The Lee County MPO’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program promotes safe, comfortable, and convenient bicycling and walking for people of all ages and abilities. The MPO supports “active transportation” through planning, funding, policy guidance, program management, and resource development.
Active transportation, which includes walking and cycling, is growing throughout Southwest Florida and particularly in Lee County. Educating the community about the benefits of a transportation system with such multimodal options is an integral part of the MPO’s transportation planning process. This region faces increasing traffic congestion and air quality concerns along with notable rates of obesity and diabetes. Bicycling and walking contribute to both individual and environmental health as well as to the overall efficiency of the transportation network. Importantly, too, bicycle and pedestrian networks that are accessible, direct, and continuous are shown to be economically beneficial to neighborhoods around them and to improve safety for everyone using the roadway.
Benefits of Active Transportation
- Transportation Benefits – reduces traffic congestion, improves safety, calms traffic, preserves road infrastructure.
- Economic Benefits – increased retail sales (restaurants, lodging establishments, retail stores), job creation, and enhancement of nearby property values.
- Environmental Benefits – improved air quality and energy conservation.
- Social Benefits – creates a better quality-of-life by living in communities with more open space and greenways that offer greater opportunities for walking or cycling.
- Health & Fitness Benefits – it is well recognized Americans would benefit in many ways from a more active lifestyle. Bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails promote healthy choices.
In support of ongoing bicycle and pedestrian planning, the MPO works with state and county agencies to bring forward a multimodal transportation system that supports its Complete Streets policy. MPO staff works with public and private stakeholders to promote active transportation activities and projects. Together, the MPO and its stakeholders coordinate bicycle, pedestrian, greenway, and multi-purpose pathway projects, raise awareness about these projects and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians in Lee County, and also provide staff support to the MPO Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinating Committee (BPCC).
- 2020 Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (opens new page)
- 2013 Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (opens new page)
- 4th Edition Bicycle Facilities Map [PDF]
- Proposed Bicycle Facilities [PDF]
- Lee MPO Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan, Adopted March 2011 [PDF]
- 2040 Lee MPO Transportation Plan Bike Ped Element, Adopted December 2015 [PDF]
- 2045 Lee MPO Transportation Plan Bike Ped Element, Adopted December 2020 [PDF]
Bicycle Pedestrian Studies
Below are links to local Bike Ped Master Plans in Lee County and development of these plans was funded with Lee County MPO Federal Planning (PL) Funds:
Useful Links & Information
- Lee County Parks and Recreation Website (opens new window)
- Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau – Hiking and Biking (opens new window)
- Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (opens new window)
- Streets Alive of Southwest Florida (opens new window)
- Florida Mud Cutters (opens new window)
- Florida Department of Transportation’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Page (opens new window)
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (opens new window)
- National Center for Safe Routes to School (opens new window)
- Florida Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTST) (opens new window)
- Lee County Bikeways and Walkways (opens new window)
- City of Cape Coral Bicycling (opens new window)
- Lee County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) (opens new window)
Traffic Safety
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (opens new window)
- Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard/Signal Four Analytics (opens new window)
- FDOT Safety Office (opens new window)