Mr. Paul Tritiak
Refuge Manager
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Subject: Wildlife Drive
Dear Mr. Tritiak:
I am writing on behalf of the Sanibel Bicycle Club, a group
of 275+ cycling enthusiasts located on Sanibel Island. Our group is dedicated to the enjoyment of
cycling, as well as advocacy for safe biking practices and infrastructure. We are committed to promoting cycling as an
alternative to motorized vehicles and as an environmentally-friendly way to
enjoy the natural beauty and wildlife of Sanibel Island.
Our Club members have long enjoyed touring the J.N. “Ding”
Darling National Wildlife Refuge by bicycle.
For many years, one of our weekly Club rides has been routed through Wildlife Drive, and
our members have brought many visitors there to enjoy the Refuge by bike. In our view, there is no better way to
experience the Refuge than by human power on a bicycle. Driving through in a car just does not
compare.
However, we now find that many of our members have stopped
riding through the Refuge, and the Club recently omitted Wildlife Drive from our weekly ride
itinerary. The reason is the
deteriorating condition of the paved surface of Wildlife Drive. While the surface of Wildlife Drive may still be acceptable
for auto traffic, with their low pressure tires and suspension systems, it has
become impossibly rough for bicycles.
It is ironic that this has happened at a time when the
Refuge, the City of Sanibel and Lee County
are seeking ideas for alternate transportation ideas that can help relieve
automobile traffic in the Refuge. Our
organization participated in the recent survey for the Alternate Transportation
Study with great enthusiasm, and we suggested numerous ideas that might
encourage visitors to use bicycles instead of motorized vehicles. However, a fundamental requirement for
encouraging more use of bicycles is an acceptable biking surface. At the moment, the OGM surface of Wildlife Drive is
quite uncomfortable for cycling and quickly getting worse. Even the unpaved Indigo Trail provides a
better biking experience.
We realize that the coming up with an overall repaving
solution for Wildlife Drive will not be easy or fast, particularly at a time
when operating and capital budgets are under pressure. In light of that, and in light of the fact
that motor vehicle traffic can still comfortably use Wildlife Drive, it may be more efficient
to deal with the bicycle traffic question as a separate matter that could be
implemented more quickly than an overall solution. For example, here are some ideas that have
been suggested:
- Designate
a “bike only” lane on the existing surface of Wildlife Drive, and apply repaving
to that section. (This lane could
be on either side of the Drive, or even down the center.)
- Create
a separate path running parallel to Wildlife Drive, for bicycles and
pedestrians.
- Consider
allowing two-way traffic in the “bike only” lane. This would be at odds with the current
“one way traffic” philosophy for the Drive, but it could be a major factor
in getting more people onto bikes, especially families with small
children.
Currently, visitors who cycle
through the Refuge have to commit to the entire 8-9 mile loop from the Visitors Center to Wulfert Road and back on San-Cap Road. With two-way bike traffic, cyclists could
tailor their ride distance to their own personal capabilities; when they get
tired, they can turn around and retrace their route.
Each of these ideas has pros and cons, and I’m sure your
staff may have their own ideas.. Whatever
solution the Refuge decides upon, the key thing is to act as soon as
possible. Your cycling friends in the
Sanibel community are anxious to know what can be done to address this matter, so
that one day soon the flocks of happy bicylists will once again return to “Ding”
Darling.
Thanks for giving this your attention. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Signed: Tom Sharbaugh
or Bill Sartoris
Copy to Bob Duffy, Sanibel Director of Planning????
Judie Zimomra, City Manager????
Lee
County????