Action Alert: Estero Council decision on Estero Parkway design on June 6th

Next week the Estero Village Council will make an important decision on the design of Estero Parkway that will help define the future of Estero.  Do you want it to be another 4-lane highway (Option 1), or a 2-lane complete street (Option 2)?  Time to weigh in with members of the Estero Village Council.

Background
Even before Estero was incorporated, discussions were underway about the need make Estero Parkway safer for walkers and cyclists.  In order to ensure that Estero Parkway was redesigned as a signature project that would serve as a model street for the Village, the Council took responsibility from the County for this road, along with $2.2. million from the County towards this project.  Since 2015, the Village has been looking at various options, holding workshops, and now they are at the final decision point for the design of this important project.

At the June 6th Village Council meeting, the Council will vote on which of two options to approve:
Option 1, which we call "Estero Highway" option--a 4-lane road with bike lanes and only a narrow sidewalk and no roundabouts. 
Option 2, which we call "Estero Parkway" option--a 2-lane road with bike lanes, a shared use path, and roundabouts, i.e., a model complete street, which makes the roadway safer for ALL users. 
BWL strongly supports Option 2.  This complete streets design will be much safer for all road users--pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.  It is the best option in support of the new FDOT Complete Streets Implementation Plan and the Village's original vision of Estero Parkway as a signature project that will serve as a model street for the Village.

Below is an Action Alert sent out by the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) requesting Estero residents to read the analysis of the options, complete the survey by June 4th about which Option you prefer, and to encourage citizens to attend the Council's June 6th meeting to speak.

Note that the ECCL Board voted unanimously in favor of Option 2--the complete streets approach.
 

LINK TO SURVEY 

We need your opinion about

how the Village should improve Estero Parkway

ECCL SURVEY
MAY 29, 2018

What’s at Stake: The Village Council will be deciding on improvements to Estero Parkway in June

What you can do: Read the comparative analysis and complete the survey, which the ECCL will present to councilmembers

When: before June 4, so we can present the information to the councilmembers before their June 6 meeting.

Last Wednesday the Village’s Estero Parkway transportation consultant briefed the Village Council on two alternative comprehensive roadway improvement options. The Council Chambers were crowded, largely by residents of the Cascades who are strongly opposed to constriction of a roundabout at their entrance.

Next week, on Wednesday June 6, the Council will conduct the first of two meetings required for them to make this important decision that will likely influence the way all Estero roadways are improved.

The ECCL Board believes that the members of the Village Council need to know which improvement option all the residents of Estero prefer inasmuch as this decision will ultimately impact traffic safety in their area as well.

Thus we ask you to review this 13 page comparative analysis of the options, complete the following survey by June 4, and click the link to forward it to us for use at the June 6th Council meeting.


BWL Key Links: BWL 3/14/17 letter to Estero Village Council re: Estero Parkway Conceptual Design 


Tetra Tech PowerPoint Presentation to Estero Council 3/15/17: Estero Parkway Improvement Implementation

 Estero Infrastructure Inventory, by FGCU to Estero Council, 1/20/16

 
BikeWalkLee Blog March 17, 2017: BWL Comments to Estero Council on Estero Parkway Improvement Implementation Plan

BWL Blog Jan. 31, 2016: FGCU Infrastructure Study of Estero lays foundation for creation of walkable/bikeable community

LeeDOT's response to Cyclists Safey Concerns on Estero Blvd. in Fort Myers Beach

Thinking of biking on Fort Myers Beach?  Read this first.

Background
In December, BWL was made aware of serious safety concerns for cyclists riding on Estero Blvd. in Fort Myers Beach during the ongoing construction project, with numerous crashes being reported.  We issued a blog post in December about our concerns: BWL blog Dec. 22, 2016: Warning to Cyclists: Don't bike on Fort Myers Beach until the Estero Blvd. Improvement project is completed.  

We have also been working with LeeDOT to address the problems identified by cyclists.  Below is the press release that LeeDOT put out Jan. 9th (just received) that urges caution in the construction zone.


We continue to hear from cyclists about how dangerous it is to bike out there, including Fort Myers Beach residents.

BikeWalkLee continues to be very concerned about cyclist safety during this construction project.  If you do choose to bike out there, please report any problems you encounter to Kaye Molnar:
239-337-1071; kmolnar@cella.cc.

Below the press release is this week's project update.  If you want to sign up to receive these weekly updates, you can sign up at http://www.refreshfmbeach.com/.  Just click on the "Contact Us" button to fill out the form, be sure to select the “Please add me…” button at the bottom of the page.

Lee County Press Release on Jan. 9, 2017 (received by BWL on Feb. 1st)

Estero Boulevard Improvements Project
Reminder to use caution in construction zone

Contact: Kaye Molnar, Project Public Information Officer

Cella Molnar and Associates, Inc.

239-337-1071

kmolnar@cella.cc

Fort Myers Beach, FL, Jan. 9, 2017 – As cooler temperatures and sunny days prompt outdoor activities such as bicycling, walking and running, many enthusiasts are heading to Fort Myers Beach. The Lee County Department of Transportation reminds bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists that construction continues on Estero Boulevard from Lani Kai Resort to Publix, and caution should be used when traveling through the construction zone.

One of the two major goals of the Estero Boulevard Improvements Project is to improve safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists. The second goal is to improve the storm drainage on Estero Boulevard. During construction bicyclists should obey traffic laws and ride for the travel conditions. In some cases, bicyclists may feel safer walking through the construction zone. Pedestrians should be aware of bicyclists and motorists around them. Motorists should watch for pedestrians and bicyclists on roadsides, side streets, and boulevard crossings.

Crews monitor and sweep the work zone routinely to make bicycle and pedestrian travel as safe as possible during construction; however, Estero Boulevard is an active, ever-changing construction zone. Conditions change daily, hourly and minute-to-minute. Bicyclists and pedestrians may experience changes in roadway surfaces and elevations, steel plates and loose gravel.

Once construction of Estero Boulevard is complete, most of the boulevard will provide travel lanes with designated bike lanes and wide sidewalks on both sides. Bicyclists will share the travel lanes from Crescent Street to Lovers Lane due to the limited right-of-way. In the meantime, all travelers may need to change their habits during construction, and all need to stay aware and use caution. The end result of this much-needed, very challenging project will be a boulevard that provides improved stormwater drainage and treatment and an improved roadway design for motorist, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Details about the Estero Boulevard Improvement Project are available online at www.reFRESHFMBeach.com or by calling (239) 337-1071.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estero Boulevard Improvements:  February 1, 2017 Bulletin
Traffic shift scheduled Monday night (2/6)
North of Chapel Street to south of Lovers Lane
Beginning Monday night 2/6, crews will start shifting traffic to the outside lanes of Estero Boulevard to begin construction in the center turn lane from north of Chapel Street to south of Lovers Lane. During this work, barrier wall or construction barrels will be necessary on both sides of the center lane due to a 1 to 1 ½-foot difference in elevation between travel lanes and the work zone.

Vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to cross Estero Boulevard (from north of Chapel Street to south of Lovers Lane) at the following locations.

· Fort Myers Beach Town Hall
· Tropical Shores Way
· School Street
· Bay Road

Warning to Cyclists: Don't bike on Fort Myers Beach until the Estero Blvd. Improvement project is completed

Below is a message from Tina Sujana, an area avid cyclist, past bike shop manager, local realtor, and current member of the MPO's Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinating Committee, about the dangers of biking on Estero Blvd. in Fort Myers Beach.  Thanks, Tina, for bringing this to our attention.

Message to BikeWalkLee on Dec. 22, 2016:

Just wanted to send a warning out to anyone who cycles to avoid Fort Myers Beach, or proceed with extreme caution. Three of us went down this morning due to the road works. We were not going fast but the new curb in the middle, the metal along the way, and the various ways the road is torn up is extremely detrimental.

The fact that they are conducting these road works in the busiest part of the whole beach during season is astounding.  As I mentioned, three of us went down independently, riding as a group but not as a cause of the other. We all hit our heads and have various contusions and scrapes.  Our bikes all need some kind of attention due to damage, and 2 helmets are cracked. Luckily a friend picked us up so we didn't have to ride any further.   

Thank goodness for helmets, and that this was not more serious.

 Perhaps you could warn other cyclists about this area of extreme danger which extends basically from just past the traffic light at the base of the bridge, to the fire station. Our accidents were around the 50 feet or so in front of Mango St.  

I would just like to state the obvious though, in the hopes it gets passed along. This is not just about us as locals.  This is a tourist destination. Tourists are going to come here and want to ride their bikes and are going to be faced with these same problems, or worse because they are staying on FMB. Not a very smart move on behalf of the city of FMB. [BWL NOTE: this is a County-maintained road and LeeDOT managed project.]  I have seen this stretch of road go from not that bad to absolutely terrible and dangerous, and here we are about to hit the height of season in a few weeks.  

As a realtor in the area I should be advising visitors who contact me to avoid the beach area until, I am told, several years from now when this might be completed.  As a cyclist, I owe it to other cyclists to do the same. 

And I would like to report this to the correct authority so that they know this has happened. Do you know who I would contact?

Thank you

Tina Sujana

Dan Moser Column: Pain before gain on Fort Myers Beach

Dan's column this week  reviews the history of the Estero Blvd. Improvement project on Fort Myers Beach, which is set to begin construction later this year.  His advocacy corner criticizes FGCU for its lack of bike/ped-friendliness, as the TIGER project gets underway.

Florida Weekly, May 27, 2015, Outdoor Section

It’s going to get much worse before it gets a whole lot better. That may not seem like a good thing but it’s actually great news for residents and visitors of Fort Myers Beach now that work has begun to make the long-awaited improvements to Estero Boulevard. According to project managers, it may take up to 10 years to complete this massive undertaking, which includes utility work, stormwater management, and sorely needed bicycle, pedestrian and transit upgrades — all on the one and only through road on the island.

Even before the community became a municipality in 1995 it was obvious that Estero Boulevard needed to be fixed, especially for the many people walking and riding bikes. To that end, one of the first orders of business the newly formed Town of Fort Myers Beach undertook was to formally lay out its wishes for this county road that serves as the main arterial. Experts were brought in, including renowned planner Dan Burden, to help craft the plan for a walkable community, and the resulting product was formally adopted into the town’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, a guiding document required by the state of Florida. Seeing it finally begin to come to fruition — even knowing all the pain the work will bring — is something I and others were starting to think would never happen.

A good part of Estero Boulevard will include all these features.

Of course there are those who think that because more motor vehicle lanes aren’t being added that this is not really a fix. But there’s no practical or affordable way additional right-of-way could be purchased, so there’s always going to be bottlenecks at either end of Estero Island at the bridges, even if more cars could be accommodated on the roads. So the design that will become reality is the best option for residents, visitors and businesses. I hope those who continue to believe more motor vehicle travel lanes is the answer will eventually accept this Complete Streets project as the real solution.

Advocacy update

Work on projects funded by the TIGER grant — the $10 million award to improve our bike/ped environment — has begun on roads and sidepaths from Colonial Boulevard south to the Collier County line. One notable change that strays from the formally agreed upon project list comes from FGCU. The university’s unexpected backtrack comes with an even bigger surprise. It is nixing the main entrance bike access improvements that would finally bring it closer to the standard of the roads it connects to by claiming “environmental concerns” and “future plans for the entrance.” The bigger surprise is that the “future plans” are already happening: it is somehow creating an elaborate entrance instead, something the university never mentioned as the TIGER plan moved forward, all the way to final design and as recently as a TIGER stakeholder meeting just a few weeks ago.

Since the inception of FGCU, it has resisted making access to the campus bike/ped-friendly, even though both the university and Lee County included bike lanes and sidepaths on the campus’s internal road and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, respectively. When it first opened, the campus’s main entrance initially lacked even one non-motorized access feature. No bike lanes, bike path or even a sidewalk. After a lot of pressure was put on, FGCU added a pedestrian-scaled sidepath (i.e., sidewalk) on one side of the four-lane entrance road that it considered adequate to accommodate all non-motorized traffic. The north entrance, created a few years after the other, is no better, having only a sidepath on one side.

The TIGER grant project was supposed to add a multi-use path on the south side of the main entrance. Early in the TIGER process it balked at the bikes lanes, so the south side path was reluctantly approved as the only feature to be added. But much to the dismay of many who worked so hard on this project, and even though it would cost nothing, FGCU later decided that allowing even that was going to be difficult, supposedly because they would have trouble obtaining necessary environmental permits. That reason apparently was its own $1.5 million plan, which creates an entrance that completely ignores those on foot or bike. Oh, did I mention the university announced this grand entrance plan just days before a public meeting is scheduled to take input on its master plan update and never told the folks on the TIGER grant stakeholder committee about it at the earlier mentioned meeting? So much for transparency and serving as a model of sustainability. For more about this and many other important community matters, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com.

Until next time, I’ll look for you on the roads and pathways.

Upcoming Events 
 Running/walking:

 FMTC Membership 5K, Saturday, June 6, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)

 Various summertime dates, FMTC Summer Fun Runs, (ftmyerstrackclub.com)

 Various summertime dates, 3D Racing Summer Series, (3dracinginc.com)

 Cycling and other events:

 SWFL Critical Mass, Friday, June 5, downtown Fort Myers (swflcriticalmass.wordpress.com)

 Wheels & Wings, Sunday, July 12, Punta Gorda (peaceriverridersbicycleclub.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 or 334- 6417.

Moser Column: Estero Boulevard to get a long-awaited makeover

Dan Moser

Dan Moser's column this week focuses on the improvements coming on Estero Blvd. in Fort Myers Beach and the improvements needed on San Carlos Blvd. for the entire corridor to be bike/ped/transit-friendly.
 
Florida Weekly Outdoor Section, May 14, 2014

Can it really be true? After decades of hopes being dashed by design and funding disagreements between the Town of Fort Myers Beach and Lee County, work to rebuild Estero Boulevard — including many improvements to benefit pedestrians and cyclists — appears ready to move forward.
 Trolley pull-offs and better stormwater management are also a welcome part of the plan.

The design isn’t all that everyone is happy with, primarily because there’s not enough public right of way available in some segments, specifically the busy area from Times Square to the Red Coconut curve. But creativity, forward-thinking and compromise appear to have made the difference in finally reaching agreement on a design concept that’s feasible, both in terms of important features and cost. There are still some hurdles to overcome because from here it’s all about the details as engineering work moves towards the final stages.

Looking north from Old San Carlos Blvd.; there’s even more to squeeze in south of the town’s section of Estero Boulevard. 

Having been involved in the public process for the initial Estero Boulevard plan as part of its original Comprehensive Plan when the town first incorporated in the mid-’90s, I’m pleased that the focus on pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users remains the top priority in this current design, just as it was in the beginning. With as little as 50 feet of right of way available in the most congested areas, being able to accommodate all users is no small achievement. But by using roadway markings such as “sharrows” to indicate it’s a true mixed use travel lane as well as drainage and water management techniques and products that didn’t exist just a few years ago, Lee DOT, its consultants, town officials and interested citizens have developed a workable solution. Although they won’t be able to squeeze bike lanes in those narrow segments without losing the middle turn lane — a change that would create problems for emergency vehicles and left-turning vehicles in that congested business district, thereby dooming such a plan — the agreed-upon configuration is the best option, in my opinion.

Still to be decided, however, is what’s going to be done right at the foot of the Matanzas Pass Bridge. The roadway up to near the existing traffic signal belongs to FDOT, which is currently studying the situation. How the very valuable adjacent private property will end up being developed is another unknown, although it’s sure to have a significant impact on the final plan. A roundabout and pedestrian overpass from the private property to the beach are a couple of elements that have been talked about for years but only time will tell what will finally come about.

San Carlos Boulevard on the other side of the bridge is also in need of reconfiguration in order to make it more bike/ped-friendly, especially if the proposed mega-development on Main Street comes to pass. Further north, on the mainland side of Little Carlos Island, the mish-mosh of obnoxious roadway markings that have been adjusted, attempted to be erased and re-painted, as well as flex-stakes that have been through the same tweaking process over the years, is about as ugly as it gets and isn’t exactly inviting to residents and visitors heading to Fort Myers Beach. Bike lanes should and could be added all the way from the Matanzas Pass Bridge to Summerlin Road, something FDOT has committed to do.

But the town has no real say in those segments since its jurisdiction ends at the Matanzas Pass Bridge. But the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce, Lee Visitor and Convention Bureau, Fort Myers Beach Fire District (which has to deal with the many crashes there) and others who think there’s plenty of room for improvement on this aesthetically-challenged segment of San Carlos Boulevard could work with FDOT to get this done. Besides aesthetics, safety would be improved by replacing the wide curb lanes with narrower ones and adding bike lanes; this would reduce the propensity for drivers to travel well above the posted speed limit whenever traffic is not backedup as well as taking some bikes off the sidewalks. I have hope that FDOT will handle this and the Times Square side of the bridge in good-faith cooperation with everyone who needs to be at the table.
As usual, you’ll find more about this and other items of interest at BikeWalkLee’s blog (bikewalklee.blogspot.com). Until next time, I’ll look for you on the roads and trails.

— Dan Moser is CyclingSavvy instructor/ trainer and program director for the Florida Bicycle Association. He can be contacted at dan@floridabicycle.org or 334- 6417.

Upcoming events
Running/walking:
Satuday, May 17, Cape Cops 5K, Cape Coral
Yacht Club (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
Monday, May 26, Memorial Day 5K, Eastwood
Golf Course, Fort Myers (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
Saturday, May 31, Pink Heels 5K, Fort Myers
River District (www.3dracinginc.com)

Cycling and other events:
Visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club,
www.caloosariders.org
Naples Pathways Coalition,
www.naplespathways.org
Naples Velo, www.naplesvelo.com
Peace River Riders, www.peaceriverridersbicycleclub.com
Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club, www.coastalcruisers.net

BoCC approves changes to transportation CIP, making Estero Blvd. improvement project #1 priority

BikeWalkLee reports on Tuesday's BoCC decisions on several key road projects in the CIP, shares BikeWalkLee's comments on these transportation projects; and reports on public comments about the impact of LeeTran service cuts.

 Today was the annual reorganization of the Board, with Commissioner Kiker appointed Chair, and Commissioner Hamman appointed Vice-Chair.

Transportation Road Projects:

At the Nov. 19th County Commission meeting, the Board approved changes to the transportation CIP, as discussed at the November 4th Management and Planning meeting.  (See BWL's blog report from the Nov. 4th meeting.)

This item was not on the published agenda for the meeting (which is available to the public on the county's website), but rather, was handled as a "walk-on" item. (See walk-on agenda item now posted.)

As reported earlier, the Board agreed that the Estero Blvd. Improvement project on Fort Myers Beach is the #1 priority project, so they made slight delays in the Alico widening project construction schedule to allow Estero Blvd. to move a bit quicker.

BikeWalkLee's Darla Letourneau spoke at the Nov. 19th BoCC meeting, tying two agenda items together--the annual Transportation Concurrency report and the CIP agenda item.

The annual Transportation Concurrency report provides a functional assessment of  the condition of our roadways, measuring roadway performance against the County’s established Level of Service or LOS standards--standards based exclusively on automobile congestion. Letourneau pointed out that this  exclusive focus on auto-LOS has resulted in over-designed roads to handle capacity that only occurs at the very heaviest travel periods - the most congested hour of the most congested month of the year. It is like designing shopping mall parking lots to handle the volume of traffic on Christmas Eve or Black Friday. Many states and communities around the country  are moving away for primary reliance on auto LOS for transportation planning.

Letourneau stated that the Concurrency Report tells us that 91% of our roadways are functioning at traffic volumes well below the capacity standard set for that road segment, i.e., our roadways are overbuilt.  This means our current roadways can carry a great deal more traffic than they are currently carrying before any new lanes or roads would be needed.

Specifically, here's what the report says about the four road projects being discussed in the CIP agenda item:  

• Estero Blvd. has traffic counts that are 83-90% of capacity. 

• Burnt Store Rd. traffic is currently at 55% of capacity.

• Homestead Rd. is at 48% of capacity.

• Alico Rd. is only at 18% of capacity.

Letourneau stated that the concurrency report confirms that the Board is making the right decision to make and keep the Estero Blvd. improvement project its #1 priority.  [Note that Estero Blvd. is constrained road, so the improvements are to provide multi-modal solutions to traffic, not expand lanes.]  On the other hand, the report also confirms the position of BikeWalkLee, LPA, CSAC, and others, that the Alico Rd. project is not needed at this time.

Letourneau argued that with scarce transportation dollars, funding priorities should be on projects addressing the most urgent need, as measured by the county's own standards.

Also making public comments on this agenda item were several developers from the Alico Rd. project. They spoke about the importance of this project for the Research Diamond and for FGCU and argued that the Board had committed to them that Alico would be widened in two years.  The original wording of the Alico project CIP description was amended to show the Board's support for the project, by adding the following sentence:  "These phases could be advanced in the future at Board discretion should conditions warrant to support economic development initiatives, and if funding is available through government sources or private development sources."  Commissioner Hamman suggested that the developers could advance fund the project and then the county could pay them back under some negotiated payback agreement.  He asked that county staff reach out to the developers to promote speeding up the project with advanced funding.

Impact of LeeTran service cuts

As we reported earlier, citizens now have the opportunity to speak on any topic at the end of the bi-weekly regular BoCC meetings.  At today's BoCC meeting there were public comments about the impact these service cuts, which went into effect Nov. 14th (see earlier blog) are having on Lee County residents.

BWL's Darla Letourneau shared with commissioners the real impact these cuts are having on Salus Transitional Living Center TLC clients.  For residents recovering from substance abuse, the key for transition back to the community is a job, and for these clients to get and keep a job, they are reliant on public transportation.  Many of the TLC clients work in local restaurants, and often don't get off work until 11 p.m.  According to the TLC Director, as a result of recent service cutbacks in buses after 6 p.m., some clients are now having to walk from downtown Fort Myers to the TLC center late at night (a safety concern), and other clients working at restaurants in Fort Myers Beach on weekends are finding themselves stranded for 4 hours between LeeTran buses.  It is a reminder of the real world impact of the commissioner's budget decisions on the lives of people in our community, esp. those who are most reliant on LeeTran services for their livelihood.

Mike Ulrich, President of the Southwest Florida Council of the Blind, spoke about concerns that the cutback in service hours for LeeTran would negatively impact Passport services for the disabled.  He reported that they will be tracking the experience of Passport service users to determine if there are negative impacts and will report back, as the Board requested during the September budget hearings.

Upcoming Opportunities for Public Comment

The next opportunity for public comment at County Commission meetings will be at the Dec. 2nd Management and Planning meeting (1:30- 3:30 p.m.).  The agenda should be available on the County's website by Nov. 25th.

 There are two regular BoCC meetings in December--Dec. 3rd and Dec. 17th.  At both these meetings, the public can speak both on items on the agenda (at the beginning of the meeting), or on items not on the agenda (at the end of the meeting).  Agendas for those meetings will be on the County's website the week before each meeting.

Report by Darla Letourneau

BikeWalkLee voices concerns to BoCC with Lee County's transportation CIP

BikeWalkLee reports on Monday's BoCC discussion of several key road projects in the CIP, and shares Dr. Margaret Banyan's letter on the issue.  There is much at stake for the citizens of Lee County and the future direction of our county in this larger debate about transportation funding and priorities, so stay tuned and get involved!

 Report from Monday's BoCC Management and Planning workshop:

At Monday's BoCC Management and Planning meeting, the Board discussed 4 road projects in CIP--Estero Blvd., Alico widening, Homestead Rd., and Burnt Store Rd. "super street". This was the first time public comment was allowed at an M & P meeting and several local officials and citizens spoke at the meeting, including BWL's Ann Pierce (Estero Blvd. project as top priority) and Darla Letourneau, who spoke about the transportation funding realities--that there is a significant shortfall (60%) in revenues available to fund the county's CIP.  In addition, others who spoke were Paul Moreno (Tice and BPAC), Dave Ulrich (CAC), Sanibel Mayor Ruane, Fort Myers Beach Mayor Mandel, and Cape Coral Councilman McGrail.  In addition, several citizens wrote letters to BoCC members prior to the meeting, and this week's Cape Coral Breeze includes a related letter to the editor, "Sprawl's high cost to taxpayers," by Catherine Hughes.

 Click here for the link to the agenda package for background information.  

Note that the options paper for the 3 CIP projects was not posted on the website (and is still not available online) and only provided to BoCC members Friday night.  If you are interested in getting a copy, email dletourneau@bikewalklee.org.  Commissioner Manning asked that in the future, staff provide background materials for meetings more in advance and post all the materials on the website.

Click here for a link to Tuesday's News-Press story about the meeting:

Lee County commissioners make Estero Boulevard safety a priority Burnt Store Road delayed as funding shortfall looms  (Note quotes from Ann Pierce's comments.)

BikeWalkLee is pleased that the consensus of the Board was that the Estero Blvd. improvement project in Fort Myers Beach should be the #1 priority, preferring to make slight delays in the Alico widening project construction schedule to allow Estero Blvd. to move a bit quicker.  However, the Estero Blvd. timeline is still way too long (completion not planned until 2024!) and the Alico project moves ahead to spend money this year for the design phase of the project, even though this project is driven by an economic development concept vs. any traffic issues, and uses gas tax dollars vs. having the developers pay through an MSTU and/or impact fees.

 

Dr. Margaret Banyan's Letter 

Below is the letter sent by BWL's Dr. Margaret Banyan, which is a clear statement of what's at stake in this debate. Thanks to everyone who spoke or wrote to commissioners about these important issues.  

This is the beginning of a larger debate about the County's priorities, so stay tuned for future action alerts.  The specific items considered at the M and P meeting will come before the Board for a vote (likely at either Dec. 3rd or 17th regular BoCC meeting), and the public will have another opportunity to speak and write.  Note that the public can now speak on ANY issue (not just those on the agenda) at the end of each regular bi-weekly BoCC meeting (1st and 3rd Tuesday morning's at 9:30 a.m.), so you're encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.  Sign-up for our blog e-mail updates or friend us on Facebook to get real-time information and action alerts.

 Report by Darla Letourneau

11/4/13

Dear Commissioners:

I would like the opportunity to comment on your upcoming M and P meeting in writing, as I am unable to attend.

As you know, I have been engaged in transportation planning in Lee County for some time through my involvement in BikeWalkLee, the MPO Citizen Advisory Committee, and the Tice Historic Planning Panel.  In addition, I conduct research on and serve on a national transportation panel. 

In all of these venues, it is clear that the provision of transportation is experiencing a major shift.  This shift is due to a two-part recognition that we simply cannot afford to build roads at our previous pace and that livable communities must take precedence over congestion management. 

With these two principles in mind, I read the materials that were posted very late on Friday afternoon in preparation for your M and P meeting today.  As a member of these committees and as a citizen of Lee County I was very disturbed at its implications.

First, even though the focus for the M and P meeting is on three road projects, there is a fundamental avoidance of the major issue.  Taken as a whole, all of the major road projects represent a significant hole in the county budget for which the funding sources are not known.  It is essential that the BoCC consider how to right size all of the project on the CIP list, rather than hoping that there will be funding at some point down the road.

Second, the options presented to fund this revenue hole are unrealistic and place a greater burden on tax payers over the long term.  The blue sheet before you ignores the life-cycle costs of these projects.  These projects will continue to place a long term burden on the county in maintenance and degradation of community livability.  Ultimately, the revenue source that you use to fund these projects will generate costs to the general fund and to tax payers that are not accounted for in your materials.  

Finally, on the surface your discussion appears to be about finances.  However, it is really about what kind of community your citizens are asking for.  Consistently across the county, your citizens, advisory boards, and planning panels have been communicating their desire for the BoCC to invest more in livability and neighborhoods than road expansion.  They have been communicating their desire for smart decisions that right-size road projects rather than blindly fund projects that no longer make sense in the current fiscal environment.

Thank you for the opportunity to have a voice in this discussion.  I, and my fellow neighbors, will continue to engage in these discussions, as they fundamentally affect our quality of life in Lee County.

Margaret Banyan 

Previous statements by BikeWalkLee on Transportation Planning and CIP Projects:

BikeWalkLee comments on the 2013 Lee County budget and pending Capital Improvement Plan decisions (6/18/13)

BikeWalkLee comments on Lee County CIP recommentdations (5/30/13)

BikeWalkLee overview comments on 10/26/12 Draft Transportation Element (11/25/12)

BikeWalkLee report: Moving Beyond Transportation Concurrency: A Path Forward for Lee County (11/12/12)

BikeWalkLee's comments on the county's proposed Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget (6/18/12)