BikeWalkLee's local representatives, including new reps in Cape Coral and FGCU

BikeWalkLee welcomes two new local representatives-- Cape Coral rep, Nick Dekker; and FGCU rep, Diane Odeh. Thanks to our outgoing Cape rep, Steve Chupack, for his terrific work these past five years. Thanks to all seven of BWL's local reps for keeping our network informed and involved in what's happening around the county.

Background
BikeWalkLee has been involved in advocacy on a countywide basis, participating in Lee County MPO meetings and committees, and in the Board of County Commission committees and hearings. While the majority of transportation decisions that affect bike/ped/transit facilities and complete streets policies are made in these two bodies, the local jurisdictions (Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and the new Village of Estero) also make bike/ped decisions on their local roads as well as influence decisions on county maintained roads. In the past couple of years, the cities have played a leadership role in implementing complete streets and focusing on bike/ped safety in their local jurisdictions.

Beginning in 2011, BikeWalkLee designated local representatives in each jurisdiction. Click here to the updated list and bios of our local representatives. These individuals serve as our “point persons” who lead the local advocacy efforts and keep the BWL network informed about what’s happening in their jurisdiction. Great things are happening in the local jurisdictions and our local representatives are in the thick of things.

New Local Representatives
Cape Coral Representative:  Nick Dekker grew up in the Netherlands. He is a graduate of the University of Groningen and has been living in Lee County since 2009. He runs a small IT security and Web consultancy firm and has been a consultant in the IT field for years. In earlier life he was a driving instructor in the Netherlands.

Nick Dekker

 His work and private life makes him a frequent visitor of Europe where he has witnessed many improvements in city infrastructure over the last decades. Nick grew up riding bicycles and he tries to continue this lifestyle in Florida. He has a strong commitment to improving safety for vulnerable road users and creating a livable community, and is also a member of the Cape Coral Bike-Ped team.  

FGCU Representative: Diane Odeh is a program assistant at FGCU and a graduate student in the University's Masters of Public Administration program. She has lived in Fort Myers since 2011. Prior to that, she lived in Ithaca, New York. Diane holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Oklahoma State University. Her research interests include mechanisms of empowerment, equity, and human capital in communities. She is a life-long walker and has a personal passion for ensuring safer communities.

Diane Odeh

A special thanks from the BikeWalkLee team to Steve Chupack, who has been a terrific Cape Coral rep for the past five years.  He played a key role in bringing new bike lanes to the Cape, launched the first annual Bicycle Safety Rodeo for students, and helped launch the Cape Coral Bike-Ped group (CCBP), which is doing great things in the Cape.

Steve Chupack

Here's the full list of our representatives:
 Bonita Springs:       Sarah Baker
 Cape Coral:             Nick Dekker

 Estero:                     Doug Saxton

 Fort Myers:             Dan Moser

 Fort Myers Beach:  Bruce Butcher
 Sanibel:                  Tom Sharbaugh
 FGCU:                    Diane Odeh

Click here for bios and contact information on our local reps.

So, if you live in one of these jurisdictions and want to get involved or have questions, contact our representative for that area.

 Report by Darla Letourneau

Estero citizens press for bike/ped facilities on Estero Parkway

Pressure is mounting in Estero for the County to fund the BPAC-recommended shared use path project for Estero Parkway.  Below are four stories in the media (2 NBC-2 News, one WINK News  and a Naples Daily News story) over the weekend about this project. Thanks to our Estero rep, Doug Saxton, for taking the lead on this project for BikeWalkLee.

At Friday's Estero Village Council workshop  and again at Monday's ECCL Transportation Committee meeting, citizens, including BikeWalkLee's Estero rep Doug Saxton, spoke about the need for a shared use path on Estero Parkway, a project that is ranked at the top of the County's BPAC recommended bike/ped funding priorities list.  While Estero Parkway is located in Estero, it is a county-managed roadway and as such, the County should pay for this project, as it does for other county-managed roads in other jurisdictions. In February, BPAC recommended that BoCC increase funding for retrofit projects to $2 M/year (more than double the current funding level), a request supported by BikeWalkLee.  If BoCC were to approve BPAC's request for $2 million/year, there would be funds available for the Estero Parkway project.

WINK News, July 13th: Push to make Estero Parkway safer

WINK News, July 13th: Push to make Estero Parkway safer

 http://www.winknews.com/2015/07/13/push-to-make-estero-parkway-safer/

• By Megan Contreras 

ESTERO, Fla.- There is a push to make Estero Parkway safer for runners, walkers and bicyclists.
“We are trying to create bikeable and walkable community,” said Doug Saxton with BikeWalkLee.
Saxton knows firsthand how unsafe Estero Parkway can be.

“When I go from my daily run and I have to leave the sidewalk area, I have to go on that very small shoulder. The cars are zipping by you 45 plus and it’s definitely a concern,” Saxton told WINK News.

A sidewalk along the parkway ends with no warning, putting the bicyclist and or pedestrians on a tiny piece of road along a very busy street.

“It’s unfortunate that in order to live a healthy lifestyle, you have to take some risks,” said Saxton.
Saxton is worried with a new Wal-Mart opening soon and students returning to Florida Gulf Coast University this fall, the area will become even more dangerous.

Saxton is talking with Lee County about adding bike lanes and wider sidewalks. But, it will cost more than $1 million and the questions remain, who will pay for it and when will construction start?

“Right now, Estero parkway is high on that list, but they are unfunded.”

People in Estero will find out when the sidewalk and bike project will be in the works in September. That’s when Lee County finalizes its five year Capital Improvement Plan

NBC-2 News: Concerns grow about sidewalks near new Estero Walmart

Jul 12, 2015 7:38 PM EST

By David Hodges, Collier County reporter

NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral

ESTERO, FL -While residents are looking forward to the convenience of a new Walmart on US-41 and Estero Parkway, some worry the lack of sidewalks might create a dangerous situation.

"I'm a walking fanatic," Amy Spoerl said taking a stroll down Estero Parkway.

Spoerl's walk has to end or continue on the grass or road after just a couple miles. The sidewalk ends on the south side of the road right at the railroad crossing. It's not the only place where the sidewalk cuts off on that road.

"Sometimes I would have to go out on the road. It depends on what the grass is like. Has it been mowed lately? Did it rain a whole bunch? I don't know," Spoerl said.

Spoerl says the one thing for sure is that it's not the safest place to walk.

"I'm only a couple of feet away from cars traveling in excess of 45-50 miles per hour, so it's a little unnerving," BikeWalkLee representative Doug Saxton said.

Lee County has already seen 11 pedestrians and three bikers die in crashes in 2015.

Saxton says the real problem might surface when the Walmart opens later this summer and FGCU is back in session. Estero Parkway is the road that connects the two hubs.

"There's going to be a huge increase in traffic here," Saxton said.

Saxton recently approached the Lee County Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee about the need for a mixed-use path on the parkway.

BPAC has the project high on their priority list, but it's currently unfunded.

BPAC is asking Lee County Commissioners for a bump in their budget to help tackle several projects. The advisory members sent a letter requesting $2 million in funding. Current funding is around $750,000 a year.

The debate over who pays for the project is not over yet. Estero council members are courting Lee County to pay for several road and sidewalk projects. The two parties still haven't decided who will maintain Estero Parkway in the future.

In the meantime, Saxton says he'll just keep being careful about where he's walking.

"For now everybody really has to be careful about what they're doing," Saxton said.

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/29522418/estero-residents-want-lee-co-to-pay-for-new-bike-paths#.VaA_EPl-f5w

NBC-2 News: Estero residents want Lee Co. to pay for new bike paths

 Jul 10, 2015 5:48 PM EST

By Brittany Weiner, Reporter

NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral

ESTERO, FL -

Lee County is considered one of the deadliest in Florida for bicyclists and pedestrians. There have been more than 280 crashes so far this year. Fourteen of them were fatal. 

Estero residents have tasked their newly formed council to step up a safety on the roads. 

Many sidewalks in Estero don't connect.  Once you get to a point, you either have to go through grass or onto the busy road. 

When you live in a place where it's always summer, getting around on foot or by bike is always an option.

"The older we get, the more active we get," said Estero resident Adele Amico. 

"If everybody has their own space on the road, then we're all safe," said Doug Saxton with Bike Walk Lee. 

Doug Saxton is a representative for the safety advocacy group - Bike Walk Lee.  He says that space can be hard to find in Estero. 

"Parts of my run are on the shoulder of road literally feet from the cars," said Saxton.

There is a lack of sidewalks and bike paths, and many of them don't connect. 

"The tarred area stops, and then all of the sudden, you decided should I continue or I better turn around right now," said Amico. 

Residents asked the Village of Estero council to put safety on the top of its to-do list.

"We'd like to have a shared-use path; which is a wider sidewalk that will allow for bicyclists, runners, strollers or whatever it is to come and go safely," said Saxton.

Many people think Lee County should foot the bill for these improvements. 

"I think the county should be responsible because it is a county road.  It's an issue that happened prior to us becoming a city," said Amico.

"It shouldn't be taken over by the village until the conditions that are there are eliminated," said Estero resident Bill Williams.  

Councilors plan to put pedestrian and bike safety on the agenda for their September 3rd regular meeting.  


http://www.naplesnews.com/news/local-government/push-on-for-sidewalks-along-estero-parkway_50349221

Naples Daily News, July 10, 2015: Push on for sidewalks along Estero Parkway
By Maryann Batlle

Photo submitted to NDN by Bill Williams

A road that leads to Estero’s soon-to-be-open Walmart needs sidewalks, the village council said Friday, but Lee County should probably pay for them.

Mayor Nick Batos said residents should support the council’s negotiations with the county instead of breaking off into lobbying factions.

“Everybody has the opportunity and the right to have discussion and bring up their idea,” Batos said. “If we don’t consolidate our efforts in one path, then we (can) confuse the issue.”

Two residents who spoke during a Friday council workshop asked the village to endorse community-led efforts to twist the county’s arm on the Estero Parkway issue. They brought up their concerns as the village council debated how best to prioritize capital improvement projects such as median beautification, road paving and, yes, sidewalks.

Bill Williams, who said he is a retired city manager, gave the village councilors packets of research with aerial photos taken from someone’s private photography drone. Williams is the head of an Estero volunteer citizens’ transportation committee that met Tuesday for the first time.

The looming grand opening of Walmart on Estero Parkway’s U.S. 41 corner is bringing the problem to a head, Williams said.

“We believe Lee County should step up,” Williams said. “Estero Parkway today is rapidly becoming a busy arterial. We need sidewalks.”

The drone aerial images show that weathered strips of concrete line the south side of Estero Parkway, in front of the Cascades gated community. The sidewalk ends long before Three Oaks Parkway to the east.

The north side of Estero Parkway also has sidewalk gaps. There is no sidewalk from the Osprey Cove community to the Walmart Supercenter under construction on U.S. 41.

Lee County estimates that building sidewalks on Estero Parkway would cost about $1.3 million, said Batos.
County officials have told Estero that the sidewalk project is a No. 1 priority, but Lee lacks funding to start construction, said Batos.

After the sidewalk discussion and a short break, Estero’s village council crunched numbers during its first budget workshop.

Revised budget figures show Estero is expected to bring in $10.9 million in revenue, interim Village Manager Peter Lombardi said.

He recommends that Estero keeps its property tax rate at .84 cents per every $1,000 of taxable value. Though the rate would stay flat, the proposal is tantamount to a tax increase because village property values are on the rise.

The council can cut expenses by lowering village employees’ salaries and benefits, said Estero resident Adele Amico.

“I think we need to start coming in line with reality,” Amico said.

BikeWalkLee's new Estero representatives

BikeWalkLee is excited to announce that we have BWL reps in the newly incorporated Village of Estero. We've been working with the Estero community through the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) since our inception, so we have a good foundation in that community, but its great to have local citizens who are now going to represent us in the new 6th municipality in Lee County.

Thanks to all of BWL's local reps for keeping our network informed and involved in what's happening around the county.

Background

BikeWalkLee has been involved in advocacy on a countywide basis, participating in Lee County MPO meetings and committees, and in the Board of County Commission committees and hearings. While the majority of transportation decisions that affect bike/ped/transit facilities and complete streets policies are made in these two bodies, the local jurisdictions (Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and the new Village of Estero) also make bike/ped decisions on their local roads as well as influence decisions on county maintained roads. In the past couple of years, the cities have played a leadership role in implementing complete streets and focusing on bike/ped safety in their local jurisdictions.

Beginning in 2011, BikeWalkLee designated local representatives in each jurisdiction. Click here to the updated list and bios of our local representatives. These individuals serve as our “point persons” who lead the local advocacy efforts and keep the BWL network informed about what’s happening in their jurisdiction. Great things are happening in the local jurisdictions and our local representatives are in the thick of things.

New Estero Representatives

We're pleased to announce that that we have a new "Team Estero" for the recently incorporated Village of Estero--Doug Saxton and Tom Barber, with Doug being the lead point person. Thanks to our long-time supporter organization, the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL). for helping us identify Estero citizens interested in becoming involved with BikeWalkLee.

Below are bios of "Team Estero":
Doug Saxton is BikeWalkLee's lead rep in the new Village of Estero, which incorporated in November 2014. Doug moved to Estero in 2013 from Connecticut after retiring from Pratt and Whitney where he managed the assembly of the some of the most technologically advanced Military Jet Engines in the world. Upon Doug’s retirement, he and his wife wanted to get away from the New England winters and chose Estero based on the weather and the look and feel of paradise. In CT, Doug volunteered for the United Way and Rotary and was a youth coach in many sports including baseball and hockey. Since moving to Estero, he has been active in his Condo Association having served on the board and several committees. He represents his condo association at the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL). He also volunteers at the Café of Life in Bonita Springs. Doug enjoys running and would like to bike a lot more than he presently does. He believes in living an active lifestyle and joined BikeWalkLee's team after reading about the positive effects this group has had various communities.

Tom Barber is part of BikeWalkLee's new Estero rep team. He is a project manager at Agnoli, Barber and Brundage, Inc., a civil engineering firm based in Naples. Tom grew up in Bonita Springs and has lived in Estero for the past ten years. He is in his sixth year on the Bonita Springs YMCA Board of Directors. Tom has coached youth basketball and soccer at the Naples and Bonita Springs YMCA’s for the past eight years. Prior to moving back to southwest Florida Tom earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He is the proud father of three young girls and hopes to create safer opportunities for them to bike, walk and run in their local community. He and his family enjoy being outdoors particularly camping, biking and kayaking.

Here's the full list of our representatives:

• Bonita Springs: Sarah Baker
• Cape Coral: Steve Chupack
• Estero: Doug Saxton with Tom Barber
• Fort Myers: Ann Pierce
• Fort Myers Beach: Bruce Butcher
• Sanibel: Tom Sharbaugh
• FGCU: Dr. Margaret Banyan

Click here for bios and contact information on our local reps.

So, if you live in one of these jurisdictions and want to get involved or have questions, contact our representative for that area. (email: info@bikewalklee.org)

Report by Darla Letourneau

BikeWalkLee's local representatives, including new Cape Coral rep

 BikeWalkLee welcomes its new representative for Cape Coral, Mike Bacigalupo. Thanks to our outgoing Cape rep, Steve Chupack, for his terrific work these past three years.  Thanks to all six of BWL's local reps for keeping our network informed and involved in what's happening around the county.

Background
BikeWalkLee has been involved in advocacy on a countywide basis, participating in all the Lee County MPO meetings and committees, and in the Board of County Commission committees and hearings. While the majority of transportation decisions that affect bike/ped/transit facilities and complete streets policies are made in these two bodies, the local jurisdictions (Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Sanibel) also make bike/ped decisions on their local roads as well as influence decisions on county maintained roads.

Beginning in 2011, BikeWalkLee designated local representatives in each jurisdiction. Click here to the updated list and bios of our local representatives. These individuals serve as our “point persons” who lead the local advocacy efforts and keep the BWL network informed about what’s happening in their jurisdiction. Great things are happening in the local jurisdictions and our local representatives are in the thick of things.

New Cape Coral Rep:
We're pleased to announce that Mike Bacigalupo is the new BWL representative for Cape Coral.  Mike has been a resident of Cape Coral since 2004, when he moved from New Jersey, and has been involved in the community since his arrival.  He's a member of the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Realtor Association, and on the Local Relay for Life Team.  He's a licensed adjuster, a licensed realtor, and has been a self-employed consultant since 1997. 

He was inspired to get involved in BikeWalkLee when he participated in one of BikeWalkLee's educational bike tours led by Dan Moser.  He enjoys biking, kayaking, running, and golf. 

He said he wants to get involved in BikeWalkLee "because he wants Cape Coral and Lee County to be a destination where active families and individuals will want to live in health and harmony with the local environment."

A special thanks from the BikeWalkLee team to Steve Chupack, who has been a terrific Cape Coral rep for the past three years.  He played a key role in bringing new bike lanes to the Cape, launched the first annual Bicycle Safety Rodeo for students, and helped launch the Cape Coral Bike-Ped group (CCBP), which is doing great things in the Cape.

Here's the full list of our representatives:
 Bonita Springs:       Sarah Baker
 Cape Coral:            Mike Bacigalupo
 Fort Myers:            Ann Pierce
 Fort Myers Beach: Bruce Butcher
 Sanibel:                 Tom Sharbaugh
 FGCU:                   Dr. Margaret Banyan

Click here for bios and contact information on our local reps.

So, if you live in one of these jurisdictions and want to get involved or have questions, contact our representative for that area.

New BikeWalkLee representative in Fort Myers Beach

 BikeWalkLee has representatives in each of the local jurisdictions who serve as our "point persons", lead the local advocacy efforts and keep the BWL network informed about what's happening in their jurisdiction.  We're pleased to announce that we have a new representative in the City of Fort Myers Beach--Donna Raymond.  If you live in Fort Myers Beach, she's your new "go to" person.

City of Fort Myers Beach:   Donna Raymond, draymond@bikewalklee.org  (as of May 2012)  
Donna relocated to Fort Myers Beach in 2002 and has owned property on the Beach for over 20 years.  She is a long-standing and founding member of the Fort Myers Beach Community Foundation.  In addition to her volunteer work for the Foundation, Donna works as a project manager for telecommunication companies and as adjunct faculty for Southern New Hampshire University teaching Graduate and Undergraduate courses in Organization Behavior, Strategic Management, Human Relations in Organizations, and Not for Profit Organizations. Donna advocates safety and a family friendly atmosphere for all residents and visitors to Fort Myers Beach. 

Click here for information on representatives in other local jurisdictions (Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Sanibel).