Wednesday, September 28, 2016

More facilities, not more controversy

BWL News-Press 'Outdoors' article, 9/29/2016
by Ken Gooderham

Photo: BikeWalkLee archive
Casual observers who watched (or read about) the recent dust-up over bike lanes and paths on the soon-to-be-remodeled State Road 82 in eastern Lee County may have wondered what all the to-do was about.

Short answer: It was about two different cycling publics and the facilities they prefer. Long answer: It was also about state law, last-minute changes to capital construction projects and the struggle to accommodate every non-motorized road user.

SR 82, long one of the county’s most dangerous roadways, is on the fast track for expansion, eventually turning this two-lane moving parking lot into a six-lane highway. With this upgrade, Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) was proposing buffered bike lanes on both sides of the expanded road PLUS a 5-foot sidewalk on one side PLUS a 10-foot shared use path on the other…making this probably the best bike/ped designed roadway in the county when it’s done.

What’s not to like? Well, one group found something – proposing removal of the bike lanes altogether and widening the path to 12 feet to accommodate cyclists riding in both directions. They offered this up at a September hearing, where it was thankfully shot down.

First, some definitions to put everyone on the same footing:

  • Bike lane: Adjacent to the driving lanes of a roadway, usually 5 feet wide (but can be 4 feet for repaved roads). It’s typically marked for bicycle use, and allows cyclists their own place on the road (which, by state law, they have a right to use).
  • Buffered bike lane: As above, but with an additional buffer between cyclists and motor traffic. This was proposed for the SR 82 expansion as part of Florida DOT’s new commitment to Complete Streets implementation
  • Paved shoulder: If it’s designated for cyclists, it must conform to a bike lane. If it’s just there for whomever to use (including cyclists), it can be less than 4 feet wide… which we see a lot in this area, and which beats nothing at all (even if it doesn’t meet state criteria).
  • Shared-use path: Separated from the adjacent roadway, intended for two-way use by both cyclists and pedestrians, et al. The standard width is 10 feet (12-14 feet if heavy traffic is expected). However, a minimum width of 8 feet is allowed in certain circumstances (and you'll see a number of those in Lee County due to space limitations).
  • Sidewalks: Intended for pedestrians, used by all manner of transport. In Florida, minimum width should be 5 feet if separated from the roadways, 6 feet if not. Due to eras and rules, what we have is all over the map width-wise.

Obviously, the separated paths are usually preferred by less experienced and/or slower cyclists, who are all too happy to be further away from high-speed motor traffic. The down side is that these paths draw very different users traveling at very different speeds – which can bring very different dangers.

If you ride very fast (in bike terms) and are trying to navigate around people who aren’t doing the same, it’s both frustrating and hazardous. That’s why seasoned road cyclists prefer to use bike lanes, so they can maintain their preferred speed and be part of the traffic flow (which ultimately is safer for everyone) without having to be in the same road lane as motorized traffic.

Thus, the original (and still intact) plan for SR 82 was the best of all worlds. The bike lanes fulfill state law (giving cyclists equal and safer access to roadways) and please the serious road cyclists – and even offered a buffer from traffic, a rare occurrence around here. The sidewalk gave pedestrians their place in this complete street, and the shared-use paths offered safe haven to slower cyclists, skaters, runners and anyone else who wanted to be part of the parade. All in all, a commendable accommodation.

That made the last-minute effort to redesign the roadway all the more perplexing. If all the users had their own place, what’s the impetus for change – particularly at the stage when any change could delay road construction and funding?

If you don’t like riding close to traffic (even on a buffered lane), then don’t – but don’t deny others that option if that’s where they want (and have the right) to be. If you want to fight for more separated paths throughout the county, great – but don’t take away facilities from road cyclists in the process, particularly when there’s enough room for everyone to get what they want.

In reality, our roadways need both kinds of cycling facilities – lanes for the fast riders, separated paths for more leisurely pedalers and other self-propelled travelers. But making it appear to be an either-or situation -- where you get lanes OR paths, but not both -- is both wrong and short-sighted.

We need bike lanes both to give cyclists a better place to exercise their right to be on the road and to make them more visible by attracting more good riders to join the traffic flow. When vehicle drivers see cyclists in their own lane on the same road, they’re likely to remember them when they make other driving decisions – which enhances road safety overall. (So does being out where drivers are more likely to see them.)

And we need shared use paths to encourage more people to try cycling in a safe environment, to create a function network of bike/ped transportation that allows those who wish to try the ability not to depend on their vehicles for all travel choices. We also need bike paths to accommodate cyclists of all ages and abilities – particularly to make this a bike tourism destination. (Bike tourists want both facilities, usually… lanes for long road rides, paths for getting around town.)

How do we get these improvements? By planning for them from the beginning, not by making last-minute changes that could threaten construction deadlines and dollars in an area that’s already too far behind in bike/ped infrastructure investment.

The SR 82 plans are a win for all road users. Let’s celebrate that success, not pick fights you likely won’t win.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Transportation Summit Friday Sept. 30 in Cape Coral

Photo: the news-press
Streets Alive SWFL and Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association are partnering to host a Transportation Summit, featuring renowned national and international experts interacting with planners, engineers and government and business leaders and all members of the public to encourage best practices in creating walkable, bikeable, and transit supported, livable communities – communities offering vibrant, healthy lifestyles for all ages.

“This summit is bringing together for the first time the brain-power of the leading experts on integrating transportation and community design to help us create the best here in SWFL” said Ann Pierce, Education Chair for Streets Alive SWFL.  “The public and our local authorities will have this opportunity to learn from the best, get questions answered and concerns addressed,” she added.

Keynote speakers for the Transportation Summit include:
  • Florida Department of Transportation Division 1 Secretary Billy Hattaway P.E.
  • Livable Transportation Engineer for the Toole Design Group, Ian Lockwood P.E.
  • Director of Innovation & Inspiration for Blue Zones, Dan Burden
  • International President of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Paula Benway P.E.

The Summit’s Conference on Friday morning, September 30, from 8:00 – noon at the Cape Coral Yacht Club is open to the public and will offer an informative program by this team of national experts who will be joined by local region speakers to give unique presentations on the new patterns in community design, transportation and economic planning which result in highly desirable communities where one can thrive at any age.

They will also address funding and regulatory changes on the horizon which will impact our region.

Registration is $42, which includes breakfast and accessed through http://www.rpcra.org/transportation-summit          
    
Local elected and appointed officials, business leaders, realtors, engineering, planning and landscape architect professionals, health community professionals, developers and the public are all invited to attend this innovative Transportation Summit.


Go to www.rpcra.org/transportation-summit to register.

September 26: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

Monday morning: here is our weekly overview of upcoming running, walking, cycling, and tri event.

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: Lexington Country Club 5K Run/Walk & Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. To benefit the Regional Cancer Center's Breast Health Center (Lee Memorial Health System). (ftmyerstrackclub.com
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: 2016 Busey Bank Run for Prevention, downtown Fort Myers, 6 p.m. (active.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 8: Cops & Joggers 5K, Centennial Park, Downtown Fort Myers, 7:45 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Fort Myers Police Department Fallen Officer Memorial Fund and the Brotherhood Ride. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 15: 8th annual 10K race 4 FISH (Friends In Service Here). Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; starts at 7:30 a.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 16: 6th annual Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park, 7 a.m. (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 22: 8th annual Race The Roof 15K run, 5K run/walk, tot trot. Verandah Community. Proceeds to benefit the Habitat for Humanity, Lee and Hendry Counties. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 29: "Soup"-er Hero 5K Run/Walk, Gulf Coast Town Center, 7:30 a.m. Benefits Community Cooperative (www.communitycooperative.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 30: Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park. Includes costume contest, plus rock and roll, plus Octoberfest (eliteevents.org)

Cycling:
  • Friday, Sept. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Friday, Oct. 7: SWFL Critical Mass ride, Tailgate starts at 7:15 (though many arrive earlier). We roll at 8:00. Side lot next to the downtown Publix, 2160 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Oct. 8: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events//)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Triathlons:
Plan ahead. Other upcoming area tris include:

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Look to kids to get traffic safety message across

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 9/21/2016
 
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

We live in an area that’s potentially ideal for cycling, walking and running.

Flat terrain, overall good weather and a growing infrastructure that’s slowly becoming a solid bicycle and pedestrian network. But it’s no secret that too many bicyclists, pedestrians, and especially drivers engage in inappropriate and sometimes dangerous behavior when using our roads and pathways.

Traffic safety messages are fairly common but are clearly falling on deaf ears, as evidenced by our consistently outrageous crash, injury and fatality statistics here in Lee County. Could awareness messages created by middle and high school students make a difference? Lee County Emergency Medical Services and the Injury Prevention Coalition think it’s worth a try to find out.

An EMS grant, awarded through the Lee County IPC application process, will be used to entice high school and middle school students to produce videos focusing on traffic safety specific to bicycles and pedestrians. Of course, motorists can be the message’s focus as much as nonmotorists since they do the most damage. The BikeWalkSafely2Live video contest seeks 10-, 15-, or 30-second videos that can net winning schools $1,000 for media supplies and equipment and/ or for bicycle/pedestrian safety initiatives at their school. Second and third place schools will receive $500 and $250 respectively. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 18, and winners will be announced in January. Winning videos will be widely distributed as part of a countywide public safety campaign facilitated by the city of Cape Coral and its partners, which include Cape Coral Bike- Ped, BikeWalkLee, Lee County IPC, Lee County School District, Streets Alive, FDOT, MPO and other business and community safety advocates. More about the contest can be found at flbikelaw.org and alerttodayflorida.com.

This contest has been announced within the school district but encouraging students you know to enter would be helpful as well, especially if they are enrolled in a private or charter school, where the announcement may not have gotten to them. It’s an opportunity for students to do something good for the community, their schools and themselves as they develop skills and begin to build their resumes. Having the messages crafted and delivered by young people can have a real impact on other young people, whether while on foot, riding a bike, or behind the wheel. And it can impact adults as well. Fort Myers Track Club 2016-2017 schedule


FMTC, our area’s premier running club and race organizer, has another season full of top-notch events on tap. Unless otherwise noted all races occur in the morning and on Saturdays.

See ftmyerstrackclub.com for more information.





Oct. 1 - Lexington Cares 5k,
Lexington Country Club
Oct. 8 - Cops and Joggers 5K,
Centennial Park (night)
Oct. 15 - Sanibel Race-4-FISH 10K,
Sanibel Community House
Oct. 22 - Race the Roof 15K, 5K,
Verandah Country Club
Nov. 11 - Midpoint Madness 5K, Royal
Palm Square (night)
Nov. 24 - Turkey Trot 5K,
C.C. Hospital/Wellness Center
Dec. 3 - River Run 10Krun/2Mwalk,
Centennial Park

Jan. 8 - River, Roots & Ruts
Half Marathon / 5K fun run,
Caloosahatchee Regional Park
Jan. 28 - Bug Chase 5K,
Calusa Nature Center
Feb. 4 - Strides for Education 5K,
Florida Southwestern College
Feb. 12
- Edison Fest kids races,
Downtown Fort Myers
Feb. 18 - Edison Festival 5K,
Centennial Park (evening)
Feb. 25 - Swamp Stomp 5K,
Rodeo Bar & Grill, LaBelle
March 5 - Hooters Half Marathon,
Hooters of Fort Myers
March 11 - Scope-for-Hope 5K,
Hammond Stadium
March 19* - Lehigh Spring Festival 5K,
Veterans Park, Lehigh
May 13 - Turtle Trot 5K,
Lovers Key State Park
May 20 - Cape Cops 5K,
Cape Coral Yacht Club
May 29
- Run-the-Green 5K, Eastwood
Golf Course
June (date TBA) - FMTC
Membership Run 5K, Hammond
Stadium
July 4 - Freedom 5K, Cape Coral
Chamber of Commerce,
Downtown CC ¦

*Race may move to Jan. 21 and new location
 


- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334- 6417.

Monday, September 19, 2016

September 19: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

While rainy season is still upon us, the events season is gathering steam. This is an overview of upcoming events for the coming weeks.

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

  • Hispanic heritage festival
    Saturday, Sept. 24: Hispanic Heritage Festival 5K, downtown Fort Myers, 7:30 a.m. (hispanicfestivalfortmyers.com)
  • Saturday, Sept. 24: Run Wild 5K, and 1K kids race. Wear your best wildlife attire, benefits the Conservancy and Naples Zoo. Starts from the Naples Zoo parking lot, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: Lexington Country Club 5K Run/Walk & Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. To benefit the Regional Cancer Center's Breast Health Center (Lee Memorial Health System). (ftmyerstrackclub.com
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: 2016 Busey Bank Run for Prevention, downtown Fort Myers, 6 p.m. (active.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 8: Cops & Joggers 5K, Centennial Park, Downtown Fort Myers, 7:45 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Fort Myers Police Department Fallen Officer Memorial Fund and the Brotherhood Ride. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 15: 8th annual 10K race 4 FISH (Friends In Service Here). Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; starts at 7:30 a.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 16: 6th annual Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park, 7 a.m. (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 22: 8th annual Race The Roof 15K run, 5K run/walk, tot trot. Verandah Community. Proceeds to benefit the Habitat for Humanity, Lee and Hendry Counties. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 29: "Soup"-er Hero 5K Run/Walk, Gulf Coast Town Center, 7:30 a.m. Benefits Community Cooperative (www.communitycooperative.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 30: Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park. Includes costume contest, plus rock and roll, plus Octoberfest (eliteevents.org)

Cycling:
  • Caloosa Riders
    Saturday, Sept. 24: 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. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Friday, Sept. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Triathlons:

Plan ahead. Other upcoming area tris include:

Thursday, September 15, 2016

BikeWalkSafely2Live Contest: Make a video to make Cape biking safer


The News-Press, 'Go Coastal',  9/15/2016
By Carolyn Conant-Adair

In the United States, “every year, about 300,000 kids go to the emergency department because of bike injuries, and at least 10,000 kids have injuries that require a few days in the hospital. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from head injuries,” according to Nemours Kids Health website.

The city of Cape Coral and Cape Coral Bike Ped volunteers are working to reduce the number of bicycle and pedestrian crashes – and they want your help. The Cape Coral Police Department’s High Visibility Pedestrian/Bicycle Enforcement effort has already resulted in a 10% year to year decreased bicycle and pedestrian accidents, by giving out more warning tickets and citations.

These types of initiatives work but, as Sergeant Jon Kulko of the Cape Coral Police Department Traffic Unit notes: "There is still a great need for the youth of Cape Coral to wear bicycle helmets and to have their bicycles equipped with brakes. Those riding at night need to have bicycle lights (front and rear) and are encouraged to wear high visibility clothing." So, while the city is working to build more and safer bike routes and sidewalks every year to try to keep children and adults safe, it’s not enough.

The city’s newest safety strategy is to ask student in middle and high schools (through their media teachers) to create bicycle and pedestrian safety videos. Through peer-to-peer safety and education videos, students can help educate their fellow students on the rules of the road, the need to wear a helmet and other safety initiatives.

Thanks to a grant from the Lee County Injury Prevention Coalition, the city of Cape Coral is able to send the winning Lee County middle and high schools up to $1,000 to purchase media equipment or for bicycle and pedestrian initiatives. The best middle and high school students’ Public Service Announcement (PSA) videos will be aired on TV ads, school media outlets, websites and blogs. Winning students are encouraged to list the winning videos on their resumes and job applications.

Encourage students you know throughout Lee County public, private, charter and parochial schools and their media teachers to participate in this contest. Middle and high school students and their teachers can go to www.CapeCoral.net/Bicycling and click on the big blue “BikeWalkSafely2Live PSA Contest” button to get started by reading the Contest Rules and applying on the online Entry Form. The deadline to submit your video is Nov. 18, 2016.


The city is looking for creative approaches to encourage more students to ride and walk to schools and throughout the region in a safe manner. Participants need to create 10-, 15- or 30-second videos that highlight bicycle and pedestrian safety initiatives (such as wearing a helmet) as well as the rules of the road (such as walking or riding on the correct side of the road).

These student-created bike/ped videos will help everyone learn the rules of the road and safe bicycling and walking practices.

Let’s bring the number of bicycle and pedestrian crashes down even further this coming year through these bike/ped safety videos. Let’s make our roads safer for everyone!

Lend a hand by getting students you know excited about participating in this video contest. The roads belong to all of us; let’s make them safer by getting everyone - motorist, cyclist and pedestrians - to learn the rules of the road and be courteous to each other.

Carolyn Conant-Adair is president of Cape Coral Bike-Ped, a volunteer organization working in partnership with the city of Cape Coral to make a difference in the way the city improves and builds its bike lanes, paths and sidewalks.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Transportation summit coming to Cape Coral

Photo: the news-press
A new event will share ideas on how to create safe and accessible road transportation systems that enhance a community's well-being.

Streets Alive SWFL and the Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association are hosting a two-day Transportation Summit featuring national and international experts, area planners, engineers and government leaders.

Organizers say it will bring together the experts on integrating transportation and community design for the benefit of walkers, bicycle riders, public transit users and motorists.

"It’s an opportunity to learn from the best, get questions answered and concerns addressed,” said Ann Pierce, education chairwoman for Streets Alive SWFL.

The first conference day will be held in Bonita Springs, and offers continuing education units for certain professional participants. It’s already sold-out.

The public is invited, however, to attend the second day, in Cape Coral.

That’s 8 a.m. to noon Friday, Sept. 30, at the Cape Coral Yacht Club Ballroom, 5819 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral.

Admission is $42, and includes breakfast.
Go to www.rpcra.org/transportation-summit to register.

The keynote speakers will be: Billy Hattaway, secretary, District 1, Florida Department of Transportation; Ian Lockwood, livable transportation engineer for the Toole Design Group; Dan Burden, Blue Zones director of innovation and inspiration; and Paula Benway, international president of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

More in the News-press article.

September 12: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

Here is your upcoming events calendar for the week of Sept. 12.

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

  • Hispanic heritage festival
    Saturday, Sept. 24: Hispanic Heritage Festival 5K, downtown Fort Myers, 7:30 a.m. (hispanicfestivalfortmyers.com)
  • Saturday, Sept. 24: Run Wild 5K, and 1K kids race. Wear your best wildlife attire, benefits the Conservancy and Naples Zoo. Starts from the Naples Zoo parking lot, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: Lexington Country Club 5K Run/Walk & Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. To benefit the Regional Cancer Center's Breast Health Center (Lee Memorial Health System). (ftmyerstrackclub.com
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: 2016 Busey Bank Run for Prevention, downtown Fort Myers, 6 p.m. (active.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 8: Cops & Joggers 5K, Centennial Park, Downtown Fort Myers, 7:45 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Fort Myers Police Department Fallen Officer Memorial Fund and the Brotherhood Ride. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 15: 8th annual 10K race 4 FISH (Friends In Service Here). Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; starts at 7:30 a.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 16: 6th annual Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park, 7 a.m. (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 22: 8th annual Race The Roof 15K run, 5K run/walk, tot trot. Verandah Community. Proceeds to benefit the Habitat for Humanity, Lee and Hendry Counties. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 29: "Soup"-er Hero 5K Run/Walk, Gulf Coast Town Center, 7:30 a.m. Benefits Community Cooperative (www.communitycooperative.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 30: Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park. Includes costume contest, plus rock and roll, plus Octoberfest (eliteevents.org)

Cycling:
  • Caloosa Riders
    Saturday, Sept. 24: 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. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Friday, Sept. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Triathlons:

Plan ahead. Other upcoming area tris include:

Sunday, September 11, 2016

We’re lagging behind in becoming bicycle-pedestrian friendly

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 9/7/2016
 
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

We’ve got a long way to go to really be bicycle-pedestrian friendly.

With summer ending, many vacations are now just a (hopefully) fond memory. If you traveled within or outside Florida and paid attention to other environments for walking, running and cycling, you are likely keenly aware of the differences between our community and elsewhere. In some cases we’re clearly more accommodating but in others our infrastructure is lacking by comparison. But the existence of sidewalks, shared use pathways and bike lanes doesn’t necessarily equate to being more bike-pedestrian friendly, even when there are plenty of them in place. Lee County and much of Florida are prime examples of that fact.

Due to over-design of many of our roads and highways — which create an expectation of speed and uninterrupted movement — our environment for non-motorists leaves much to be desired. Crossing streets, particularly at major intersections, is oftentimes harrowing, primarily because of motorists’ illegal right-turn movements. Few stop in the correct location (prior to a crosswalk) if they even stop at all before making a right turn on red. Along with distracted driving, speeding and a general propensity to fail to stop prior to the crosswalk (marked or unmarked), these four all-too-common actions by drivers create a hostile environment for non-motorists throughout our network. It’s little wonder many pedestrians and side-path riding cyclists shun crosswalks and instead choose to cross mid-block for their own safety.


West First Street in downtown Fort Myers is ripe for shared lanes marking, or sharrow, treatment. 
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CITY TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS
West First Street in downtown Fort Myers is ripe
for shared lanes marking, or sharrow, treatment.
(National Association of City Transportation Officials)
In the past few years most of our local governments and the Florida Department of Transportation have adopted Complete Streets policies that require them to adequately accommodate all users. That’s vital to improved conditions becoming a reality, but implementation of the policy and buy-in among those who make infrastructure decisions are just as important.

Pressure to stick to the status quo of moving as many cars as fast as possible remains an issue, so it will be some time before there’s any noticeable change.

Additionally, fixing long-term and significant problems, such as complete lack of pedestrian access and inadequate bicycle accommodation on most of our major bridges, isn’t even on anyone’s to-do list.

One simple step to improve the environment that could be taken immediately is enforcement of illegal sidewalk parking. It’s pretty hard to justify allowing this violation to go unchecked, but that’s the case. Considering our governments do not allocate enough money to build sidewalks where none exist you’d think these same governments would not routinely overlook access being denied or hindered where sidewalks do exist.

This lack of concern and enforcement makes clear that as a community we still put our motor vehicles above our residents and visitors.

It says a lot about our collective priorities if we can’t keep publically funded sidewalks clear of obstructions so moms with strollers, people in wheelchairs, kids riding bikes and everyone else on foot or a bike could use them. Neighbors should not need to call in violators since that can lead to other problems. All it should take is a law enforcement official driving by the scene where it occurs and taking proactive action, which could be as easy as making a verbal request to refrain from blocking access. This could also be part of Community Service Aids, VOICE volunteers and Neighborhood Watch officials’ duties.

Another shortcoming is the almost total lack of innovative designs or features for cyclists that would enhance safety and efficiency. Things like green bike lanes, designated areas for bikes to wait at intersections (bike boxes), road diets that add bike lanes and more frequent use of shared lane marking, or sharrows, are effective and inexpensive. Except for a few sharrows here and there (Gladiolus Drive at Harlem Heights and St. James City on Pine Island) and one road diet (South Point Boulevard in South Fort Myers) none of the others have yet been used.

As FDOT and our local governments begin implementing their respective Complete Streets policies, there are many opportunities to employ designs and treatments that are well established elsewhere. Along with throttling back overdesign that induces speeding, let’s hope we start to see some innovation on the ground over the next few years. Otherwise we’ll never really be a bicycle-pedestrian friendly community, no matter how many sidewalks and pathways we have. ¦


- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334- 6417.

Friday, September 9, 2016

BikeWalkLee comments on County Commission's proposed transportation plan in the FY 2016-17 budget

 It's budget time again, and BikeWalkLee communicated its comments on the County's proposed 2016-17 budget to the County Commissioners for their consideration during the September public comment period.  Below are highlights of our recommendations, and a link to the complete BWL letter which contains detailed comments and recommendations on each of these four topics, along with a link to the draft detailed CIP.


September 8, 2016
Dear Commissioners:

BikeWalkLee, a coalition working to complete Lee County's streets, works for a balanced multi-modal transportation system that values transportation choice, connectivity, economic opportunity, livable communities, community character, safety, and quality growth.

On September 5, prior to the Sept. 6th public hearing, we sent you our letter with comments on the proposed 2016-17 budget.  On Sept. 6th, we received an email (also sent to the Board) from Assistant County Manager Pete Winton, stating that there was an error in the "Bicycle Pedestrian Facilities" line item in the County's detailed CIP table that he provided to BikeWalkLee for its analysis.  We have now revised our recommendations based on this corrected County information, and are submitting this revised letter for your consideration as you finalize the proposed 2016-17 budget.

Here are the highlights of our recommendations
1. Bike/Ped Facilities
  • Begin planning now for increased investments in bike/ped facilities in next year's five-Year CIP to build on the federal investments of the Lee MPO TIGER Complete Streets Initiative grant.
  • Push for completion of already funded projects in a more expeditious timeframe.
2. CIP Road Projects
  •  Demonstrate your commitment to accelerate the schedule for the completion of the Estero Blvd. Improvement project within the 5-year CIP, by moving the $19.5 million now shown in the outyears (years 6-10) into the 5-Year CIP Plan. The Board's decision to delay the Hickory Bridge projects ($33.8 million originally planned for FY 21-22) to the outyears, means that there are projected revenues available NOW that can be budgeted for the Estero Blvd. project. While the County Manager's memo states the change of the bridge projects "will allow for potential acceleration of Estero Blvd.," without including funds in the 5-year window for this purpose, there is no commitment to accelerate this project.
3. Transit
  • Before next year's budget cycle, develop public transportation options for the growing workforce and projected county population by ensuring (and funding) a robust transit system with frequent and reliable service.
  • In the coming year, implement low-cost and innovative measures to increase ridership, learning from other successful communities.
4. Public participation in budget process
  • Provide complete, accurate, accessible, and timely information to the public on the budget proposals under discussion throughout the budget process.
  • Provide an opportunity for the public to comment during Board workshops on budget issues.
Click here to continue reading BikeWalkLee's letter, which includes details on each of these four topics. Click here to view the County's detailed draft transportation CIP (as of 9/12/16).  Note that it does not yet reflect the BoCC's decision to pay 100% of the cost of the Estero Parkway Project.







Thursday, September 8, 2016

Bike safety on the right path

The News-Press, September 5, 2016
By Craig Handel


Federal program helps keep youth cyclists safe


Bike Expert, Dan Moser, talks about the state of cycling in Lee County. Andrew West/news-press.com

With school back in session, the images of children biking and walking to their classes in the morning are common.

And if you’ve noticed those kids with helmets on, riding in the right lanes or giving proper hand signals, there’s a good chance they’ve taken part in a program called Safe Routes to School.

The Federal program gives money to states and officials decide how to distribute that locally. When Lee County School officials applied for a grant, they received a trailer with 30 free bicycles for students to learn with.

The trailer is portable so it can be taken from school to school where a community educator works with physical education teachers to teach the program. In Lee County that is Mitch Marinack and Debra McBride and in Collier County, that’s Jodi Walburn.

Marinack said last year, he taught at 35 elementary and middle schools. This year the goal is 40. In Lee County, there are 44 elementary and 16 middle schools. He said school officials who email him usually get served first.

“There’s always new information while we also like to make this a refresher course,” Marinack said. “This program is important because this area ranks high in the number of pedestrian and bicycling accidents.”

For this reason, Alexandria Whalen, a professional development leadership specialist in health and physical education in the Lee County School District, said it’s important to educate all students about safety.

"They can use it throughout their lives because we also want to encourage students to be active,” Whalen said. “The kids have a bike rodeo where we set up an obstacle course and they stop and give hand signals.”

“We received one full-time and a part-time person working in the schools because we’ve been recognized in the state as a leader in bike and pedestrian safety.”

Whalen has worked with Dan Moser of BikeWalkLee, who also is a pedestrian and traffic safety consultant. Physical education teachers who want to use the trailer and teach kids have taken an eight-hour course to get certified.

Florida has benchmarks and standards here to ensure youths are receiving various training, depending on their age, according to Whalen.

“I like to train people who’ll work with these kids,” Moser said. “There’s a lot of room for improvement for numbers of people working with kids. But in time, it’ll be very helpful to have two folks on hand because the PE teachers are overwhelmed having to work with 90-100 kids.”

Moser added some teaching also is done with the Saturday morning slow rolls in Fort Myers that focus on day-time, family rides.

“We’re trying to catch brand new riders and go over real basic stuff,” Moser said. “If we can catch them early, they’re not picking up bad habits and they understand the implications if they don’t go by the rules of the road.”

Moser is a huge proponent of everyone wearing helmets, no matter how far they ride. He’s heard countless stories of people who severely cracked helmets after falling, but avoided head and brain injuries.

Whalen said thousands of helmets have been provided to youths through Safe Routes to School.

“It’s important students master these safety tips,” she said.

Monday, September 5, 2016

September 5: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

Happy Labor Day! Here is your upcoming events update for this week and beyond.

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Monday, Sept. 5: Labor Day 5K, starts at 7:30 a.m. at Lowdermilk Park, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Sept. 24: Hispanic Heritage Festival 5K, downtown Fort Myers, 7:30 a.m. (active.com)
  • Saturday, Sept. 24: Run Wild 5K, and 1K kids race. Wear your best wildlife attire, benefits the Conservancy and Naples Zoo. Starts from the Naples Zoo parking lot, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. (gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: Lexington Country Club 5K Run/Walk & Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. To benefit the Regional Cancer Center's Breast Health Center (Lee Memorial Health System). (ftmyerstrackclub.com
  • Saturday, Oct. 1: 2016 Busey Bank Run for Prevention, downtown Fort Myers, 6 p.m. (active.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 8: Cops & Joggers 5K, Centennial Park, Downtown Fort Myers, 7:45 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Fort Myers Police Department Fallen Officer Memorial Fund and the Brotherhood Ride. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 15: 8th annual 10K race 4 FISH (Friends In Service Here). Sanibel Community Park, 2231 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; starts at 7:30 a.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 16: 6th annual Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park, 7 a.m. (eliteevents.org)
  • Saturday, Oct. 22: 8th annual Race The Roof 15K run, 5K run/walk, tot trot. Verandah Community. Proceeds to benefit the Habitat for Humanity, Lee and Hendry Counties. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Oct. 29: "Soup"-er Hero 5K Run/Walk, Gulf Coast Town Center, 7:30 a.m. Benefits Community Cooperative (www.communitycooperative.com)
  • Sunday, Oct. 30: Rocktoberfest 10 Miler & 2x5 Mile Relay, North Collier Regional Park. Includes costume contest, plus rock and roll, plus Octoberfest (eliteevents.org)

Cycling:
  • Friday, Sept. 9: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll out at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Sept. 10: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:15 p.m. for a 7:45 p.m. roll out at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/
  • Saturday, Sept. 24: 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. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Friday, Sept. 30: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. roll-out at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Triathlons:
  • Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 10-11: Galloway Captiva Tri Weekend, kid’s events Saturday (three age groups, not timed), adult sprint Sunday. Limited capacity, open-water swim, closed road course. (captivatri.org). 
  • Saturday, Sept. 24: Siesta Key Sprint Tri (siestakeytriathlon.org)
Plan ahead. Other upcoming area tris include: