Shared Use Path Master Plan To Move On To City Council

by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino

The Sanibel Planning Commission on April 30 heard a presentation by the Metropolitan Planning Organization on completion of the Shared Use Master Plan, after which the Commission voted unanimously to recommend City Council adopt the Master Plan along with recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and Commissioners’ comments.

The original Shared Use Path Master Plan was adopted in 2009 and developed to implement the Sanibel Plan and the Parks and Recreation System Master Plan by creating a long-term vision for the system that could provide a basis for fundraising efforts and shared use path improvements.

The city began an update to the Shared Use Path Master Plan in 2019, including hosting multiple workshops and surveys to engage the public. Substantial work was done at that time; however, the pandemic and other priorities delayed final work on the plan.

At the July 19, 2022, City Council meeting, City staff provided an update on the Shared Use Path Master Plan. City Councilman Mike Miller, resident Darla Letourneau, and the City Manager met with Donald Scott, Executive Director of the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to request support from the MPO to complete the Shared Use Plan Master Plan with the assistance of the MPO. Scott agreed to assist the City and engaged a consultant (Benesch) to update and complete the Master Plan. The consultant’s scope of work includes revising and updating the draft master plan considering comments from staff and public, prioritizing the Master Plan recommendations, and finalizing the plan.

The draft was shared with the Sanibel Bicycle Club in March and with Parks and Recreation at its April 18 meeting.

Input was sought throughout the process via City Council updates, Project Advisory Committee updates, pop-up community events such as festivals, farmer’s markets, intercept surveys, and open house meetings; a project web page and interactive comment map; and online surveys.

In general, feedback said the paths are important to the quality of life on Sanibel, more paths are desirable, widen the paths where possible, most of the current paths are too crowded, people do not alert/signal when passing, bicyclists do not stop at intersections, don’t allow motorized use on the paths, and separate bikes from walkers. Issues broke down into three categories: space, social behavior, and speed. The result of the feedback was a need to better educate path users and a need for enforcement.

E-bikes were a continuing topic of concern later in the meeting.

The MPO presentation looked at design considerations; that is, vegetation and landscaping, lighting, path surface, path width, signage and markings, height and vegetation clearance, and accessibility. The Master Plan goals were safety – the highest priority – quality, connectivity, and stewardship.

Just a sampling of suggested intersection enhancements includes:
• San-Cap Road at Ding Darling Entrance …. Improve visibility of path users
• San-Cap Road at Rabbit Road …. Improve crosswalk alignment and visibility
• Middle Gulf Drive at Casa Ybel Road …. Crosswalk alignment
• Periwinkle Way at Bailey Road …. Visibility and crossing improvements
• Rabbit Road, West Gulf Drive to San-Cap Road …. On-street bicycle enhancements, marked bike lanes or shared lane markings
• Periwinkle Way, Tarpon Bay Road to Lindgren Boulevard …. On-street bicycle enhancements, marked bike lanes, or paved shoulder

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, represented by member Angi Semler Welch, presented input to the Plan. This included, among other things, a recommendation for added safety enhancements at crosswalks with a higher number of incidents and a higher volume of pedestrian/bicycle traffic: Casa Ybel and Periwinkle, Periwinkle and Tarpon Bay, and West Gulf and Tarpon Bay. In addition, the committee recommended adding safety enhancements to two crosswalks that were not mentioned in the Plan: Dixie Beach Boulevard and Periwinkle, and Donax and Periwinkle.

PARC fully supports and agrees with the recommendation to widen the shared use path wherever feasible, particularly along Periwinkle, East Gulf Drive, and Middle Gulf Drive. The report suggests a minimum of eight-feet wide while acknowledging the current standard of 10 feet. PARC proposes adopting a 10-foot minimum except where eight fee is the only viable choice. Deputy Director of Planning Craig Chandler said, though, that there are very few opportunities for widening the path.

The committee further believes there are some important options to extend the path: along the north side of Periwinkle from Dunlop to Bailey Road; Periwinkle Way, Tarpon Bay Road, to Palm Ridge Road; and Palm Ridge Road, Periwinkle Way to Tarpon Bay Road. PARC listed several other options for extensions, such as extending the path from the Lighthouse Beach Park entrance to the Fishing Pier parking lot, and a path extension along Rabbit Road, among others.

Lastly, PARC recommends adding signage at various points along the path where users can quickly and easily (e.g. by way of a QR code) access a map of the shared use path system including all paths, bike lanes, rest areas, water fountains, restrooms, key points of interest, and heritage trail markers. This could also include “rules of the road.”
When it came time for Commissioners’ comments, the issue of E-bikes was the main topic.

Said Commissioner Lyman Welch, “There are no recommendations and no real analysis of our existing Class I allowance. Since that ordinance was passed by City Council, there have been changes in the technology. City Council may want to review that after a more thorough analysis. PARC should look at this in more detail. The E-bike situation should be addressed. We don’t have the real data here to answer these questions,” Welch said.

Commissioner Erika Steiner called the shared-use path system “the crown jewel of Sanibel; it is important to all of us,” and added “Whatever we come up with for E-bikes, there’s going to have to be an enforcement element. It’s pointless to make rules that aren’t enforceable.”

The general feeling was that social etiquette and behavior are the biggest things. It was said that people on the shared-use paths are often in a vacation mindset and not necessarily interested in following the rules. How do you encourage people to just get along and be socially aware?

Commissioner Paul Nichols added, “Are we forgetting walkers? We shouldn’t be trying to speed everything up and creating a speedway for bicycles. It’s a leisure thing down by Periwinkle. We need calming techniques. We have to remember different paths need to be treated differently. It shouldn’t be making things wider and making things faster for bicycles. It should be about slowing them down, calming the situation.”

“The E-bikes are getting out of control,” said Vice Commissioner Eric Pfeifer. “Enforcement has to be addressed. Maybe the Police Department will have a solution.” Five positions for Sanibel Rangers were approved to work on the path, but that hasn’t happened because of Hurricane Ian.

Citizen Chet Sandler said, “We’re losing sight of what’s happening right now. Bumps. Ruts. Limbs. Holes. They’re all over the place. We should concentrate on fixing what we have now and making it safe. It’s not safe. The repairs aren’t working. The bike path needs help right now.”

City Attorney John Agnew said this will be coming up at City Council’s meeting next week to approve $1 million for repairs to the bike path, and that is expected to be approved.

Planning Department Director Paula McMichael reminded everyone that this Master Plan is “a plan and policy document, a 30,000-foot look at the plan. It allows flexibility for details.”

One commissioner, Ken Colter, said he thinks E-bikes should be outlawed. To which Commission Chair Roger Grogman remarked that “E-bikes are legally allowed to ride on the road. Would you rather? We have to find a happy medium.”