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.

Dan Moser Column: (In)Complete Streets

 Dan highlights examples in Lee County of our incomplete streets and the need for more investments and better policy decisions. This column also includes Part II of his shout-out to women in our community who are making our community better for walking and biking. Thanks Diane, Sally, Cindy, and Carolyn!

 Florida Weekly "Outdoors" section, Oct. 21, 2015

Patchwork. Spartan. Unmaintained. Substandard. Gap-ridden. These are a few terms that describe the bike/ped infrastructure in Lee County. While there are plenty of good things taking place in terms of creating an adequate environment for non-motorists, we still have so much to do to make right the iniquities of the past (including the very recent past) that it’s clear we’re not expending enough funds doing so. A few examples will make this point, including the fact that decision makers think nothing of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on roadway “improvements” that are intended only to expand motor vehicle capacity — and which may or may not result in significantly better bike/ped conditions — yet they have trouble providing even a small percentage of that to address our well-documented backlog of needs for non-motorists.

One exception to that fact is the $10 million Federal TIGER grant that’s being used to fill gaps and create a better walking and cycling environment from Colonial Boulevard southward to the Collier County line. Unfortunately, even with that robust infusion of funding, many problems will remain, including Estero Parkway and access to FGCU, to name just two. Unbelievably, FGCU turned away TIGER money to add bike lanes and a proper pathway on its main entrance, citing “environmental issues,” and instead opted to spend $1.5 million to construct an extravagant sign and tower to remind everyone who they are. To add insult to injury, there have always been bike lanes and proper pathways on Ben Hill Griffin Blvd and bike lanes and a pathway network within the university campus but merely one 8-foot sidewalk along each of the two entrance ways. And even those were added only after much arm-twisting. I remain at a loss to understand FGCU leadership’s transportation-related decisions.

The city of Fort Myers is well known for overrating itself when it comes to its walkability and bike-friendliness. Granted, there are pockets of well-done areas, but there’s much to be desired, especially for those who want to ride a bike anywhere but on 6-foot-wide concrete sidewalks. And while the city frequently touts its Riverwalk, officials totally blew it on having a true walkable waterfront, with Edwards Drive and Centennial Park being the only places that actually have a walkway along the water. And now there’s a real possibility that the Vue property, which is adjacent to Centennial Park, will be allowed to delete a requirement to provide public waterfront access as part of its development order. To experience a real Riverwalk in Southwest Florida, take a short trip to Punta Gorda.

The most glaring example of Incomplete Streets is the total lack of pedestrian access across the Caloosahatchee River on Lee DOT bridges, a fact that can only be described as inexcusable. Unlike pre-1980s transportation project decisions that were made when there was no concern for non-motorists’ needs, it wasn’t that long ago that Lee County made three separate and deliberate decisions to forego including pedestrians accommodation on the Cape Coral and Midpoint bridges and, most perplexing, the Sanibel Causeway. Bicycle users fare only slightly better, being accommodated by default with the presence of motor vehicle breakdown lanes. However, access to and from the bridge structures is marginal at best and nonexistent at worse. Until Lee DOT comes up with a fix to these deliberate and discriminatory actions, Lee County government cannot consider itself as embracing Complete Streets, no matter what formal resolutions and policies it has on the books.

Advocacy update

Along with the remarkable women I mentioned in my last column there are more to recognize for their commitment to making our community better. Just like the others, these women are extraordinary and we’re lucky to have them in our midst.

Two who are affiliated with the healthcare profession are Safe Kids coordinators Sally Kreuscher and Diane Holm, the health department’s public voice. Both are seasoned veterans in their respective roles, having also worked in other aspects of human services, giving them excellent perspectives from which to operate. It’s impossible to quantify how many lives they’ve saved through their efforts but suffice it to say the number is undoubtedly significant.

Then there’s Cindy Banyai, a community builder who understands and uses social media as well as anyone. Appropriately, Cindy serves as BikeWalkLee’s electronic media guru, among other things she does for the coalition. Somehow she finds time for BWL even though she runs her own consulting firm, is an adjunct university professor, program evaluator for SWF Community Foundation and is a wife and mother.

.

Carolyn Conant is undoubtedly the main reason Cape Coral is on such a roll in its efforts to become a true bike-friendly community. She is tenacious in getting individuals, business leaders and government officials to do what’s necessary to make the city a place where anyone can get around safely and efficiently by bike as well as attract others to visit because of its bike-friendliness. In the relatively short time she’s been so deeply involved, she’s done what no one else has been able to accomplish in decades of trying. Be sure to thank Carolyn, Cindy, Diane and Sally next time you see them.

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

— 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 atbikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334- 6417.

Estero citizens press for bike/ped facilities on Estero Parkway

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

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

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

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

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

• By Megan Contreras 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jul 12, 2015 7:38 PM EST

By David Hodges, Collier County reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Jul 10, 2015 5:48 PM EST

By Brittany Weiner, Reporter

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

ESTERO, FL -

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Photo submitted to NDN by Bill Williams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BikeWalkLee comments to BoCC on its "growth increment funding" budget proposal

The FY 2015-16 budget process has begun in Lee County. At the Board of County Commissioners' meeting on June 2nd, they will consider a proposal to set aside some of next year's general fund budget for transportation. BikeWalkLee shared its views on this proposal in a May 29th letter (see below).

 

FY 2015-16 Budget Process

The next important date is June 16th, when the Board will hold a workshop (no public comment allowed) to discuss the draft FY 2015-16 budget.  This document should be made available to the public prior to the 6/16 workshop. The Board will set the millage rate on August 4th, and then hold a second budget workshop (again no public comment allowed) on the final draft budget on August 18th.  The two formal public hearings on the budget (required by state law) will be held on Sept. 9th and Sept. 23rd.  Prior to that, the only opportunity for public comment on the draft budget will be at the regular BoCC meetings on Aug. 4th and 18th (at the end of those meetings under either "Public Presentation of Matters by Citizens" or "Public Comment on Work Session" agenda items).  The public can always communicate its views to Board members in letters, phone calls, and meetings throughout the process.

BoCC members:
 John Manning: dist1@leegov.com, 533-2224
Cecil Pendergrass: dist2@leegov.com, 533-2227
Larry Kiker: dist3@leegov.com, 533-2223
Brian Hamman: dist4@leegov.com, 533-2226
Frank Mann: dist5@leegov.com, 533-2225

May 29, 2015

Dear Commissioners:

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

On June 2, you will be considering staff's "growth increment funding" proposal, and BikeWalkLee would like to communicate its views in advance of your deliberations.  Those views are:

•  If the Board plans to use some of next year's general fund budget for transportation, a significant portion of these funds should be dedicated to bike/ped retrofit projects and transit funding. 

• All road projects in the CIP should be designed with a complete streets approach in an effort to improve the safety for all road users. 

• Finally, we recommend that you act now to restore impact fees to the 100% rate. 

The Board is being asked to provide policy direction for development of this year's draft continuation budget.  The staff's "growth increment funding" proposal is simply a methodology for arriving at a dollar amount to earmark in the budget process from general fund (which comes from property taxes) for infrastructure projects.  In reality, this proposal is simply filling the hole created by the loss of impact fee revenues.  The proposal shows $7.9 million being earmarked for that purpose next year--filling the estimated $7 million/year hole created by your 55% reduction in road and park impact fees collection rates.

As we stated throughout the impact fee debate, we supported the county's 25-year policy that growth should pay for growth and warned that if developers were not charged the full cost of the infrastructure necessitated by that development, the taxpayers would be picking up the tab.  Your proposal makes that scenario a reality-- the shortfall in impact fee revenues would now be paid for with property taxes.

BikeWalkLee agrees that additional funds are needed to implement multi-modal transportation projects and retrofit dangerous conditions for users. We also believe that, in some instances, the general fund is appropriate for these purposes.  For example, a $2 million/year allocation would allow the Board to fully fund the recent BPAC request for stand-alone bike/ped retrofit projects to attack the extensive backlog of 85 approved and prioritized projects (totaling $68 million).  Lee County ranks as one of the most dangerous areas in the country for pedestrians and cyclists and it's important that our elected officials take actions to make our roads safer. 

For the past four years, we have been highlighting the new fiscal realities in the transportation world--the transportation funding of the past has been reduced at all level of government and isn't coming back.  Given this new reality, local governments must figure out how to maximize their local revenues for transportation and best invest these dollars to maximize the benefits.

Unfortunately, during the impact fee debates over the past two years, the Board ignored this fiscal reality and drastically cut impact fees. Impact fees are one of the three main sources for transportation funding in Lee County--the other two (almost equal) sources are tolls and gas taxes.  When we pointed out that the out-year costs of the Board's approved 5-year transportation CIP was significantly underfunded, the response was that "the CIP is balanced" so these road impact fee dollars were not needed.  It's regrettable that the truth about the transportation funding needs was not part of the impact fee debate so that the consequences of forgoing these revenues could have been considered before the decision was made to continue a significant reduction in collection of the full costs of public infrastructure investments necessitated by new development.  For road impact fees alone, the 5-year loss due to the Board's policy decisions is an estimated $33 million.

The "growth increment funding" proposal does nothing to address the larger transportation funding deficit, which staff estimates to be $400 million.  The only reasonable next step to address this shortfall would be to restore the impact fees to the 100% collection rate.  While these two steps (the incremental growth proposal and restoring impact fees to 100%) will clearly not fully fund the transportation deficit, it would put the county on a path to a longer term solution. The reality is there are no additional federal or state funds that are going to come bail us out, as Commissioner Kiker suggested at the March 19th BoCC workshop.  The federal Highway Trust Fund is broken and Congress has clearly demonstrated it is not capable of addressing our nation's infrastructure funding crisis.  Likewise, Gov. Scott has made it clear that he's not planning to raise revenues to deal with the state's transportation funding needs, as some other states have done.  So, that leaves it up to each community to find ways to address this problem-- by astutely maintaining available local revenues and by spending those revenues as smartly and cost-effectively as possible.  The only fiscally responsible approach is to equitably maximize the revenue sources available to the county.

A missing piece in this discussion is the other important part of the transportation system--transit. To increase the economic competitiveness of Lee County, reduce overall transportation costs, and increase our quality of life, we need a healthy transit system.  Research shows that you can't build your way out of congestion, i.e. more road lanes brings induced demand, putting more cars on the road.  A multi-modal system is the only viable option to save money in infrastructure costs and manage congestion in a crowded future. 

As the Board considers spending some general funds for infrastructure needs, it should also be increasing general fund expenditures for LeeTran operations.  The county should be proactively preparing to meet the future demand of a population projected to grow to over 1 million by 2040. LeeTran services were cut back in 2013-14 and, while funds were restored in last year's budget, damage was done to the system's viability. As a result of these cutbacks, transit became a less reliable means of travel to work or other essential destinations.  Investments in public transportation are the fiscally responsible way to meet the transportation needs of a growing area such as Lee County.

In summary, if the Board plans to use some of next year's general fund budget for transportation, a significant portion of these funds should be dedicated to bike/ped retrofit projects and transit funding.  Further, all road projects in the CIP should be designed with a complete streets approach in an effort to improve the safety for all road users.  Finally, we recommend that you act now to restore impact fees to the 100% rate. 

Thank you for considering our views.

Sincerely,

 

Darla Letourneau

on behalf of BikeWalkLee

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Recent Letters to BoCC on topic:

May 9, 2015: BikeWalkLee asks County Commissioners to support BPAC's request for additional bike/ped retrofit funds

Jan. 29, 2015: BikeWalkLee letter to BoCC opposing extension of impact fee reductions

Aug. 14, 2014: BikeWalkLee letter to BoCC on LeeTran budget and proposed fare increase

May 31, 2015: News-Press Letter to Editor from David Urich, "Restore full impact fees"

BikeWalkLee asks County Commissioners to support BPAC's request for additional bike/ped retrofit funds

We reported in our February 18th blog that Lee County's Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) requested additional bike/ped retrofit funds.  On March 9th, BikeWalkLee sent a letter of support for BPAC's request to BoCC, which is copied below. Thanks again to BPAC for taking this action.  Now is the time to contact County Commissioners in support of this request.

 March 9, 2015

Dear Commissioners:

BikeWalkLee wholeheartedly supports the Feb. 12th request by the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) for $2 million a year for stand-alone bike/ped retrofit projects. (Click here for BPAC letter to BoCC .) We urge you to include this funding level in the upcoming budget and beyond.

As you know, Lee County ranks as one of the most dangerous areas in the country for pedestrians and cyclists. Making our community safer for vulnerable road users is a top priority for agencies and elected officials in Florida, and requires a multi-faceted approach combining education, outreach, enforcement, complete streets, bike/ped master plans, changes in roadway design, and increased funding for bike/ped facilities. One of BWL's priorities for 2015 is for all jurisdictions in Lee County to increase bike/ped funding. Specifically for Lee County, BikeWalkLee is asking County Commissioners to substantially increase funds for stand-alone bike/ped projects (retrofits), to restore funds cut during the recession, and to begin work on the extensive backlog of BPAC-approved and-prioritized projects.

BPAC has done important work on behalf of the Board for years, as it reviews, recommends and prioritizes bike/ped retrofit projects for consideration in each year's CIP budget. Since the Board's adoption of its Complete Streets policy in 2009, the county has made progress in improving the county's bike/ped facilities network, as such facilities are now incorporated into the design of new road projects. However, we have decades of development that did not include bike/ped facilities and must be retrofitted to make our community safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Each year, more community groups and citizens come before BPAC requesting a sidewalk, shared use path, bike lanes or improved crosswalk to make their community safer. The demands keep growing, but the resources keep shrinking. In order to address this growing backlog and meet the demands for safer walking and biking facilities by the citizens of Lee County, increased funding is needed.

With over 85 projects on the list, costing a total of $68 million, there is serious competition for how the scarce resources are allocated. BPAC uses objective criteria for prioritizing the projects and has taken great care to assure the allocation of resources is equitable throughout Lee County. Because of this careful consideration, BikeWalkLee would like to emphasize the importance of using the priorities already in place to fund projects if additional funds become available. Attached is the latest BPAC Candidate Projects Prioritized List.

At your March 3rd budget workshop, the Lee DOT Director presented the draft transportation 5-year CIP for the coming year, which recommends $6.1 million for bike/ped stand-alone projects, with an additional $3.7 million in the 6-10 year window. This proposal is a good starting point for the Board's consideration. We urge you to fully fund the $2 million/year request, providing $10 million for the 5-year window and another $10 million for the 6-10 year window. The draft CIP adds 4 new projects, meaning that 81 projects remain on the list. We urge you to recommend additional projects from the list to be funded, consistent with BPAC's request.

The $2 million/year is a modest request, given that the county used to allocate the equivalent to $3 million/year to these projects (the present value of the 1998 funding level). In 2009, funding was cut in half for these projects due to spending cutbacks during the recession. However, the County has recovered from the recession and it is time to restore this cut and increase its investment in biking and walking facilities.

BikeWalkLee undertook an analysis of the history and trends in funding for these stand-alone projects and was surprised to learn the extent to which the county's investment has declined over time, and how its standing among jurisdictions both within the county and nationally ranks low in terms of per capita investment in these types of projects. (Click here for BikeWalkLee's report.) We were also surprised to learn that less than 20% of the funds allocated to the BPAC account in the past four years has actually been expended. In addition to increasing the funding for these projects, we urge the board to make completion of these funded projects a higher priority so that the benefits of having bike/ped facilities can be enjoyed by the citizens of our communities. The demand is clear, as was thoroughly reported in last Sunday’s News-Press series on bike/ped fatalities. (Click here for News-Press March 8th feature coverage on biking safety.) In addition, an increased investment in bike/ped safety through better facilities will pay great dividends to the county’s residents and visitors.

We urge the Board to fully fund the BPAC request which responds to the community's desire for enhanced walking and biking infrastructure. Thank you for your consideration.

Darla Letourneau
On behalf of
BikeWalkLee

Attachment: Lee County BPAC Candidate Projects for 2015/16-20 CIP Budget Cycle Review (listed by April 2014 BPAC Project Prioritization Criteria Scoring), Oct. 15, 2014

Action Alert:

Now is the time for citizens and organizations to contact the County Commissioners to urge them to support the $2 million annual funding level for the BPAC account line in the upcoming budget deliberations.   

BoCC members:

·         John Manning: dist1@leegov.com, 533-2224

 Cecil Pendergrass:  dist2@leegov.com, 533-2227

o   Larry Kiker:  dist3@leegov.com, 533-2223

o   Brian Hamman: dist4@leegov.com, 533-2226

o   Frank Mann: dist5@leegov.com, 533-2225

County Administration:

·         Roger Desjarlais (County Manager) rdesjarlais@leegov.com

·         David Loveland (LeeDOT Director) dloveland@leegov.com