Bonita Springs exemplary complete streets work highlighted in national report

Congratulations to the City of Bonita Springs for being in the national spotlight as one of 12 communities across the country that were singled out in Smart Growth America's new report for their exemplary Complete Streets initiatives. It is gratifying to see one of the five agencies/municipalities in Lee County that adopted complete streets policies in 2009-2015, to have on-the-ground results from their successful implementation of their complete streets policies.  We hope to see other communities in Lee County recognized for exemplary complete streets work in the future.

This week Smart Growth America/National Complete Streets Coalition released its new annual report: The Best Complete Streets Initiatives of 2017.  We're excited that the City of Bonita Springs was one of the 12 communities selected nationwide to feature as doing exemplary work on implementing complete streets.  The write-up on Bonita's work highlights its Downtown Improvements Project, and starts with the following statement:  "Motivated to improve accessibility and safety in its downtown area, the City of Bonita Springs, FL worked with both the community and private sector to create a more people-friendly downtown area.  Through its Downtown Improvements Project, the city created a better connected street network for people walking, biking, and taking transit.  The city also incentivized development that promotes job growth and affordable housing."  (See p. 31-33 of the report for the full Bonita Springs write-up.

As the Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition stated in the report's introduction, "We hope that these stories will not only provide inspiration, but also spur other communities into action so that in 10 more years we are celebrating tangible and lasting changes to our streets, with the benefits extending to everyone."

The Best Complete Streets Initiatives of 2017 For the last month, we’ve been profiling one exemplary Complete Streets initiative each week. But now the full report from our National Complete Streets Coalition is out, highlighting 12 people and places doing exceptional work when it comes to making a tangible difference on building safer, more complete streets. Unlike our usual annual report which grades and ranks policies, we took a different approach this year to celebrate a brand new framework for evaluating what makes a successful Complete Streets policy. The new policy framework, which will be used to grade all policies passed in 2018, moves beyond merely passing a policy and puts a greater emphasis on equity and implementation, reflecting the progress that the Complete Streets movement has made over the last decade. The 12 communities and people highlighted in the report reflect this more ambitious and effective approach. Congratulations to everyone who had a role in these 12 initiatives and to all the other communities that have passed Complete Streets policies in the last year.

Link to full report:  The Best Complete Streets Initiatives of 2017 by National Complete Streets Coalition/Smart Growth America.

Link to information on the Downtown Improvements Project, found on the City's website.

BWL Blog, July 16, 2015: Kudos to Bonita Springs City Council on approval of downtown redevelopment design.

Memory, cognitive disorders don’t have to end outdoor activities

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 3/28/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Anyone, including those with memory disorders, can benefit from taking a walk in this environment. COURTESY PHOTO

It’s no secret that remaining physically active as we reach our older years is an important aspect of quality of life. Reams of research confirm the physical and cognitive health benefits that result from regular exercise.

For many of us, our own individual experiences can back that up. Rewards are realized even for those dealing with significant health issues — and it may be even more important in such cases — so physicians commonly encourage their patients to continue whatever activities are enjoyable, possible and safe.

While it may be relatively easy to know what activities are enjoyable and possible, determining which are safe is more complicated. Sometimes it’s about staying away from activities that could worsen a specific condition, while in other cases it’s more about unintended or unexpected outcomes.

As memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affect so many of us as we age, the challenge of remaining physically active after diagnosis is relevant. It’s also a matter I’m personally dealing with on a regular basis, and I thought it worthy of writing about it.

My work in the bike and pedestrian field includes dealing with motorists’ behavior. One direct way I do that is by providing formal driving evaluations for a local driving school. Among those I assess are folks who have been diagnosed with memory disorders and other cognitive conditions.

In the majority of cases my clients are still good-to-go because they are in the early stages of their disorder and have been encouraged by their physician or family to get their baseline for comparison as their condition progresses. An important part of the evaluation is the pre-drive interview, which includes questions and discussion about exercise and recreation. Walking and bicycling are frequently included as activities of choice. It’s always a plus in my mind when someone I’m evaluating is a regular exerciser, and I encourage them to continue doing so. But, like my recommendations related to their driving, it comes with caveats.

Some of the obvious issues to consider for driving with cognitive decline include one’s ability to make quick and accurate decisions, geographic awareness and general wayfinding and remembering one’s destinations. Each of those are just as important — perhaps even more so — for anyone on foot or bike. But there are other elements to consider when the person isn’t protected by the safety features of their motor vehicle.

Getting lost and disoriented is an all too common occurrence for those with memory disorders. When someone is beginning to lose the ability to make sound decisions, crossing the street on foot or by bike is sometimes very difficult. Being unsure about one’s whereabouts may cause them to end up crossing more streets than usual or necessary as they attempt to get back on track. Being disoriented makes things that much more difficult.

Also, when vision, balance and stability are becoming compromised, the probability of a fall increases. Traversing uneven sidewalks or having to walk on the soft shoulder when sidewalks don’t exist can create major challenges. If a fall does occur — whether the person is on foot or riding a bike — even a minor head injury can exacerbate a person’s cognitive decline, as can any incident that requires medical care, particularly if surgery that includes anesthesia becomes necessary.

So, as you can see, sticking to one’s usual exercise routine when cognitive issues are present is tricky. It’s also a moving target since, in most cases, abilities are always declining.

But the rate of change is different for each person, as are the specific abilities and skills involved. And, just as having to stop driving is very difficult for most of us, so too is being relegated to a treadmill or stationary bike for those who enjoy running, walking and bicycling outdoors and on our own terms.

While there’s no room for compromise when it’s time to stop driving, there may be ways to stick to a preferred physical activity for some time after diagnosis.

Here are some suggestions I make to my driving evaluation clients and when I address caregivers.

• Create a specific route within one’s own neighborhood with safe walking conditions. Minimize street crossings.
• Have a partner when venturing out.
• Let others know where you’ll be and when you expect to be back.
• Always carry an ID that explains one’s condition and a cell phone that includes a tracking feature.
• Finally, caregivers and the person with the condition must continually keep an eye out for signs of becoming at-risk for taking a fall, being unable to make appropriate decisions or not being able to find their way when venturing out alone.

For anyone dealing with dementia, it will eventually be necessary to undertake physical activity in a controlled and protected environment, such as the aforementioned treadmill or stationary bike. More information on this topic can be found at Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center, www.alzheimersswfl.org, and the local Alzheimer’s association chapter, www.alz.org/flgulfcoast.¦

- 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 334-6417. 

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.

The differences in danger

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 3/29/2018
by Ken Gooderham


Weekday afternoons may be the most dangerous time to drive in Southwest Florida, but what is the most dangerous time to bike or walk?

For those of you who missed the recent article on vehicle crashes, data collected by the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) shows that vehicle crashes peaked weekday afternoons. The worst time was Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Wednesday at 5 p.m. The safest time to drive? Around 3 a.m. most days.

These findings underscore the deadly combination of more vehicles on the road and drivers paying less attention. But would that correlate with crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians?

Since there’s no bike/ped data on which to draw, we can only speculate. Obviously, more traffic would help contribute to more crashes – so the afternoon apex is feasible in bike/ped problems as well. However, there are some additional contributing factors that could affect the dangers.

The primary difference would be visibility, since vehicles hitting cyclists or pedestrians would be more likely in the low-light conditions of dusk and dawn – not to mention the no-light conditions at night. All the more reason bikers, runners and walkers need to work on being as visible as possible, using bright colors, bright lights and bright ideas (such as emphasizing your motion with lights and reflectors). Being seen greatly improves your chances of not being hit.

The second issue is being predictable, either acting like a vehicle if you’re on wheels or walking and running wisely if on foot. Drivers expect other drivers to operate their vehicles by certain rules, and will safely negotiate most roadway interactions based on that predicted behavior. But if cyclists or pedestrians dart in and out of traffic, don’t wait their turn at intersections or otherwise behavior in an unpredictable fashion, their chance of becoming a statistic (and not in a good way) rise dramatically.

Yet another issue impacting the chances of impact is the vast different in agility between vehicles and bikers or walkers. Cyclists and pedestrians can stop and turn dramatically faster than a vehicle, which has much more momentum and mass to deal with. That makes bikers and walkers far more nimble – and moving vehicles far more deadly. Just because you can stop your bike within 10-15 feet, say, doesn’t mean the car behind you can come to a stop anywhere near that – which doesn’t put you in a very good position if you’re operating on the same roadway.

One very common element in increasing danger for both drivers and walkers/bikers is distraction. A distracted driver is more dangerous to everyone and everything around them, whereas a distracted cyclist, runner or pedestrian increases the danger only to themselves.

So what can you do to stay safer on foot or on your bike?

• Be visible. Bright lights and bright colors.
• Be predictable. No sudden or stupid moves.
• Pay attention. Don’t be distracted from everything going on around you.
• Bike or walk defensively. Acting like they’re out to get you is the best way to avoid danger. (And cyclists… wear a helmet!)
• Know your weaknesses. If sharing the road scares you, stay on the path. Night vision not so good? Then only go out in the daylight.

One more thought: More road users can mean more road dangers – so avoid rush hour if you have a choice (especially now, when our roads are at their maximum use). The odds just make sense.

A transportation deep dive

Staying with both traffic and the MPO, there’s an upcoming one-day conference for the transportation professionals out there… and for transportation geeks as well.

“Designing for People, Place and Profit” will be held on Thursday, April 19, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Myers campus of Florida Southwestern State College. A collection of planners, engineers and transportation heavyweights are scheduled to speak on an array of topics. Not for the casual listener, but certainly invaluable if your profession or your passion tend toward transportation issues.

Your $90 registration fee includes breakfast, lunch and break. You can find out more at www.leempo.com or sign up at MoveForward.ezevent.com.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? Events abound this Saturday, with 5Ks in Fort Myers (Eggs and Ears 5K) and Naples (Wellfit Girls and One Human Race). Details at 3dracinginc.com,  active.com or gcrunner.org. The following Saturday features the Fast and Furriest 5K at Hammond Park in Fort Myers, to support the Gulf Coast Humane Society (which means your dog can be part of the action at this one).
 
Ride? Critical Mass rides abound – in Cape Coral on Friday night, downtown Fort Myers on Saturday morning and then downtown Fort Myers again on Friday night. For the night rides, lights are mandatory; for all rides helmets are suggested. Details at meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/.

Both?  Since it’s good to plan your tris in advance, put these three on the calendar:

• Sunday, April 15: FGCU Eagle Sprint Tri and Duathlon, Florida Gulf Coast University (active.com).
• Saturday, May 12: Cape Coral Yacht Club Sprint Tri (active.com).
• Sunday, June 3: Fitness Challenge Sprint Tri, Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, Naples (active.com).
• Also, registration opens for the Galloway Captiva Tri on May 1; the race weekend is Sept. 15-16, with the kids’ events Saturday and the sprint tri 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.

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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.