the Road license plate proceeds.

BWL Blog, Feb. 20, 2016: BikeWalkLee urges Lee State Legislative Delegation to support Senate version of Passidomo's Vulnerable Users safety bill.

BWL Blog, Oct. 17, 2015: Lee MPO sends letter to Lee Legislative Delegation in support of Bike Safety Bill (HB 253)

BWL Blog, Oct. 12, 2015: BikeWalkLee asks Lee Legislative Delegation to strengthen bike/ped safety laws

BWL Blog, Sept. 29, 2015: Rep. Passidomo refiles bicycle safety bill

BWL Blog, March 25, 2015: Update on HB 231: Rep. Passidomo's bike safety bill

BWL Blog, March 7, 2015: News-Press Editorial: Cyclists deserve to be protected, safe

BWL Blog, Jan. 23, 2015: The birth of a bill to protect cyclists, walker

March 14th: Upcoming running/walking/biking events

It's Monday morning and the weather is perfect in SWFL.  Time to get some great running and riding events in before the dog days of summer arrive.

Upcoming events

Hooters race 3/6/16 (News-Press photo)

Running/walking:

·         Thursday, March 17: St. Patrick’s Day 5K Fun Run. Starts at 6:15 p.m. from Rip Tide Brewing Company in Naples (gcrunner.org)

·         Saturday, March 19: Lehigh Spring Festival Race in the Park 5K. Veteran’s Park, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)

·         Saturday, March 19: Pelican Pride 5K Run/Walk. Supports Pelican Elementary (which is also where it starts and finishes) 7:30 start. (3dracinginc.com)

·         Saturday, March 26: Eggs & Ears 5K and Fun Run. Starts at 8 a.m. at Lakes Park, Fort Myers. (3dracinginc.com)

·         Saturday, April 2: 2nd Annual Run for a Cure. Lakes Park, Fort Myers, to benefit the Fort Myers Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. (3dracinginc.com)

·         Saturday, April 9: 6th annual The Fast and the Furriest 5K, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers. (3dracinginc.com)

·         Saturday, April 9: Artis-Naples 10K Run For Music, to benefit the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and its youth music education programs. (gcrunner.org)

·         Sunday, April 10: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K. (www.naplesmarathon.com)

·         Friday, April 15: Beach Bums 5K, on the beach at 6:30 p.m. at Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org)

·         Sunday, May 1: Tropicool 5K, 7:30 a.m. in Olde Naples. (gcrunner.org)

·         Saturday, May 9: 11th annual Lover Key Turtle Trot 5K. 8 a.m., to support the Friend of Lovers Key. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)

SAG stop on 3/13 Royal Palm Classic ride

 Cycling:

·         Friday, March 25: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather beginning at 6:45 p.m. for a 7:15 roll-out for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended.

·         Saturday, March 26: SW Florida Critical Mass will offer a starter/sightseeing ride on Saturday; gather at 9 a.m., roll at 9:15 a.m. from 2160 McGregor Blvd. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.

·         Friday, April 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Join a family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix (beginning at 6:45 p.m. for a 7:15 p.m. roll-out) at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm)

SWFL Critical Mass ride

·         Saturday, April 2: Pedal and Play in Paradise, offering ride distances of 62, 30, 15 and a mystery ride (all supported), plus free events Friday afternoon if you register for the Saturday ridge. It all starts in historic Punta Gorda. (http://pedalandplayinparadise.com)

Triathlons:

·         None scheduled locally, check trifind.com or active.com for events statewide.