BikeWalkLee: Street safety a matter of design

BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, March 25, 2021
by Ken Gooderham

Image courtesy: 1stbikes.org

The most recent “Dangerous by Design” study of pedestrian deaths arrived recently, with Florida still leading as the most dangerous state for pedestrians. In an unexpected bit of “good” news, the Fort Myers-Cape Coral area’s ranking went down slightly since 2019, pushing us out of the Top 10 most dangerous areas (although the state overall was still well represented there).

Any positive feelings this news might have engendered were quickly dashed in the wake of a hit-and-run on a quiet Alva road that left one cyclist dead and another injured… as this still-anonymous driver took it upon him or herself to drag us back to being the best of the worst. Our condolences to the family and friends on a senseless loss.

The report found a number of issues including:

• Nationwide, it’s getting more dangerous each year for pedestrians and non-motorized traffic, with deaths up 45% from 2010 to 2019.
• As with many other areas of life, danger is driven by racial and economic factors – with more people of color plus older and poorer populations at greater risk.
• The current methods to combat this danger – enforcement and education – don’t seem to be moving the needle.
• Design matters – not just of roadways and bike-ped facilities, but of motor vehicles themselves. The report cites the rise in trucks and SUVs overall – and the increase in the size of both types of vehicles – as factors making our streets more deadly.
• Design can even ameliorate other driver mistakes – such as driving too fast or distracted driving – by increasing the chance of survival while making drivers’ dangerous behavior more difficult.
• Unfortunately, much roadway design still prioritizes speed over safety, while pitting motorized vs. non-motorized traffic against one another for visibility and safety.
• While the data is incomplete, it appears that the drop in driving due to the pandemic has not resulted in a concurrent drop in pedestrian deaths… as a lack of congestion brought on an increase in speeding.
• Geography also matters: Nine of the Top 10 worst places for safety are Sunbelt states (Delaware being the outlier). It’s not because the weather encourages more walking and biking but, say the report’s authors, because the development patterns that encourage driving and create more distances to get from one place to another.
• As mentioned above, our area saw the biggest drop in the danger index… a sign that some of the local efforts to make our streets safer are working, as well as an indication of how high our danger level was to begin with (since this big drop still left us just outside the Top 10 most dangerous). 

A word to the wary: This index is focused mainly on policymakers, a way to point out their failings and successes by measuring the human toll that bad design and incomplete streets wreak on a community. The ability to pit one area against another as well as show the causal relationship between better design and better safety can get official attention more effectively than a dry recitation of safety statistics.

The secondary audience is the bike/ped participant… not to scare you off the streets altogether, but to help you understand why the design of those streets can really matter to you.

Case in point: A new bike/ped facility such as a bike path or lane is rightly lauded for enhancing safety (as compared to what existed before). But if users still have to navigate a narrow and shoulder-less road to get to that path or lane, overall safety has not been reduced for those walkers or riders. 

Better facilities matter, but so does a better network of facilities that allows walkers and riders the ability to go further safer.

It’s also important not to allow this discussion to devolve into a driver vs. walker or rider argument. Better designed roadways are better for all users, giving everyone on that road a safe path to move from Point A to Point B even in the busiest times. Better designed roadways also make it easier for everyone to be safe, by including elements that enhance visibility, control speed, smooth transitions and allow for a variety of skills.

None of us are confined to just one role in roadway use, likely moving from driver to walker to rider through the course of a day. So wouldn’t it be better for all to know our roadways are designed to be safer, no matter the role we’re playing?

 

EVENTS: Here’s the latest in organized running and biking events locally… but confirm with the organizers and be flexible in case conditions change and large-group activities are limited. Of course, wear a mask and act appropriate to your age, physical condition and medical concerns.

FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):

• Run for the Youth 5K, March 27, LCSO Central District
  
• Downtown Dash, 1-mile run/walk, in person in downtown Fort Myers Friday, April 16
• Head & Neck Cancer A Hard Thing to Swallow 5K Run & 2-Mile Walk (in-person and virtual), Saturday, April 24

GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):

• Baker Park 5K, Saturday, March 27
• Run for the Music 10K, Saturday, April 10
• Tropicool 5K, May 8
  
• SNIP Collier 5K, May 31
  

ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):

• Naples Distance Classic, 5K/10K/half marathon, Saturday, April 10
  

OTHER RUNS

• Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation Virtual 5K fun run/walk, March 27 - April 3 (virtual, runsignup.com)
  
• Publix Run to the Arts 5K run/walk – in-person is now delayed to Nov. 20, runsignup.com or runtothearts.com
  

OTHER RIDES:

The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.

SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides. Check out their line-up online (www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times (and to make sure the ride is still rolling).

• SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers. 
• Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Saturday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• NE Lee Critical Mass ride, third Friday of the month. Gather in the Winn Dixie parking lot on Palm Beach Blvd. about five miles east of the Interstate; gather at 7 p.m. and roll at 7:30 p.m. for a slow ride through Fort Myers Shores.
• Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
• Saturday Morning Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.

If racing is not your thing but you’d like to support their return nonetheless, consider volunteering to help out at the few in-person offerings ahead. With Covid concerns still confining some of the usual volunteers, a few new helping hand would certainly be welcomed.

TRIATHLONS:

• 2021 St. Anthony’s Triathlon, April 25, St. Petersburg. Olympic and sprint event
• 2021 Fitness Challenge Triathlon, May 2, Naples. Reverse sprint event
• 2021 Heartland Triathlon, June 12-13, Sebring. Kid’s event Saturday, adult Olympic and sprint triathlon, duathlon and aquabike Sunday.

 

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.

 

 

BikeWalkLee: Rail right-of-way a path to success

BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, November 19, 2020
by Ken Gooderham

Collier County and the cities of Bonita Springs and Estero are studying the possibilities of acquiring miles of railroad rights of way connecting all three, for eventual re-use as multi-use pathways and public transit.

So why is this a good opportunity and a great idea?

Simple… it’s a unique possibility to capture a swath of property adjacent to already developed (or developing) areas, guaranteeing a lot of potential users right next door.

It would give these governments the opportunity to create a multi-use and multimodal transportation corridor from the ground up, where designs and needs could be planned and integrated, instead of retrofitted and accommodated.

It could create a higher-speed public transit option away from the congestion and confusion of U.S. 41 and Interstate 75 – and close to homes, shops, businesses and government offices.

And it could be a building block to expand a similar multi-use corridor northward along the same corridor, creating a potential bike/ped/transit pathway that could stretch from northern Collier County to Charlotte County and beyond.

The Elliot Bay Trail in Seattle, Washington (wikipedia.org)

Sounds too good to be true? It isn’t – but it will take commitment, courage and (of course) cash to become reality.

The three governments are working with the nonprofit Trust for Public Lands on the acquisition, which is still in the study-and-negotiation stage… so a long way from reality. Still, you have to start somewhere.

Also, right now Collier is more focused on public transit, while Estero and Bonita are looking at the bike/ped options more seriously. Both are needed, and we can hope that, if this idea comes to fruition, both bike/ped and transit stay on the table.

The idea itself is not new, having been thoroughly explored in a 2013 study of the Seminole Gulf Railway corridor sponsored by the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT). A number of options for the right-of-way were discussed, along with the opportunities and obstacles in each.

Would it be easy? No. Would it be worth it? Absolutely.

Creating a convenient and uncongested public transit corridor would be a real asset for our area, giving people a real alternative to automobiles at a considerably reduced cost (because you’re building from scratch and working with clear right-of-way). You could even consider multiple transit options… starting with bus rapid transit (just like it sounds, buses making fewer stops and covering more distance) to light rail and even commuter rail as the population (and potential users) grew.

You would still have sufficient space to create a safe and convenient bike/ped path system that could allow people to bike north and south in relative security – another great asset as well as a valuable amenity for nearby neighborhood.

Let’s face it: This area is going to continue to grow, and we’ll never be able to build enough roads if everyone has to rely solely on cars to get around. As roadways get more and more congested, viable mass transit is going to become more attractive to users – and more crucial to maintaining our quality of life.

Similarly, recreation and transportation focused on bike and pedestrian facilities will also continue to grow, so providing a safe and functional network of paths will be another quality-of-life asset. And, as anyone who has watched bile/ped facility in this area knows, if you build it they will come.

So kudos to these three government entities for pursuing this very prudent possibility. We hope the studies and discussions end up make this plan a reality. If that happens, we also hope that Lee County and the City of Fort Myers build on this momentum by launching their own look into expanding this transportation corridor northward.

It’s a great idea that could be a game-changer for our area. Let’s hope the pieces come together.

Turkey Trot? Not!

Another victim of the coronavirus is the traditional Thanksgiving Turkey Trots… at least some of the in-person events. The venerable Cape Coral Turkey Trot (celebrating its 41st year) is virtual only, as is the FGCU Gobbler 5K. The Gulf Coast Runners’ Trot has been shortened to 2 miles (from the usual 5K) – but it’s both virtual and in-person (at Naples’ Cambier Park). If it just won’t be Turkey Day without your 5K Trot, head to Hertz Arena in Estero for the Elite Events’ run at 7 a.m. on Nov. 26. Just don’t forget your mask! 

EVENTS: 

Here’s what is scheduled for organized running and biking events locally… but confirm with the organizers and be flexible in case conditions change and large-group activities are limited. Of course, wear a mask and act appropriate to your age, condition and concerns.

FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):

• Cape Coral Turkey Trot 5K, Sept. 17-Nov. 26 (virtual)
• City of Palms River Run 10K, Sept. 17-Dec. 5 (virtual)
• Lazy Flamingo Half Marathon & 2-Person Relay, Sept. 17-Dec. 20 (virtual)
• Strides for Education 5K, Feb. 6, 2021 (in-person and virtual)
  

GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):

• GCR Thanksgiving 5K, Thursday, Nov. 26 (in-person & virtual)
• Naples Daily News Half Marathon, Saturday, Jan. 17 (in-person & virtual) 

ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):

• Fall Classic Half Marathon and 5K, Naples, Saturday, Nov. 21
• Thanksgiving Day 5K Run and Walk, Estero, Thursday, Nov. 26
• Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K, Saturday, Dec. 5
• Naples Distance Classic 5K, 10K and Half Marathon, Sunday, Dec. 6
• Sarasota West Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Sunday, Dec. 20
• Venice Half Marathon and 5K, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021
• City of Palms Half Marathon and 5K, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021
• Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Saturday, March 27, 2021
  

OTHER RUNS:

• FGCU 10th-Annual Gobbler 5K, up to Nov. 26 (virtual) – runsignup.com
• Publix Run to the Arts 5K run/walk – in person on Feb. 7, 2021, or virtual Jan. 30-Feb. 7 runsignup.com or runtothearts.com
  

CYCLING:

The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.

SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides, although the NE Lee ride seems to be lacking a leader and thus is not on the calendar. The options are below, and you can check out their line-up online (http://www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times.

• SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers. 
• Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Tuesday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
• Saturday Morning Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.

If racing is not your thing but you’d like to support their return nonetheless, consider volunteering to help out at the few in-person offerings ahead. With Covid concerns still corralling some of the club’s usual volunteers, a few new helping hand would certainly be welcomed. 

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.

 

 

BikeWalkLee: A good time to invest in bikes

BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, October 22, 2020
by Ken Gooderham

Government revenue is down. There’s no clear end to the pandemic. Uncertainty reigns, with confusion close by its side.

So why is it a good time to invest in bike/ped infrastructure? Let me tell you why.

• Demand is high, and the need should continue to grow.

The pandemic pushed people outside as a safe place to meet and move. That pushed bike sales to record highs, as well as getting people out walking and running in growing numbers. And now, even as governments strive to force open the economy by relaxing Covid clampdowns, a lot of people are keeping up their open-air exercise routines… both out of habit, enjoyment and health concerns.

More users need more paths and lanes on which to safely ride, run and walk. That can accommodate them today and encourage them tomorrow to turn something healthy into a habit even when the pandemic panic subsides for real.

• It’s a good economic jolt, growing jobs by building something that adds value to communities.

There are a lot of people out of work, a lot of companies struggling. An influx of infrastructure spending could counter that at a time when the economy needs a lot of encouragement… and too many parts of our local, state and national infrastructure is aging and in need to repair or replacement.

So let’s make some of that infrastructure bike/ped focused. Why? Because people will use it, which creates value in the neighborhoods it serves, which boost home values, which increases property taxes, which helps to fund local government and build local businesses. There aren’t a lot of investments that can claim that.

• People are rethinking how they live, increasing the focus on fitness and family. Bike/ped suits this new normal.

The pandemic has shown some people which community amenities are necessities vs. extravagances. At a time when people are spending more time together (families) and apart (friends), amenities that won’t close but will allow distancing (and which can get you from Point A to Point B to boot) and which are nearby and accessible become more attractive – and more essential.

• Money is as cheap as it will ever get… so use it, don’t hoard it.

Investing in infrastructure usually means borrowing the funds you need now to build now, and paying it back by creating value that generates revenue (see above). This equation works best with the cost of borrowing is lower rather than higher… and right now, interest rates are as low as they can go (perhaps). So investing in things a community needs and which enhance values makes a lot of sense.

• This is a great time to make this area into a place that draws people, not just tourists... that creates assets, not just attractions.

Southwest Florida has a number of things working in its favor… beaches and boating, natural beauty and world-class weather (if you like it on the warm side). It’s a natural fit for bike/ped as well, with the terrain and climate that should draw people from around the globe. But those people need more than just flat land and sunny skies – they need places to safely ride, run and walk. And those have been hard to find over the year in Southwest Florida.

A positive note: When communities have invested in bike/ped facilities that are safe and functional, people have come to use them. Sanibel Island is a prime example, of course, but the growth of bike/ped facilities in Cape Coral and Estero (among others) and the investment in networks that connect paths and lanes into a viable recreation/transportation system throughout Lee County is an asset in attracting visitors and residents who want to be more active and less tied to motor vehicles.

Are we there yet to make this a cycling/walking destination? No, but at least you could argue that we can see that off in the distance now, as opposed to it being a speck on the horizon 20 years ago. A serious and focused investment in bike/ped infrastructure that builds on the current improvements to enhance access, safety and function, could give this area an asset that would build on its outdoor attributes in a very positive way.

There may be an opportunity to do something special here. Let’s give it some thought..

EVENTS: 

Below is what’s scheduled for organized running and biking events locally… but confirm with the organizers and be flexible in case conditions change and large-group activities are limited. Of course, wear a mask and act appropriate to your age, condition and concerns.

FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):

• Sanibel Island 10K Race 4 F.I.S.H., Aug. 18-Oct. 31 (virtual)
• Cape Coral Turkey Trot 5K, Sept. 17-Nov. 26 (virtual)
• City of Palms River Run 10K, Sept. 17-Dec. 5 (virtual)
• Lazy Flamingo Half Marathon & 2-Person Relay, Sept. 17-Dec. 20 (virtual) 

GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):

• Halloween Monster 5K (Naples), Saturday, Oct. 31 (virtual)
• Old Naples 10K, Saturday, Nov. 7 (in-person & virtual)
• GCR Thanksgiving 5K, Thursday, Nov. 26 (in-person & virtual)
• Naples Daily News Half Marathon, Saturday, Jan. 17 (in-person & virtual) 

ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):

• Fall Classic Half Marathon and 5K, Naples, Saturday, Nov. 21
• Thanksgiving Day 5K Run and Walk, Estero, Thursday, Nov. 26
• Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K, Saturday, Dec. 5
• Naples Distance Classic 5K, 10K and Half Marathon, Sunday, Dec. 6 

OTHER RUNS:

• 2020 LCEC Goblin Gallop 5K, Oct. 31, Jaycee Park, Cape Coral (in-person) (active.com)
• Run for Foster Kids, Oct. 1-31 (virtual) (runsignup.com)

CYCLING:

The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.

SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides, although the NE Lee ride seems to be lacking a leader and thus is not on the calendar. The options are below, and you can check out their line-up online (http://www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times.

• SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers. 
• Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Tuesday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
• Saturday Morning Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.

If racing is not your thing but you’d like to support their return nonetheless, consider volunteering to help out at the few in-person offerings ahead. With Covid concerns still corralling some of the club’s usual volunteers, a few new helping hand would certainly be welcomed. 

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.

 

 

BikeWalkLee: Bike/ped facilities a good investment

BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, July 30, 2020
by Ken Gooderham

Want proof that investing in bike/ped infrastructure works? Watch what happens once a bike lane or shared-use path is in place.

To misquote the well-worn movie phrase: “If you build it, they will come!”

One example: The bike path along Palomino Lane has been open less than a year, but it’s in constant use already – even in the summer!

In fact, it’s so popular that one of the communities nearby is working with the City of Fort Myers to construct its own shared-use path to connect to the Palomino pathway. This will boost usage even more, as well as move cyclists off a narrow two-lane road – the scene of a cycling fatality earlier this year.

Another example: Drive along Treeline Avenue some Saturday morning and you might see more bicycles than cars taking advantage of the bike lanes on both sides of the four-lane roadway – a favorite of the faster paceline riders – or the sidewalks along most of the roadway– preferred by more leisurely pedalers.

The coronavirus crisis has sparked a surge in cycling, but the popularity of bike/ped facilities was in place long before the pandemic arrived.

Whether a few streets long or an entire community wide, these facilities bring people out to enjoy a ride, run or walk at all hours of the day.

Why?

• Safety: Give people a safer place to ride, run or walk and they’ll use it. Getting them out of traffic and into a place designed with these activities in mind is a great attraction.
• Visibility: More people ride when they see more people riding, same with walking. It’s both a reminder that riding and walking is a viable option and the sense of safety in numbers – more people riding and walking reminds motorists to watch out for them.
• Convenience: Build a park people can drive to and they will… just not every day. But bring the park to their doorstep – literally – and watch them put it to use day in and day out.

Photo courtesy: www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com

More and more communities are realizing that bike/ped infrastructure is not just a good investment – it’s a public amenity that can attract residents and visitors simply by its presence. Just look at, say, Sanibel, where the extensive shared-use path is a boon to tourists and residents alike, both drawn by the ability to traverse the island without the constant need for a motor vehicle.

Cape Coral is following suit, identifying existing infrastructure that can be adapted for bike/ped use while working to fill in the gaps to make that infrastructure complete – and thus more useful to riders and walkers who want to get somewhere when they jump on their bikes or tie up their shoes.

More communities – existing and developing – tout their fitness amenities as a lure to buyers. It’s not too much of a stretch to imagine they could also tout their community’s access to the larger county bike/ped network as yet another draw… which makes the continuing expansion of bike/ped infrastructure a smart move for city and county officials.

The county’s track record on creating bike/ped infrastructure is getting better, although there is still some lingering resistance to such investments (and a still-growing backlog of worthy projects lacking the funding to move forward). The county’s municipalities have done much better, even though some are more facile than others at making bike/ped planning integral rather than an afterthought.

If the coronavirus spike in biking stays in place, bike/ped facilities will see more demand. That’s why some smart cities worldwide are using this opportunity to expand bike/ped options and take back more of the public spaces for non-motorized use. More open space and less pollution, more room to run, walk or ride (at an appropriate distance) and less reliance on cars in places where their transportation attributes are not put to use.

Let’s hope the urge to ride or walk sticks around even when this tiresome virus has waned, and that local governments follow the international trends and keep growing our bike/ped infrastructure.

It should be a no-brainer. Just look around and see existing bike lanes and shared-use paths teeming with bikers and walkers… and you’ll see why building it is (public and private) money well spent.

Ready to ride or run?

Nothing new on the race calendars, just virtual events and the promise of racing to return come the fall (Covid willing). Keep checking the usual websites for updates… be prepared to sign up, but also be prepared to deal with postponements if the rules on gatherings don’t change.

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. 

A signature link

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, March 11, 2020
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Carolyn Conant has a plan to fulfill a long-overdue need to provide appropriate access across the Caloosahatchee River for non-motorists.

Southwest Florida draws people from many parts of the country and world, including quite a few who decide to make it their home. Among those who end up here are those who can be considered visionaries, bringing ideas from their own imagination or from what they’ve experienced in the places they’ve lived or visited. Carolyn Conant is one of our visionaries whose dreams have a very good chance of becoming reality.

Those of us in the world of bike/ped advocacy know Carolyn for being the driving force behind Cape Coral becoming a Bike Friendly Community. Although she’s only an occasional bike rider, Carolyn’s background as a budget manager for a major national construction firm, along with her urban studies and social services education, gives her the tools she used to make that happen.

A while back Carolyn spearheaded the public-private effort to get almost 100 miles of bike route designed and marked in that city, the trigger that moved Cape Coral to its BFC. Now she wants to take it to the next level by making Cape Coral a destination for those who want to have a top-notch bicycling and pedestrian experience. Her idea would also fulfill a long-overdue need to provide appropriate access across the river for non-motorists. The lack of access between Cape Coral and Fort Myers is a major shortcoming the League of American Bicyclists noted in its review of the Cape’s Bike Friendly Community application.

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 239-334-6417.

As I point out any chance I get, the only pedestrian access across our major bridges is a narrow sidewalk on one span of the state-owned Edison Bridge between downtown Fort Myers and North Fort Myers. It’s not safe or legal to cross the Midpoint Bridge, Cape Coral Bridge or the Sanibel Causeway, all bridges designed, constructed and managed by Lee County government. Accommodation for those operating bicycles is only by default on those bridges, thanks to breakdown lanes (although the old westbound span of the Cape Coral Bridge lacks even them). There are no bike lanes or safe approaches to or exits from some of the bridge structures. Carolyn has a vision that would drastically change these conditions on at least one river crossing.

The westbound span of the Cape Coral Bridge was opened in the early 1960s and is due to be replaced before the end of this decade. Carolyn seized on this fact by introducing her vision to go well beyond constructing a spartan structure with a signature bridge that would attract visitors, vastly improve safety and access for all users, create economic development and enhance quality of life for residents on both sides of the river. It’s early in the process and Carolyn has brought her vision to any and all government and non-government bodies that would listen, from civic and business organizations to government councils and advisory committees. She has been well received.

Just like any transportation project that’s designed beyond the basics there’s a higher cost. But the additional resources expended will pay off in benefits over time. In this case the vision is for a bridge, or multiple bridge structures, that provides access for all users along with upgrades such as pedestrian-friendly underpasses with artistic lighting, sound features, art installations and the possibility of keeping one of the old spans and turning it into a dedicated bike/ped linear park that will connect to other parks and business districts on both sides of the river.

When looking at the current configuration on the Fort Myers side, the design is about as bad as it gets for all those who must traverse it. It’s confusing for drivers, unattractive for those on bicycles, and downright hostile for pedestrians who can’t use the bridge but also can’t get to the neighborhoods leading to it. The Cape side isn’t nearly as confusing, but because of its wide-open nature, speeding is a problem. Any new design should address all the approach issues while also adequately accommodating every user. In fact, if the right design is chosen, it’ll do much more than that.

Of course, there are many hurdles to jump, the primary one being whether Lee County and the city of Cape Coral have the political will to expend more money than what a usual spartan structure would cost. But based on Carolyn’s track record of convincing folks that matter, getting a final product that’s the destination signature bridge she envisions is a very real possibility. And we’d all benefit from it.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦


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.

Design matters

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, February 26, 2020
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

This keyhole bike lane won’t exist with FDOT’s new policy. DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Vision Zero, the effort being undertaken by many governments and organizations to not just reduce traffic-related crashes but to eliminate them, is a worthy goal, but if plans aren’t fully thought through there will be unintended consequences.

Some consequences may result in the exact opposite of what Vision Zero is meant to do, such as making it more difficult to get around efficiently. A major change to Florida’s roadway design guidelines may be an example.

The change — outlining when bike lanes are to be used — was announced locally at the January meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinating Committee — an advisory committee that deals with bike/pedestrian matters throughout the county.

Specifically, bike lanes will no longer be included on state roads that have no curbs and with posted speeds of 45 mph or higher. In Lee County, that means that segments of U.S. 41, Pine Island Road/ Bayshore Road, McGregor Boulevard, San Carlos Boulevard, Palm Beach Boulevard and MLK Boulevard could be affected when resurfacing or other improvements are made. It includes the potential removal of existing bike lanes. U.S. 41 from around Alico Road to just south of San Carlos Park, which will soon be resurfaced, as the first example of this new policy..

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 239-334-6417.

The standards mandate that in populated areas where bike lanes are not constructed, a shared-use path (meaning at least 10 feet wide and made of asphalt) should be constructed to accommodate pedestrians and those on bicycles. If there’s only a concrete sidewalk (8 feet or less) or no sidepath, a 5-foot paved shoulder with right-turn lane keyholes (moving the shoulder from the right side of a right-turn lane over to the left of it so there’s no conflict at the intersection) is an option but not a requirement.

On U.S. 41 near San Carlos Park there are currently 5-foot concrete sidewalks (which frequently go underwater during rainy season) so a paved shoulder and keyholes may be how the final product ends up, unless the sidepath is upgraded to an asphalt shared use path. Or not.

FDOT’s intentions to separate those on bikes from high-speed motor vehicles is understandable, and the majority of people who ride bikes would prefer that be the case. But there are a number of other elements to consider, including how pedestrians might be affected. Those who prefer operating bikes on the road generally ride at higher speeds than is appropriate on pathways so that means if they are relegated to the path by design they pose a risk to pedestrians when traveling at high speeds.

And at each intersection, whether side streets or driveways, there’s now a much higher risk of conflict for cyclists since many motorists don’t stop where indicated or, in some situations, aren’t required to stop prior to crossing the pathway because it’s set back so far from the road.

Another major factor is the reality that e-bikes and other micro-mobility devices will soon be everywhere and will be operating at speeds way too high for sidewalks and shared-use paths. From my observations and experience it’s already a problem.

I have no doubt that FDOT is making its best effort to implement Complete Streets in a way that balances access and safety and that it’s committed to providing shared use paths wherever they forego bike lanes. But the reality is that it could/would never allocate enough funding to even come close to doing so, since the vast majority of state roads statewide have speed limits at or above 45 mph and without curbs.

To its credit, FDOT recently reversed its short-lived policy that any time it constructs a sidepath wider than a 5- or 6-foot concrete sidewalk local governments must take on maintenance and repair or default to having sidewalks. Most local governments would balk at that requirement and settle for a sidewalk designed and constructed exclusively for pedestrian traffic.

Another constructive step FDOT is taking will be to review all local bike/ pedestrian master plans so it will know where bike lanes on state roads are proposed or expected in order to come to some kind of agreement that will accommodate the most people.

That’s a good approach, assuming the micro-mobility element will be fully considered in whatever facility or treatment type is offered. Operating e-bikes under electric power is currently banned when on sidepaths (unless local ordinances are enacted to allow them) but it’s rarely enforced. And while the most common e-bikes now in use have a top electric-only speed of 20 mph the fact is that there will soon be a lot more in operation that have much higher speeds.

If adequate accommodation for all users isn’t provided, we lowly pedestrians will be most impacted. Bringing outside experts and users into the decision-making process is a must if FDOT is to get it right.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦


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.

Vision Zero

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, January 29, 2020
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

It’s no secret that I’m critical of both our local and state elected leadership regarding commitment toward implementing Complete Streets and other measures to improve access and safety for non-motorists.

Lee County’s history of having one of the worst overall traffic safety records year after year doesn’t seem to present a problem for our top decision-makers. Fortunately, organizations and individuals on the frontline are engaged in ongoing efforts to affect positive change. One such undertaking just getting started here is part of a worldwide initiative called Vision Zero, as in zero traffic fatalities.

Keeping in mind that pedestrians and people on bikes make up 1 in 4 traffic fatalities each year in Lee County (that’s almost double the national average rate), any effort that reduces overall numbers would undoubtedly decrease bike/pedestrian deaths as well. But while having no loss of life from traffic crashes — whether motorist, bicyclists or pedestrian — should always be the goal, even the most optimistic among us must realize it’s not possible. Or is it?

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 239-334-6417.

A major European city is doing just that. Smart Cities Dive (www.smartcitiesdive.com) reports that Oslo, Norway, had no pedestrian or cyclist deaths in 2019 and the sole traffic-related fatality was a motorist who ran his car into a fence. Oslo leaders developed plans in 2015 and began implementing them two years later. Among the actions undertaken are encouraging car-free trips, making infrastructure safety improvements, removing over 1,000 parking spaces, adding miles of bike lanes and sidewalks, expanding their bike-share program, investing more resources to significantly improve public transit, and making some downtown areas car-free zones. The benefits of these changes go beyond safety: the reduction on motor vehicles means less congestion for delivery and transit vehicles and fewer cars also equates to less emissions, something that results in better air quality for its residents and is important to a city and country that’s taking committed to taking significant steps to deal with climate change.

Per www.visionzeronetwork.org, Vision Zero is an effort begun in Sweden in the 1990s and is based on “the ethical belief that everyone has the right to move safely in their communities, and that system designers and policy makers share the responsibility to ensure safe systems for travel.” That means having safe public right of way for pedestrians, transit users, people on bikes and other human-powered devices, and drivers should be expected and provided by those having the power to make that a reality.

Locally, the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research has received a grant from National Safety Council to help communities focus on effective and appropriate messaging when it comes to how traffic crashes are reported.

All too often the most vulnerable road users who are victims of crashes are inappropriately blamed, either in law enforcement reports or in media stories. In some cases it’s inadvertent due to the use of certain phrases and terms such as “the pedestrian was hit by the car” versus “by the driver of the car” and “the pedestrian darted into the road,” implying fault before investigation is completed. I’ve read a number of crash reports that include clearly biased narratives against the non-motorist with statements like “for some reason the pedestrians didn’t see the vehicle” but didn’t include a similar statement like “for some reason the driver didn’t see the pedestrian.” Or “the victim (pedestrian) was in a portion of the roadway not intended for pedestrians.” Statements like these merely reinforce the misperception that public right of way are meant only for motor vehicles.

Another recent example of problematic reporting that can have major implications as to how the general public perceives the environment for those who cycle here is a U.S. News and World Report story in early January on the topic of best places to live. Whenever there are best places there are those on the other end of the list. According to the article’s author, Cape Coral (a League of American Bicyclists’ Bike Friendly Community since 2015) ranks as the most dangerous place in the U.S. for folks riding bikes, at least when using the fatality rate for those commuting by bike. Between 2014 and 2017 there were four fatalities in Cape Coral involving people on bikes but when using the formula the author cited that equates to 1,333 cyclist deaths for every 100,000 commuters who use bikes to get to work.

While that may be technically accurate (although I’m not sure of that because League of American Bicyclists’ rate for Cape Coral is almost half that), the fact that there are less than 100 Cape Coral residents who use that mode of transportation to travel to work (per www.carinsurance.org) means using such a statistic makes the environment appear infinitely worse than the reality of four (too many) deaths in four years.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦


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.

Advent of cars, suburbs led to threatening times for pedestrians

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, January 15, 2020
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com



Using our feet to get around is the original form of human transportation, at least on land. At some point humans used animals for transporting themselves and goods. Around 3500 B.C. the wheel came onto the scene — initially to serve as a potter’s tool — and it was used for transporting humans in chariots.

But travel by foot remained the primary mode for the masses. It wasn’t until human-powered bicycles and then motorized vehicles came about in the late 1800s that was there any significant change in how the majority of the world’s population got from place to place. Although the first use of the modern train predates bicycles by just a few years, they were few and far between and very limited as to where they could go. Even after the locomotive became commonplace, most personal transport, especially for local and short trips, was still made on foot. Once the motor vehicle proliferated in the early 1900s — because of its affordability, thanks to mass production — the world changed drastically, even in places where cars were rare or non-existent. This change became even more significant after World War II.

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 239-334-6417.

Early in the 20th century, roads and streets that were used for centuries became unsafe for those on foot when an automobile was added to the mix. Laws that were purported to manage this new arrival and protect vulnerable users of the public right of way actually relegated the latter to second-class status in that space. For our own protection, of course. That trend continues to this day, regardless of lip service given to laws and road designs intended to allow pedestrians equitable and safe access to our public spaces. But we’re not giving up on making those two concepts reality.

Beginning in the late 1940s, car ownership exploded along with the new suburban model of community building. The growth of automobile ownership was both the reason for and result of our push away from easily accessible places and services to outlying suburban and exurban bedroom communities. One couldn’t/can’t live in those places without a car. Even, perhaps, one car for each adult in the household. When this change happened, an amazing thing occurred: requirements and infrastructure for accommodating pedestrians were nixed, both in the new suburban neighborhoods as well as existing places where walking was still commonplace and necessary.

Look around and you’ll notice gaps in sidewalks that coincide with the date the adjacent homes or businesses were constructed. On a larger scale, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, San Carlos Park and any other place that came up out of the ground after WWII are prime examples of the consequences of automobile becoming the end-all, be-all.

The lack of requirement for developers and governments to include safe accommodations means we have between hundreds of millions to over $1 billion of projects identified (depending on which estimates are used). And that’s just in Lee County. Multiply that by all the suburban model counties and it becomes quite clear that as a society we put way too much emphasis on the automobile at the expense of the general public’s access and safety. The good news is that since we are all pedestrians sometimes, there continue to be efforts to right the wrongs. Even with local governments that build bridges without allowing pedestrians to use them as recently as the 1990s. Even with governments still allowing businesses to be constructed along Pine Island Road without providing sidewalks. And even with governments providing only a pittance of the money needed to put a dent in our backlog.

While those short-sighted policies and actions continue to take place, progress is being made, thanks to the fact that people still need to, want to and love to walk and run. Those who put all their money on the automobile must have never envisioned would be the case.

Local coalitions and organizations like BikeWalkLee, Streets Alive of SWF, LeeFuture, Stay Alive… Just Drive! and Lee County Injury Prevention Coalition, as well as many business, certain government agencies such as Lee MPO and Lee Health continue to work toward getting our primary decision-makers to fully comprehend the public’s wishes and prioritize funding and policies appropriately. As well, local efforts are backed-up by scores of regional, state, national and international efforts and actions taking place to ensure people and not machines are the highest priority.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦



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.

Project list for bike-pedestrian improvements sorely lacking

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, December 18, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

The enormous cost of adding pedestrian access ways rather than including them up-front is the best argument of doing it right the first time.

Lee County government and its various municipalities have on the books unmet infrastructure needs, some of which are also included on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s project list, which includes over $200 million worth of projects. Unmet SUN Trail needs amount to another $ 7.6 million.

Lee County’s list is made up of those in unincorporated parts of the county as well as on Lee County roads that run through the various municipalities. None of the bridges linking Fort Myers with Cape Coral and Sanibel that are under the county’s jurisdiction allow pedestrian access nor are facilities to address the need to change that fact among 125 identified projects, or even acknowledged as a need. Retrofitting the bridges could add $5-$30 million for each structure, perhaps much more for the Midpoint Bridge and Sanibel Causeway structures because of their length (the estimate is based on FDOT’s U.S. 41 bridge, which is approximately one mile long).

The enormous cost for adding such features, rather than including them upfront, is the best argument of doing it right the first time, whether it be a bridge or road project. That’s exactly what a Complete Streets policy does. So, in reality, Lee County’s needs are much more expensive than $160 million.

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 239-334-6417.

The city of Cape Coral, which was just awarded a three-year renewal of its Bronze-level Bike Friendly Community designation from League of American Bicyclists, estimates $63 million to complete its current bike/ped master plan list, a conservative estimate that doesn’t include associated design, right-of-way acquisition, stormwater elements, or even specific bike/ped safety projects such as intersection improvements.

Another way Cape Coral looked at its needs is related to the tragic deaths last school year of two students who were waiting at or walking from their bus stops. Because of those events the city did a remarkable thing: it conducted a study to determine what the needs and cost estimates would be for various levels of sidewalk installations throughout the city as well as streetlighting, seating and enhanced signage around all the bus stops and the two-mile walking distance to each school.

The study found that to provide sidewalks on the 1,250 miles of roads within the city that currently don’t have them (meaning approximately 90% of streets) it would cost over $1 billion in today’s dollars for 5-foot sidewalks on both sides of all major roads and one side of all local roads. It goes up to over $2 billion if the local roads have sidewalks on both sides rather than just one. The estimates only include 5-foot sidewalks and does not consider wider shared use paths or bike lanes where appropriate, both of which are features included in the city’s bike/ped master plan.

The village of Estero lists 17 projects with a cost estimate of $63 million, quite significant for a new entity with a very small annual budget. The town of Fort Myers Beach did an excellent job turning the portion of Estero Boulevard that’s under its jurisdiction (Times Square to Bowditch Park) into a Complete Street a few years back. Now the rest of Estero Boulevard is undergoing a full rebuild that includes bike/ped features. Still, the town has around $200,000 in bike/ped needs on its list.

I wasn’t able to get accurate data from Fort Myers, Bonita Springs or Sanibel, but even without needs and cost estimates there are at least $360 million in identified unmet bike/ped needs within the county.

By contrast, new roads and improvements to existing roadways that will primarily benefit motorists have $1.8 billion in funding identified to be constructed by 2040, meaning approximately $90 million per year dedicated to those projects.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦

Highway bridge with bus lane and guard-railed bidirectional bike lane (source: Google)

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.

Infrastructure for non-motorists isn’t aging; it’s lacking

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, December 4, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

City bridge with bi-directional bike path, sidewalk, bus lane, and motor vehicle lanes (source: Google)

It’s generally agreed upon that America’s aging transportation infrastructure is in need of significant repair and upgrades. To most, that means everything from our bridges to highways and airports; here in Southwest Florida, however, things aren’t as dire as they are in many other parts of our country, primarily because much of our area was developed post-WWII and is relatively “new.”

But that’s doesn’t mean we don’t have critical needs — especially where infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists is concerned. It’s not that we need to replace/repair aging facilities, but that we need to provide the basics where none has ever existed.

The Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (www.leempo.com) has a list that includes more than $200 million in projects to accommodate non-motorists awaiting design and construction. Some of the most significant are:

Shared use paths, or SUPs, on both sides of Estero Boulevard on the islands that connect Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach. This will allow non-motorized access to Lovers Key State Park, one of our area’s natural gems. The estimated cost is $3.5 million.

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 239-334-6417.

SUPs on both sides of Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers from where the pathways currently end just west of the I-75 overpass to SR-31 (just under $4 million) and SR-31 from Bayshore Road across the drawbridge to Palm Beach Boulevard ($1.6 million).

In east Lee County, SUPs on both sides and bike lanes along parts of Orange River Road ($3.1 million) and sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of segments of Buckingham Road ($7.7 million).

In Lehigh Acres, sidewalks and bike lanes along parts of Joel Boulevard ($9.3 million) and sidewalks on Bell Boulevard from Joel Boulevard to SR 82 ($2.3 million).

In southwest Fort Myers, bike lanes along McGregor Boulevard from Cypress Lake Drive to south San Carlos Boulevard ($5.7 million).

Many of these are only a portion of a full project. And there generally are no “bells and whistles” on any of them.

Another list MPO keeps is for our portion of the statewide SUN Trail network for which we’re seeking trail-specific dollars to build. One of three segments along Kismet Parkway in Cape Coral (from Del Prado Boulevard to Nelson Boulevard) is in the design phase and will cost almost $5 million; the two additional segments that will close the gap from Del Prado to SE 24th are estimated at $2.6 million.

Across the river in Fort Myers, the next phase of John Yarbrough Trail (from Colonial Boulevard north to Hanson street) comes in at $1.8 million. But a pedestrian bridge spanning Colonial to meet the existing trail is estimated at another $3.27 million, bringing the cost to just over $5 million.

I’ve pointed out many times Lee County’s critical shortcoming in the complete lack of pedestrian access on all but one of our major bridges. Those on foot cannot cross the Sanibel Causeway, the Cape Coral Bridge, the Midpoint Bridge or the Caloosahatchee River Bridge. The southbound span of the Edison Bridge is the only structure a pedestrian can legally traverse.

As part of a SUN Trail grant application, some type of facility is being considered for the Caloosahatchee River Bridge that would serve pedestrians and cyclists. But the cost to add such access to any of those bridges — the estimate for retrofitting the Caloosahatchee River Bridge is around $30 million for 8-foot cantilever structures and $5 million$ 8 million to narrow travel lanes to make room for 5-foot sidewalks and raise the railings — means we’ll likely only see this happen when new bridges replace existing ones. And even that might be a risky assumption, considering three of the offending bridges have been constructed in the relative recent past without those features.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦

Highway bridge with (electric) bus lane and guard-railed bidirectional bike lane (source: Google)

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.

Lee County continues to ignore bicycle-pedestrian needs

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, November 20, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Courtesy Photo

Lee County has seen quite a bit of bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure added since it was a virtual wasteland for nonmotorists. A significant amount of bike lanes, sidewalks and shared-use paths are in place. That’s good news for everyone, residents and visitors alike.

However, a huge backlog of all of those features remains, with funding being the primary obstacle, according to local officials. While it’s understandable that money is the issue, the fact that spending on bicycle-pedestrian projects is miniscule in comparison to other transportation projects means we’re not putting a dent in the backlog of needs, primarily along roads that still have nothing on the ground.

When I received notice recently of the Palomino Road pathway project ribbon cutting ceremony, it reminded me of just how difficult it is to get even the most obviously needed projects done. I recall this particular one being initiated well over a decade ago (maybe closer to two decades ago), at a time when Palomino Road was transitioning from a rural road off Daniels Parkway with only a few homes on ranch- and farm-sized lots to sprawling gated communities containing hundreds of housing units and a megachurch on Palomino just for good measure.

The fact that development was allowed without any bicycle-pedestrian accommodation on the only road in and out of those gated neighborhoods and the megachurch church parking lot is a good example of the cause of the backlog.

This is not an uncommon situation, a problem the governments permitting such growth are responsible for creating. The drastic reduction in impact fees is clearly also a cause of the funding shortfall. Again, the governments that are letting the developers off the impact-fee hook are as much to blame as those doing the building without paying for adequate infrastructure to handle the growth they create and profit from.

Similar to Palomino Road, nearby Fiddlesticks Boulevard was identified as needing bicycle-pedestrian accommodations decades ago, but it wasn’t until just a few years ago that a pathway was finally approved, funded and constructed.

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 239-334-6417.

Over the years, that project was an ongoing agenda item for the committee on which I served. The reasons given for not building it made clear to me that this kind of common situation was going to haunt us, perhaps forever. Besides the gated community syndrome, there are the large bedroom communities of San Carlos Park, Lehigh Acres and Iona, as well as at-risk neighborhoods Suncoast Estates, Palmona Park, Pine Manor, Page Park, Charleston Park, Harlem Heights and others that were developed decades ago with only motor vehicle traffic accommodation being required.

We’ll be playing catch-up indefinitely in and around these kinds of communities with even newer developments that also weren’t required to adequately accommodate non-motorists.

Some of the progress that has been made in the at-risk communities can be attributed to non-traditional funding. While much of our overall transportation project funding appears to come from afar, the fact is that the majority is locally generated taxes that are sent north then reallocated back here.

But because of the strings attached, neighborhood streets are frequently ineligible to tap into them, no matter the need. Thanks to a federal human service program that infuses at-risk neighborhoods with resources to get them out of that status, some of those funds were used to construct sidewalks. The half dozen at-risk communities that benefitted each have many residents who depend on their feet, bikes and transit to get around, so it’s more than an appropriate use of the human service funds.

Because some of our local governments are loath to use local dollars for bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure, the time it takes to get projects on the ground is drastically elongated as these governments wait for state and federal transportation funds to flow in.

The city of Fort Myers is most guilty of this approach, meaning there are lots of streets in areas built-out many years ago that won’t get what should already be there until and unless the city is lucky enough to be awarded funds. At the same time, they think nothing of providing millions of dollars in tax deferments to developers in order to entice them to build within city limits. With an approach like this, many neighborhoods will never see bare minimum infrastructure.

One of the most egregious and expensive shortcomings that needs to be addressed is the lack of pedestrian access across most of our major bridges, including the Sanibel Causeway, Cape Coral Bridge, Midpoint Bridge and Caloosahatchee River Bridge. One span of the Edison Bridge is the only place that a pedestrian can legally use. Other than the Edison and Caloosahatchee River bridges, all the others are Lee County structures. The cost to add pedestrian access means we may never see it happen until new spans are built.

Image Courtesy thesfnews.com

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦



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.