Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Growth of low-powered vehicles raises questions about legality

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 1/31/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com


This “official use” cart is legally operating on a
McGregor Boulevard sidewalk in Fort Myers.
DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY
Electric bicycles, or e-bikes, are becoming more common in Southwest Florida. Perhaps because baby boomers are getting “less ambitious” or because of the economics of using them for transportation, there appears to be a decided uptick in availability and use of e-bikes.

But not all e-bikes are the same, either in the way they operate or their legal status.

My transportation safety experience makes clear to me there’s quite a bit of confusion about the legal status of low-powered vehicles in general.

Golf carts and gas-powered bikes such as mopeds are the most misunderstood.

But because there are three distinct classes of e-bikes, their status is and will remain just as confusing — and controversial — as low-powered vehicles proliferate.

In this week’s column I’ll cover vehicles other than e-bikes.

In Florida, mopeds and bikes equipped with a gas engine require a driver’s license, regardless of how small the engine is or its top speed. That goes for any gas-powered vehicle, including pedal-less scooters.

Many people with suspended licenses have had their lives complicated even further by depending on a moped salesperson’s insistence that a 49cc engine that won’t propel the vehicle above 29 mph is legal have found out the hard way that’s not the case, at least in Florida.

Electric golf carts are not allowed to operate on public roads unless special permission has been granted on specific roads, a rarity in Lee County.

There are probably a few more, but the locations I’m aware of that allow golf carts on the roads are Whiskey Creek and part of Captiva Island. Golf carts can also be operated on the shared use path that runs along Shell Point Boulevard and on Boca Grande’s rail-to-trail pathway. Additional restrictions, such as hours of use, can also be attached to any permitted uses. Operators must be at least 14 and golf carts can never be driven on sidewalks (pathways that are less than 10-feet wide and clearly intended for pedestrian traffic).

Regardless of how many golf carts are seen on McGregor Boulevard’s sidewalks and neighborhood streets, the general public may not operate them there. It’s no secret that anyone using a golf cart in the Dunbar, Midtown or most other areas of Fort Myers or Lee County wouldn’t do so for very long before being stopped by law enforcement.

Personally, I like the idea of slow-speed vehicles (including bikes) operating on our neighborhood roads and any streets with speed limits under 40 mph because of their traffic-calming effect.

But the use of motorized vehicles on pathways is not appropriate for a number or safety-related reason.

As for where their illegal use is overlooked, this is a clear example of social inequality in applying the law.

Florida allows golf carts powered by any type of energy source to be converted to Low Speed Vehicles or Neighborhood Electric Vehicles that can operate to at least 20 mph but not above 25 mph. This allows them on public roads that have speed limits no higher than 35. They must be registered and have specific safety equipment such as headlights and turn signals. The operator of a LSV/NEV must have a valid driver’s license and carry insurance. Local jurisdictions may restrict their use by ordinance.

All-terrain vehicles are not allowed on paved public roads but may on unpaved public roads with speed limits of less than 35. Adult operators must hold a valid driver’s license and minors must be “supervised” by a licensed driver. The law specific to ATVs is silent about use on pathways but that’s covered in state law — “No person shall drive a vehicle except by human power on a sidewalk or sidewalk area.” Off-highway vehicles need not be registered and are not required to be insured. Most of the vehicle types being discussed are allowed to be used by government workers and other “official” operators where they’d otherwise be banned.

Next week: The types of e-bikes and some of the issues involved for the operator, other road- and path-way users, governments and law enforcement. ¦

- For running, biking and pedestrian events, and transportation issues, see bikewalklee.blogspot.com.


- 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. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.





Sunday, January 28, 2018

January 29: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Saturday, Feb 3: Strides for Education 5K. Florida SouthWestern State College. Benefits the Take Stock in Children scholarship program (ftmyerstrackclub.com).
  • Saturday, Feb. 3: Lee County Medical Society Foundation Fun Run 5K, 8:45 a.m., Lakes Regional Park, Fort Myers (3dracinginc.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 10: 2018 Cape Coral Rotary Run for the Rose Garden 5K, 7:30 a.m., Rotary Park, Cape Coral (3dracinginc.com)
  • Sunday, Feb. 11: Edison Festival of Light Junior Fun Run, downtown Fort Myers at noon (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 17: Edison Festival of Light 5K, downtown Fort Myers at 5:45 p.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 17: 2018 Babcock Ranch Doggie Dash 5K, 8 a.m., Babcock Ranch (3dracinginc.com)
  • Sunday, Feb. 18: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Lely Resort, Naples (www.paradisehalf.com
  • Saturday, Feb. 24: Swamp Stomp 5K, 7:30 a.m. in Labelle. Benefits Caloosa Humane Society (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 24: Naples High School Golden Eagle Run 5K, 7:30 a.m. (gcrunner.org)
  • Sunday, March 4: 15th annual River, Roots & Ruts Trail Run, half marathon/relay and 5K fun run, 8 a.m., Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, March 10: Shrimp Run 5K, Matanzas Bridge, Fort Myers Beach (active.com)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:
  • Friday, Feb 2: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Friday, Feb. 9: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Feb. 10: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Sunday, Feb. 25: Dirty Hamster 100, gravel/off-road ride through the Babcock-Webb WMA. Complete 4 laps of 25 miles for the century or pick you own distance. Ride multiples of any loop: 25 mile loop, 10 mile loop, or a 10 mile paved section. (caloosariders.org)
  • Saturday-Sunday, March 10-11: 20th annual Royal Palm Challenge, 32- and 42-mile rides both days, starting from Fort Myers Brewing Co. (www.caloosariders.org)
  • 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.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).
Triathlons:

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

John Yarbrough Linear Park (JYLP) Phase IV Feasibility Study and Winkler Canal Shared-Use Path Feasibility Study

All interested parties are invited to attend Monday’s public meeting about the John Yarbrough Linear Park and Winkler Canal Shared-Use Path Feasibility Studies.

Fort Myers, Florida 

The City of Fort Myers will hold a public information workshop on the John Yarbrough Linear Park Phase IV Feasibility Study and Winkler Canal Shared-Use Path Feasibility Study from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (5:30 p .m. presentation) on Monday, January 29, 2018 at the Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 4141 DeLeon Street, Fort Myers, FL, 33901. The City has entered into a Joint Participation Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to undertake two projects described as the John Yarbrough Linear Park Phase IV Feasibility Study and Winkler Canal Shared-Use Path Feasibility Study.


John Yarbrough Linear Park Phase IV Feasibility Study

Located within the City of Fort Myers and unincorporated Lee County, the John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail is an existing, non-motorized transportation and recreation corridor, currently extending approximately six (6) miles, from Six Mile Cypress Parkway to Colonial Boulevard. The City has entered into a Joint Participation Agreement with the FDOT to determine the viability of extending the John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail approximately 1.8 miles north, from Colonial Boulevard to Hanson Street.


Winkler Canal Shared-Use Path Feasibility Study

The City of Fort Myers is seeking to determine the feasibility of constructing a shared-use path between Winkler Canal and the Fort Myers Country Club/Hill Avenue from west of US 41/Cleveland Avenue to McGregor Boulevard. The Feasibility Study will identify right-of-way, concept design, safety, security, maintenance, and environmental issues related to development of a 10-foot wide shared-use path within the project study area.

The workshop is an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the status of the studies. City of Fort Myers staff and the project team will be available to answer your questions about the studies.

If you have questions about the projects or scheduled public workshop, please contact Cella Molnar & Associates, Public Information Consultant for these City of Fort Myers projects at (239) 337-1071 or email to mavola@cella.cc.



Date: Monday, January 29, 2018
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
(5:30 p.m. presentation)
JYLP Phase IV Feasibility Study presentation to begin first and Winkler Canal Shared Use Path Study to follow. 
Place: Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church
4141 DeLeon Street (next to Orangewood Elem. School)
Fort Myers, FL 33901


Monday, January 22, 2018

January 22: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Calusa Bug Chase, 5K run/walk, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon. 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 11th annual run for the Paws 5K Run/Walk, Airport-Pulling Road, Naples (www.gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 2018 Hancock Elementary Snowflake Shuffle 5K and 1-mile fun run, 8 a.m., Hancock Creek Elementary School, North Fort Myers (3dracinginc.com)
  • Saturday, Feb 3: Strides for Education 5K. Florida SouthWestern State College. Benefits the Take Stock in Children scholarship program (ftmyerstrackclub.com).
  • Saturday, Feb. 3: Lee County Medical Society Foundation Fun Run 5K, 8:45 a.m., Lakes Regional Park, Fort Myers (3dracinginc.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 10: 2018 Cape Coral Rotary Run for the Rose Garden 5K, 7:30 a.m., Rotary Park, Cape Coral (3dracinginc.com)
  • Sunday, Feb. 11: Edison Festival of Light Junior Fun Run, downtown Fort Myers at noon (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 17: Edison Festival of Light 5K, downtown Fort Myers at 5:45 p.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 17: 2018 Babcock Ranch Doggie Dash 5K, 8 a.m., Babcock Ranch (3dracinginc.com)
  • Sunday, Feb. 18: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Lely Resort, Naples (www.paradisehalf.com
  • Saturday, Feb. 24: Swamp Stomp 5K, 7:30 a.m. in Labelle. Benefits Caloosa Humane Society (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 24: Naples High School Golden Eagle Run 5K, 7:30 a.m. (gcrunner.org)
  • Sunday, March 4: 15th annual River, Roots & Ruts Trail Run, half marathon/relay and 5K fun run, 8 a.m., Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, March 10: Shrimp Run 5K, Matanzas Bridge, Fort Myers Beach (active.com)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:
  • Friday, Jan. 26: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: Saturday Slow Roll. 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon, 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com) 
  • Friday, Feb 2: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. ()
  • Friday, Feb. 9: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended. ()
  • Saturday, Feb. 10: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. ()
  • Sunday, Feb. 25: Dirty Hamster 100, gravel/off-road ride through the Babcock-Webb WMA. Complete 4 laps of 25 miles for the century or pick you own distance. Ride multiples of any loop: 25 mile loop, 10 mile loop, or a 10 mile paved section. (caloosariders.org)
  • Saturday-Sunday, March 10-11: 20th annual Royal Palm Challenge, 32- and 42-mile rides both days, starting from Fort Myers Brewing Co. (www.caloosariders.org)
  • 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.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).
Triathlons:

Thursday, January 18, 2018

The danger of distraction

BikeWalkLee and News-Press are focusing on the dangers of distracted driving, as the Florida Legislature is in session and considering legislation to address this epidemic.  Below are the recent commentaries and articles on this topic.  Stay tuned for more...and add your voices to the conversation.

1/6/18 News-Press Commentary by BWL's Darla Letourneau: As fatalities surge, no-texting law is No. 1 priority  



BWL Column: Being distracted could result in serious injuries
The News-Press, 1/18/2018

by Ken Gooderham

What are you doing right now – besides reading this?

Are you walking down the sidewalk? Riding your bike around the neighborhood? Driving your vehicle on our area’s overwrought roadways (please say no!)?

None of the above? Good… not that this article should demand your undivided attention, but that doing any other thing – particularly reading – while propelling yourself forward is rarely a great idea.

Most of us would agree that reading the newspaper while driving – or biking or walking – is not smart. So why do so many of us think that texting while driving is OK?

It’s not. It’s dangerous, to you and everyone around you.

pinterest.com
Don’t misunderstand, it’s also dangerous to text while biking or even while walking. It’s just particularly hazardous to be looking at a smartphone screen rather than where you are going when operating a moving two-ton (or more) vehicle.

Let’s face it: Multi-tasking is a myth. Most people cannot (and should not) do more than one thing at a time if they hope to do it well. That’s particularly true for driving, a skill (if you think back to your driver’s ed days) that takes multiple nearly instantaneous decisions to do even moderately well.

However, that’s also true to some degree for cycling and even walking. Riding a bike and using your phone means you’re not paying attention to where you are going nor to what’s going on around you – and you don’t have both hands on the handlebars either. Even walking while texting puts you at risk; looking at the phone instead of looking where you are going is how people walk into telephone poles, walk off piers, walk into other people, walk into traffic or whatever other YouTube-style moment you can think of. (It’s not always funny. Just a few weeks ago, an 11-year-old was hit and killed by a train in Haines City because her headphones blocked out the warning whistles and she was too engrossed in her phone to look up and see the approaching train.)

Doing anything while distracted is risky. Driving (or biking or walking) while distracted is dangerous.

Texting is singled out because it offers the hat trick of distraction, combining visual (looking where you are going), manual (not having your hands on the wheel) and cognitive (not thinking about what you are doing only) distractions.

Traffic experts say that sending or reading a text (which they say takes five seconds) while driving 55 mph means you will travel the length of a football field blind. That’s a lot of yards for something to go wrong… and there are plenty of statistics to show just how wrong it can and does go every year.

Many of you get that. Looking over the Facebook comments received by the News-Press after a BikeWalkLee op-ed was published in support of a proposed law to make texting while driving a primary offense in Florida, and the feeling was strong that such a law is needed – mixed with incredulity that it wasn’t already on the books. (There was also a significant tangent offered on the driving skill-sets of our snowbird drivers, another familiar theme.)

Does knowing that texting behind the wheel is bad stop them from doing it themselves? AAA says no, that 84% of drivers say texting while driving is dangerous but 36% of them do it anyway.

Distractions comes in more modes than just texting. Adjusting the radio (or whatever entertainment mode your vehicle has), disciplining your kids, eating or drinking, taking care of some personal hygiene issues – all this and more can take your attention away from driving your vehicle. If you’re on a bike or on foot, being distracted from your surroundings and your propulsion is also risky – even more so in the vicinity of a distracted driver, an all too common event.

Want to stay safe? Don’t drive (or bike or walk) while distracted. If someone around you is dangerously distracted, either ask them to pay attention to the task at hand or get far, far away from them.

Even though it should take only common sense to stop this instead of a law, laws have to step in when common sense is not so common. So support the effort to make texting while driving a primary offense, meaning someone can be stopped and ticketed if someone in law enforcement sees a driver texting in motion. Right now, it’s a secondary law, meaning a ticket can only be issued when an officer has another reason to pull someone over… say, because they just hit a cyclist or walker while texting.

A boost for Bonita and Estero

Thanks to a strong showing of community support and some local officials taking their case to Tallahassee, the Bonita-Estero Trail segment has been restored to the state’s Greenways and Trails map. That’s the first step to make the trail – which runs along U.S. 41 and Business 41 – a reality somewhere down the road.

The move not only puts this trail back on the map (and eligible for state funding), it helps boost some badly needed bike/ped infrastructure in the southern part of the county while connecting it to the Collier segment of the trail.

Thanks to Bonita Deputy Mayor Peter O’Flinn, Estero Councilmember Nick Batos and Lee MPO director Don Scott for making the case in Tallahassee, and to all the residents who wrote 880 letters in support of this effort.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? This Saturday, try a 5K run/walk as part of the weekend Tour de Cape at Cape Harbour (tourdecape.net). There’s a full schedule on Jan. 27, with 5Ks at the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers, the Civil Air Patrol in Naples and Hancock Elementary School in Cape Coral – plus a half-marathon and 5K at the Hands Across the Harbor in Punta Gorda. Details at ftmyerstrackclub.com, gcrunner.org, 3dracinginc.com and handsacrosstheharbor.com, respectively.

Ride? Choices abound, starting with the venerable Tour de Cape on Sunday with rides of 15, 30, 60 and 100 miles (tourdecape.net). Critical Mass rides upcoming include the Cape night ride on Jan. 26 and the Saturday Slow Roll in Fort Myers Jan. 27 (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/). Jan. 27 also brings Hands Across The Harbor in Punta Gorda, with rides of 13.1, 20 or 30 miles (handsacrosstheharbor.com).

Both? Nothing nearby in the near term, check out trifind.com or active.com for events in the state.


TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

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. 



Dry, cool weather perfect time to take in a hike, bike race or 5K run

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 1/17/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Compared with many other parts of our state, Lee County has a very limited number of unpaved trails that most runners would consider to be long enough to get in a good run. As one would expect, summer rains reduce options even further, so between now and May is the time to get out and enjoy those we do have. While not comprehensive, following is a list of some places you can get in a run, walk or hike among nature as well as a few organized events.

¦ Estero Bay Preserve State Park (www.floridastateparks.org/park/estero-bay) has two locations from which to access miles of trails, one off West Broadway in Estero and the other at the end of Winkler Road in south Fort Myers. It’s quite a unique environment with 16 miles of trails that meander through pine flatwoods, mangroves and tidal salt flats leading to the Estero River. Some trails are completely submerged parts of the year so the best times to visit are typically now through May.
Estero Bay Preserve, Hiking Trail Along Salt Flats (floridastateparks.org)

¦ Lovers Key State Park (www.floridastateparks.org/park/Lovers-Key) offers the best of all worlds, with a top-notch beach and a seven-mile long network of outstanding trails. It’s located on the causeway between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach.

Billy Creek Preserve (leegov.com)
¦ Lee County’s 2020 Program includes a number of preserves and conservation properties that offer miles of trails. Some of them are Prairie Pines Preserve and Pop Ash Creek Preserve in North Fort Myers, Hickey Creek Mitigation Park in Alva, Matanzas Pass Preserve on Fort Myers Beach, and many others. You’ll find a complete list with details of each at www.leegov.com/conservation2020/preserves.

¦ Lee County Parks & Rec (www.leegov.com/parks) also manages more traditional parks that include those with running and hiking opportunities. One of the best is Alva’s Caloosahatchee Regional Park which is home to over five miles of beautiful trails on the riverside of the park that are open to foot traffic only and over 15 miles of bike and horse trails across North River Road that are also open to runners and hikers. When running or hiking on the latter, always keep in mind their primary uses.

Here are some organized trail running events (walkers welcome in most).

¦ Saturday, Jan. 20, is a first-time event that trail running enthusiasts will enjoy while also learning about a hidden gem of a place and a proposed project to make that place more accessible. The Wings over Water Festival 5K (www.wingsoverwaterfestival.com) is intended to provide the public with an opportunity to see what Harns Marsh in Lehigh Acres has to offer.

Lehigh Acres Trailhead Park (Lee County Parks & Rec)
The 5K run and walk is also being touted as the reincarnation of one of our area’s oldest races that had been part of the Lehigh Spring Fest for over 40 years. The corresponding project mentioned is a trail proposed by FDOT that will connect Lehigh Acres Trailhead Park to Lehigh Acres Community Park and Harns Marsh, allowing residents and visitors to bike or walk between these popular destinations. This 5.5 mile paved shared-use pathway would be a natural extension of what’s been envisioned since Lee County Parks and Recreation Department purchased an abandoned golf course and turned it into Lehigh Acres Trailhead Park, which opened almost five years ago.

Trailhead Park currently includes a halfmile paved shared-use pathway that encircles a three-acre replicated prairie which will function as the literal trailhead for a greenway corridor along Able Canal, with the first section of the greenway to connect Lehigh Acres Trailhead Park to Lehigh Acres Community Park and Harns Marsh.

¦ Saturday, Jan. 27, the annual Calusa Bug Chase 5K (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com) takes place at the Calusa Nature Center. While not completely on unpaved surfaces, it’s still a good opportunity to experience what the Nature Center has to offer.

¦ Rescheduled to March 4 from its usual January date due to Hurricane Irma, the best trail run anywhere in Florida (at least in my opinion) takes place within Caloosahatchee Regional Park. River, Roots and Ruts Half Marathon includes the very challenging mountain bike trails while the 5K stays on the more friendly paths on the river side of the park (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com).

¦ On May 12, Lovers Key State Park (previously mentioned) is the venue for Turtle Trot 5K. Info can be found at www.ftmyerstrackclub.com and www.friendsofloverskey.org.

¦ Summer brings the annual 3D Cross Country 5K. This Estero race has become a popular tradition that usually occurs on the first Saturday of September (www.facebook.com/3drunningclub).

¦ Finally, a reminder to both runners and cyclists that the Tour de Cape (www.tourdecape.net) takes place with a 5K run on Saturday, Jan. 20, and supported bike rides of distances from 15 to 100 miles happening on Sunday, Jan. 21.

For more about these places, events, and other matters that affect all of us who venture outdoors for transportation, fitness and fun be sure to check out BikeWalkLee at bikewalklee.blogspot.com.





- 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. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.





Monday, January 15, 2018

Bonita-Estero Trail segment restored to FL Greenways and Trails Map

All the hard work to get the Bonita-Estero Trail segment restored to the Florida Greenways and Trails Map paid off.  On Jan. 11th the Florida Greenways and Trails Board, part of Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and its Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT), met to make final decisions on what to include in the FL Greenways and Trails Plan Maps, and voted to restore the Bonita-Estero Trail, based on the strong community support.  Why is this important? Because being a "Priority Trail" gives you priority for SUN Trail funds. Below is the Estero Council of Community Leaders News (1/15/18), with thank you's posted from ECCL, the Lee MPO, and BikeWalkLee.  A special thanks to Bonita Deputy Mayor, Peter O'Flinn, Estero Village Council member, Nick Batos, and Don Scott, Lee MPO Executive Director, for their leadership, AND thanks to all the residents and advocates who sent letters in support. YOU made a difference!



Background
Since BikeWalkLee's inception in 2009, it has been a strong supporter of the vision of a connected and integrated statewide trail system throughout Florida. [BWL 2016 Letter ] While a statewide trail map was developed in 1998, the initiative gained momentum beginning in 2014 when the State Legislature provided annual funding ($25 M/year) for the SUN Trail program that uses the Florida Greenways and Trails Plan and maps to prioritize funding for the system. This Plan and maps (last updated in 2015) will guide implementation of the connected statewide trail system from 2018 through 2022. Since 2015, the Lee MPO has proposed several new segments for the trail, which need to be incorporated into the updated maps.

The revised statewide trail maps contained in the draft FGTS update, released in September 2017, deleted the Seminole Gulf Railroad right of way corridor between Bonita Springs and Estero that has been on the FGTS map since the beginning as the primary spine for the Southwest Coast Connector (aka Gulf Coast Trail) in Lee County.  


Sunday, January 14, 2018

January 15: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

Cycling:

  • Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 20-21: Tour de Cape. 5K run/walk and 3-mile kid’s ride Saturday, rides of 15-, 30-, 60- and 100-miles Sunday. All based at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral (www.tourdecape.net)
  • Friday, Jan. 26: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: Saturday Slow Roll. 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon, 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com) 
  • Sunday, Feb. 25: Dirty Hamster 100, gravel/off-road ride through the Babcock-Webb WMA. Complete 4 laps of 25 miles for the century or pick you own distance. Ride multiples of any loop: 25 mile loop, 10 mile loop, or a 10 mile paved section. (caloosariders.org)
  • Saturday-Sunday, March 10-11: 20th annual Royal Palm Challenge, 32- and 42-mile rides both days, starting from Fort Myers Brewing Co. (www.caloosariders.org)
  • 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.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).
Triathlons:

Monday, January 8, 2018

January 8: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Sunday, Jan. 14: Naples Daily News Half Marathon, Old Naples (gcrunner.org).
  • Friday-Saturday, Jan 19-20: Wings Over Water Festival. Guided walk through Harns Marsh. 8 a.m., Harns Marsh, Lehigh Acres. Admission is free. (wingsoverwaterfestival.com/WOWJan20/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 20: Wings Over Water Festival 5K Nature Run, 7.45 a.m., Harns Marsh, Lehigh Acres. Registration required (wingsoverwaterfestival.com/wings-over-water-festival-5k-nature-run/)
  • Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 20-21: Tour de Cape. 5K run/walk and 3-mile kid’s ride Saturday, rides of 15-, 30-, 60- and 100-miles Sunday. All based at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral (www.tourdecape.net)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Calusa Bug Chase, 5K run/walk, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon. 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 11th annual run for the Paws 5K Run/Walk, Airport-Pulling Road, Naples (www.gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 2018 Hancock Elementary Snowflake Shuffle 5K and 1-mile fun run, 8 a.m., Hancock Creek Elementary School, North Fort Myers (3dracinginc.com)
  • Saturday, Feb 3: Strides for Education 5K. Florida SouthWestern State College. Benefits the Take Stock in Children scholarship program (ftmyerstrackclub.com).
  • Saturday, Feb. 3: Lee County Medical Society Foundation Fun Run 5K, 8:45 a.m., Lakes Regional Park, Fort Myers (3dracinginc.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 10: 2018 Cape Coral Rotary Run for the Rose Garden 5K, 7:30 a.m., Rotary Park, Cape Coral (3dracinginc.com)
  • Sunday, Feb. 11: Edison Festival of Light Junior Fun Run, downtown Fort Myers at noon (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 17: Edison Festival of Light 5K, downtown Fort Myers at 5:45 p.m. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Saturday, Feb. 17: 2018 Babcock Ranch Doggie Dash 5K, 8 a.m., Babcock Ranch (3dracinginc.com)
  • Sunday, Feb. 18: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Lely Resort, Naples (www.paradisehalf.com)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:
  • SWFL Critical Mass Second Saturdays on Sanibel
    Friday, Jan. 12: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 13: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7:30 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) 
  • Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 20-21: Tour de Cape. 5K run/walk and 3-mile kid’s ride Saturday, rides of 15-, 30-, 60- and 100-miles Sunday. All based at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral (www.tourdecape.net)
  • Friday, Jan. 26: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m. at 4706 SE 11th Place for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: Saturday Slow Roll. 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)
  • Saturday, Jan. 27: 10th annual Hands Across The Harbor half marathon, 5K run/walk, and bike rides of 13.1-, 20- or 30-miles. (www.handsacrosstheharbor.com) 
  • Sunday, Feb. 25: Dirty Hamster 100, gravel/off-road ride through the Babcock-Webb WMA. Complete 4 laps of 25 miles for the century or pick you own distance. Ride multiples of any loop: 25 mile loop, 10 mile loop, or a 10 mile paved section. (caloosariders.org)
  • Saturday-Sunday, March 10-11: 20th annual Royal Palm Challenge, 32- and 42-mile rides both days, starting from Fort Myers Brewing Co. (www.caloosariders.org)
  • 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.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).
Triathlons:

What is fitness?

BWL Column
The News-Press, 1/4/2018
by Ken Gooderham

A new year can bring new resolve, perhaps to be a better person or at least to be a fitter one. Addressing the former is well above my pay grade, but working toward the latter is something about which there are insights to be shared.

First, fitness is a matter of routine, finding something you enjoy doing and will make a (habitual) part of your daily life.

As many have shared, fitness is not a destination but a process – and a crucial component of that process is regular ongoing activity. What that activity needs to be is based on your fitness goals, but it’s also based on your fitness feelings – meaning finding something (or some combination of things) you will do regularly and that will help you accomplish your goals.

If you want to get stronger, lift weights. If you want to get leaner, aerobic exercise is key. Is flexibility your target? Try yoga. Want a little bit of each? Then do a little of each – a good way to stay engaged and to avoid overuse of certain body parts to their eventual detriment.

You also need to look for things that are easy for you to do (almost) every day. That’s why we bring up biking, walking and running so often… activities that can be incorporated easily into your daily life, on your schedule and as part of other pursuits. (They also work well for where you live, at least in terms of weather if not always in terms of facilities.)

But some people need other motivators to get (and keep) them moving. They need to join a gym, let’s say, particularly one that’s close to either work or home, and one that has a variety of activities to keep things interesting. They may need to sign up for classes or coaching, working to get better at a specific task or practice via a commitment of time and money. Or they may need to find someone else with which to share their fitness pursuit, knowing that having someone who’s depending on you will boost your motivation and (maybe) combat boredom.

Second, you need to decide what fitness is to you before you can get there.

For some, fitness is a body image… muscular or slender, sculpted abs or bulging biceps. For others, fitness is a physical ability… able to run 5 miles or cycle a century, the strength to lift a certain amount of weight or the flexibility and focus to excel at yoga.

Some equate fitness with wellness, the ability to avoid disease to enjoy life with fewer aches and pains. Others see fitness as a state of being, some combination of mental and physical equilibrium that stays in one’s individual “sweet spot.”

All of these definitions can be correct… the key is to determine which one is the target for you. That will better define how you pursue fitness.

Being physically fit typically encompasses five components:
    • Cardiorespiratory endurance
    • Muscular endurance
    • Muscular strength
    • Flexibility
    • Body composition

So, while all of these are part of fitness, your view of what makes someone fit may focus more on one than the others. It helps to know that going in. That list is also a good reminder that fitness is not just one of these attributes, but a combination of them all… so the bulky body builder who can’t climb a flight of stairs or reasonably bend over is not “fit” by the usual measures.

Third, you need to know what motivates you to do something – and what does not motivate or, worse, has the opposite effect.

Let’s consider the currently faddish fitness trackers: Some people swear by them, others swear at them. If you like data and need daily goals, they can be great motivators to keep you moving (at least until you hit your target for that day). However, studies have shown that failing to make those goals can actually discourage people from even trying, or can undermine fitness efforts if the tracker’s purpose is not understood by the user (it measures movement, not your entire fitness regimen).

Then there’s the frustration many have with the technology itself, finding it too complicated or cumbersome to be an effective part of their routine. You also need to check that the tracker even tracks all the activities you want to measure; some models fail miserably at monitoring things such as cycling or swimming.

All of this is not meant to discourage you from working to be more fit – quite the opposite. Making the right choices early improves your chances for success and for sticking with a fitness practice that can work for you for the long haul.

Seniors, take a survey!

Carol Kachadoorian, a transportation planner with Toole Design Group, is doing research on seniors who cycle. She has launched a survey is for cyclists 50 years and older, which includes an option to complete an online journal of two cycling trips.

The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.  It will remain open for several months in order to get the greatest number of responses. Go to https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3879293/Active-Seniors-Cycling-Survey to take the survey.



TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

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. 



Thursday, January 4, 2018

BWL urges Lee Legislative Delegation to strengthen FL laws re: distracted driving

As the 2018 Florida Legislative session begins on January 9th, BikeWalkLee sent a letter to the Lee Legislative Delegation urging them to support legislation to strengthen laws against distracted driving, including passage this year of a bill (HB 33) to make texting while driving a primary offense. Add your voices by contacting members of the delegation.  
1/8/18 Update:  News-Press printed BWL's letter as on op ed in the Jan. 8th edition: "As fatalities surge, we urge strong no texting while driving law", by Darla Letourneau on behalf of BWL


1/10/18 Update: Good news...on Jan. 9th, the Florida House Transportation Committee unanimously approved SB 90 (companion bill to HB 33).  See News-Press article: Tougher texting-while-driving ban moves in Florida house, 1/10/18.



  January 4, 2018
Members of Lee County Legislative Delegation:

BikeWalkLee, a coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County, has long urged the Legislature to improve the safety of all road users in Florida.  In particular, our top legislative priority for the past five years has been passing a bill to strengthen Florida's laws dealing with distracted driving, in particular the weak “texting while driving” law.  As the 2018 legislative session begins, we urge you to strengthen roadway safety laws to address the growing dangers of distracted driving.  Specifically, we request that you co-sponsor the pending bill (HB 33) that would make texting while driving a primary offense.

Across the nation, overall traffic fatalities have surged in the past three years.  In Florida, traffic fatalities climbed by 21% between 2014 and 2016.  In Lee County, fatal traffic crashes increased much faster – 30% during the same two-year period, and to 43% during 2014 to 2017 (from preliminary 2017 data).  According to the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were almost 50,000 crashes involving distracted driving in Florida in 2016, and these crashes accounted for more than 3,500 serious injuries and 233 deaths.

Most experts agree that the primary cause of the surge in traffic fatalities is distracted driving, increasingly caused by the use of smartphones and internet apps.  According to the recent national “Safe Driving Report: 2016-2017” (issued by the insurance firm EverQuote Inc.), Florida ranked the second-worst state for distracted driving.

Recent studies show there is a relationship between individual state roadway safety rankings and that state’s driver safety laws and enforcement of those laws. While Florida is one of the most dangerous state in the country for road users, it ranks as the seventh worst state for driver safety laws (2016 study by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety). While the Legislature finally adopted a “texting while driving” ban in 2012, it was a weak bill and only a first step in addressing this growing epidemic.  Florida is one of only four states that doesn't make texting while driving a primary offense.  Clearly, one of the reasons Florida's traffic fatalities are among the highest in the nation is that it has very weak driver safety laws in place. 

Florida's alarming increase in traffic fatalities is not only a concern for driver safety, it is of particular concern for vulnerable road users -- pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists -- who are at the greatest risk when drivers take their eyes off the road.  The national 2016 “Dangerous by Design” report ranked Florida as the most dangerous state in the country for pedestrians, and eight of the most dangerous metro areas in the U.S. are in Florida, with Lee County being ranked the most dangerous in the country!

This is a crisis that can no longer be ignored by the state of Florida.

It is critically important that the Legislature take action this year to address the growing dangers presented by the use of electronic devices while driving.  At a minimum, the Legislature must strengthen its current texting law so that texting while driving is made a primary offense.  In previous legislative sessions, bills have been introduced which made texting while driving a primary offense, doubled the fines, and provided enhanced penalties for violations when committed in a school zone or school crossing. However, in each of the past five years, the Legislature failed to take any action to strengthen its weak anti-texting law, and took no action to address the broader causes of distracted driving. 
 
For the 2018 session of the Legislature, a bill has already been introduced (HB 33) that would make texting while driving a primary offense.  We urge the Lee delegation to support HB 33 and work to ensure that the bill is enacted this year.  In addition, we encourage the Lee County Delegation to play a leadership role in pressing the Legislature to go beyond this texting bill and address more comprehensively the growing epidemic of distracted driving.

Thank you for your support. 
     /s/
Darla Letourneau
on behalf of BikeWalkLee

cc: Lee MPO Members

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

The highs and lows for outdoors activities during 2017

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 1/3/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Plenty happened in 2017 that impacts those of us who spend a lot of time outdoors - some good and some bad.

¦ Hurricane Irma brought its wrath to our area with a direct hit, creating problems for many months after its passing, including in our parks and on our pathways. As with any impactful event like Irma some good comes with the bad. Neighbors helped neighbors, strangers helped strangers, and public safety personnel went above and beyond the call of duty. One group of volunteers whom I feel deserve to be recognized for the heavy lifting they’ve done - and continue to do - to reopen Caloosahatchee Regional Park’s many miles of mountain bike trails, is the Florida Mudcutters. They were ready to get to work well before Lee County Parks and Rec would allow them to do so for safety reasons and continued to chomp at the bit while awaiting permission to take on what is a difficult task after a normal summer, never mind post-hurricane. Anyone who enjoys the challenging single-track trails at CRP should be grateful to this outstanding corps of volunteers, the same group who built the trails in the first place.

Trail in Caloosahatchee Regional Park (Photo: news-press.com)


¦ The hurricane also brought to light some very weak elements of the various governments’ recovery processes which, in general, was admirable. However, in too many cases bike paths, sidewalks, and even some bike lanes along roads and highways much too busy for most non-motorists to attempt to “share” with drivers, were left blocked by debris well after what can be considered a reasonable time period. This resulted in unnecessarily hazardous situations and denial of access for pedestrians - including those with disabilities - and bicyclists. For example, the Summerlin Road pathway along the Whiskey Creek wall was inaccessible for over a month because of three or four piles of downed trees that were quite obvious to any government official driving by. Hopefully, when another storm creates similar access and safety problems for non-motorists, our governments will put pathway on the same priority level as the roads they run adjacent to.

¦ Just like the classic movie “Groundhog Day,” missed opportunities by the city of Fort Myers to improve its walking and bicycling environment occur over and over, and 2017 was no exception. One of the main misses this time involves the city’s signature roadway, McGregor Boulevard. Over 20 years after blowing the first chance to either widen the sidewalks to shared use width or add bike lanes, they did it again. When FDOT “improved” McGregor in the mid-1990s before giving it over to Fort Myers, the city could have pitched in dollars to make either or both of those improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists, but it chose not to. (Ironically, it was illegal to ride a bike on sidewalks at that time so rather than make necessary improvements they simply changed the law.) This time, after convincing FDOT that it did a poor job on the storm water infrastructure back in the 90s, they were awarded enough money to redo that element of McGregor. That prompted a number of us to lobby the city to add some of its own funds to do what should have been done two decades earlier - widen sidepaths or remove all medians - but officials declined, crying poor. Interestingly, they somehow came up with money to add more medians - the very features that make cycling on the road a non-starter for most people (you rarely see anyone riding in the travel lanes of McGregor). After finally caving in to a cry for public input on the matter they held a McGregor Landscape Medians Public Workshop in November. But before even considering the results they began reconstructing the medians that had existed before work began. To this day I have no idea what the outcome of the workshop is nor have I been able to get answers from the city. In terms of Fort Myers missing opportunities, failing to listen to its citizens, and making poor decisions in general, I don’t expect 2018 to be any different than it’s been for decades.

¦ On a positive note, there’s Sanibel Island. I admit to sometimes coming down hard on the city of Sanibel, usually for the way cyclists using the roads are treated. But it should also be commended for its commitment to continually improving the extensive pathway network and, in 2017, for making that network a high priority for reopening after Hurricane Irma.

¦ Finally, Lee County’s purchase of Edison Farms is a major positive event for our area, a decision that puts an end to the possibility of the almost 4,000- acre property being developed. It would be great if walking, running and biking trails are part of the plan but even if that’s not in the cards it’s a win all around. At the very least, the historic flooding that occurred in 2017 won’t be added to by additional development and the land will instead serve important environmental, water quality and storm water management purposes. ¦

- 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. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.