Updated bike/ped crash data and map

The 2009 preliminary crash data is now available, which we are analyzing. Note that 15 pedestrian (vs. 14 in 2008) and 2 bicycle (vs. 5 in 2008) fatalities occurred in 2009. In total, the number of fatalities was down slightly from 19 to 17. In total, there were 141 pedestrian and 165 bicycle crashes. Overall, the share of all traffic fatalities in Lee County that were bike/ped was 24%, up slightly from the 2007-2008 share of 23%, compared to the national figure of 13%. Stay tuned for more analysis to come.

We have also posted a GIS map of the bike/ped crashes in Lee County (2000-2009), which identifies the fatalities separately. This map is being prepared as part of the MPO countywide master plan. Click here to see where the "hot spots" are in our county.

BikeWalkLee Letter to Governor & Secretary FDOT in support of complete streets

Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Dear Governor Charlie Crist & Secretary Kopelousos:

The US Secretary of Transportation issued a significant new policy statement putting walking and bicycling on equal footing with motorized traffic. Washington supports complete streets and multi-modal transportation. Given this direction, the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ new Walkable Urban Thoroughfares Manual, and the example for statewide leadership on complete streets by California and their Complete Streets Implementation Action Plan, we call upon you, the Governor of Florida, and the Florida Secretary of Transportation to do the following:

• Adopt the New Federal Policy Statement as FDOT policy and integrate it into the state’s policies, planning processes and guidance documents, including the FDOT revisions to the “Green Book”—the manual used by local governments in designing their road projects.
• Provide leadership and support for a complete streets approach statewide, including aggressively promoting its adoption in communities throughout Florida so that a statewide complete streets program and action plan can be developed and implemented.

To read the full letter, click here.

Other advocacy groups in South Florida are also sending this letter, thanks to the work of the South Florida Complete Streets Task Force.

City of Sanibel promotes biking & walking to city events

Other communities may want to consider the City of Sanibel's approach: when they send out a press release (which is e-mailed to resident households) about a special event on island, they include the following language:

"The City of Sanibel is a “walkable and bikeable” community and features one of the most extensive shared use paths in the State of Florida. Attendees to these special events are encouraged to enjoy our good nature, bicycle to these events and stay FIT-4-LIFE."

Kudos to the City of Sanibel for promoting biking and walking! Check out their press release.