More Connected Bike Lanes Coming To Our Neighborhood
The Cape Coral Transportation Advisory Commission (TAC) on June 15th approved two of the three bike lane requests formally submitted by the SW Cape Coral Neighborhood Association. The requests were presented by Board member Pat Young at the May 18, TAC meeting and were supported by Joe Cervoni, President. Additional support came from BikeWalkLee's Cape Coral representative Steve Chupack, also on the SWCCNA Board and the Caloosa Riders Club.
The TAC approved creating bike lanes on both sides of Agualinda Boulevard between Cape Coral Parkway and Beach Parkway (.7 miles) and both sides of Beach Parkway between Agualinda Boulevard and Oasis Boulevard (.4 miles).
Although adding only a little over one mile of lanes, Pat Young said "filling in these missing lengths adds greatly to achieving the goal of creating bike lanes that are connected." This is because Agualinda Boulevard has bike lanes between Cape Coral Parkway and Eldorado Boulevard. Beach Parkway has bike lanes between Oasis Boulevard and Surfside Boulevard. The new short section on Beach Parkway will now connect with the 1.8 miles of bike lanes on Oasis Boulevard that goes by the three Oasis Charter Schools and then along Gleason Parkway to intersect with Surfside Boulevard.
Adding these "missing links" of just 1.1 miles will make it possible to bicycle on even more connected routes in our West South West area. For example, riders could start at Cape Harbour (Chiquita Boulevard & El Dorado Parkway) go west on El Dorado, north on Agualinda to Beach, west on Beach to Oasis, northwest on Oasis and Gleason to Surfside, north on Surfside to Veterans and then along the bike path to the intersection of Veterans and Pine Island Road. This route of about 8.6 miles (17.2 miles round trip) has no traffic lights, only two intersections with stop signs, and relatively little traffic. Many residents and seasonal and vacation visitors enjoy the fun and exercise of using bike lanes and the bike path. Home owners along the bike lanes are delighted at the "calming" effect the lanes have on traffic by discouraging speeding through these residential areas.
Unfortunately the TAC did not approve our request for bike lanes on Cape Coral Parkway between Sands Boulevard and SW 17th Place (1.3 miles). SW 17th Place is the first street west of Chiquita Boulevard. Pat Young emphasized a major benefit of this bike lane was that it would provide much needed access by bicycle riders to the many shopping and retail businesses in the area as well as to the nearby Lee Tran bus stop. The TAC agreed with City Traffic Engineer Dr. Hanbali's recommendation that this part of Cape Coral Parkway not be reduced to one lane to accommodate the bike lane. The failure to gain approval means the request may need to be re-submitted in a way that better meets both the Cape Coral and Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization Bike/Ped Master Plan connectivity goals.
The TAC is chaired by Councilman Pete Brandt and includes Mayor Sullivan and Council members Chulakes-Leetz, Kuehn, and McGrail. It is expected the City Council will approve the TAC recommendation to approve the lanes following submission of the required petition forms and an "open house" for residents living near the requested bike lanes. Pat Young is currently working to obtain the necessary signatures on the petition forms. No date is yet available on when the new bike lanes will be installed.
Neighborhood Beautification News
Neighbors Get It Together: In an attempt to make Cape Coral cleaner and greener, neighbors of the newly organized "The Isles at SW 39th Terrace" have landscaped two medians at their "entrance" on Oasis Blvd. at SW 39th Terrace. The Isles has also adopted the area medians from SW 38th Terrace to Beach for cleanup. Cooperation with the City was a major component. Contact Pat Young at 540-9262.
View “Before and After” picures of the Oasis Median Beautification effort compiled by Steve
Chupack, a member of the SWCCNA.
To view pictures, click OASIS MEDIAN BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES
Special Interest