Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is a bicycle or pedestrian facility?
A: A Bike Lane is a portion of a roadway designated by signing and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use by bicyclists. A bicycle lane is generally designated in each direction.
A Shared Use Path is a facility 8 to 12 feet wide, physically separated from the motorized vehicular traffic that serves bicyclists and pedestrians.
A Sidewalk is the portion of a county right of way or easement dedicated to Lee County designed for primary use by pedestrians. Unless prohibited by local ordinance, a sidewalk may legally be used by a bicyclist consistent with Florida Statute 316.2065(5)(b)(9 & 10).
Q: What is the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)?
A: In 1989, Lee County established a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) to review requests to retrofit existing streets and make recommendations to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on bicycle and pedestrian facilities for County owned roads. Committee members are volunteer residents of Lee County appointed by the BOCC. BPAC conducts regular meetings open to the public. Current/upcoming vacancies of BPAC can be seen at Committee Info.
Q: What do I need to do to request a bicycle or pedestrian facility?
A: Submit a written request and make a presentation in person to the BPAC members. The request should include a detailed description of the proposed project and a contact person. Send requests to Lee County DOT/BPAC, 1500 Monroe St, Third Floor, Ft. Myers, FL 33901 or by e-mail to dcdbikeped@leegov.com. Call 239-533-8580 with questions or comments.
Q: What criteria are used to select projects?
A: BPAC primarily uses a point scoring system based on surrounding area land use, distance to public facilities, connectivity, and planned transportation facilities. Complete Streets review, available right of way and cost data also play a role in prioritization. More information about the point scoring system may be found here.
Q: How long will it take to get a project approved and constructed?
A: The recommended BPAC list of projects is the basis for adding bicycle/pedestrian facility improvements to the five-year CIP, also known as BPAC list Tier I. It can take anywhere from 7-20+ years to get constructed once it gets placed on the BPAC list.
Sidewalks on streets with higher traffic volumes and in higher-density residential areas have typically been given more priority. Funding sources such as taxing districts through the Municipal Services Taxing and Benefit Unit (MSTBU) process are an option for neighborhood bicycle/pedestrian facilities.
The recommended BPAC list of projects is divided into three tiers.
- Tier I is made up of projects that have dedicated funding and is part of the Board of County Commissioners' five-year work program, known as the Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
- Tier II is a prioritized list of projects for consideration of funding. These projects meet three out of four criteria considering proximity to schools & proximity to transit, connectivity to bikeways/pathways, and road classification
Tier III contains projects that do not meet three out of four of the criteria from Tier II. These projects are considered as areas of concern but have a lower priority until conditions change, that would raise them to a Tier II level.
Q: What are Complete Streets?
A: Complete Streets is an initiative taking place in progressive communities all over the country and right here in Lee County. Its goal is to retrofit and design streets that are safe, comfortable and accessible to users of all ages and abilities. Users include pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders as well as motorists. Staff provides technical and administrative assistance to BPAC in systematic review of County-maintained facilities for bicycle and pedestrian needs.