Seafarer’s property should not be a parking lot
To the editor:
The County proposal to use this property for a new at-grade parking lot is a terrible idea! I understand that it would house some 85 or 90 cars, which would inevitably make still worse the traffic problem both on and off our island.
The proposed route for cars in and out of this parking lot via Fifth Street would mean tremendous back-ups at Crescent Street from Estero Boulevard. Incoming cars would necessarily use the turning lane at Crescent Street, blocking normal traffic off-island struggling to reach the Sky Bridge. Tourists leaving their cars (or returning to them) would, as your report last week states, have to cross Estero Boulevard via the existing lighted crosswalk near the corner by the Sky Bridge, which already brings vehicle traffic to a crawl in season.
Over several years now studies have been made to examine possible improvements to traffic on and off our beautiful island. While Seafarer’s Mall remained in private commercial hands, there was never a chance of finding a good solution. Now we have a proper chance to do so, if only the County and our Town Council will work together to enhance Estero Boulevard throughout our island, and solve the bottleneck at this terrible crosswalk, improving things for visitors and residents alike. Fortunately, there is a good, sensible solution:
1. Since the County now owns both the beautiful new Crescent Beach Family Park and former Seafarer’s Mall, a crossover bridge should be built over Estero Boulevard for all pedestrians, replacing the existing lighted crosswalk. This should be a mandatory crossing point for pedestrians, who would be subject to fines if they crossed the road on foot at this point.
2. Further lighted crosswalks should be placed throughout Estero Boulevard, replacing the existing crosswalks, automatically lighting up when pedestrians step onto them, thus warning approaching motorists to stop. I believe this is done successfully in Marco Island.
3. Traffic going north off-island could be routed on a new piece of road starting at Crescent Street and crossing former Seafarer’s Mall at an angle to reach the Sky Bridge. (This might involve discussion and agreement with owners of some property in Helmerich Plaza.) This would then allow all traffic from Sky Bridge coming on-island to have more space immediately west of the Bridge, permitting traffic engineers to re-configure the turning road to North Estero Boulevard and also assist the new off-island piece of roadway to enter the Bridge.
4. Obviously, we do not want to encourage motorists in either direction to speed along Estero, but they must be allowed to proceed at a gentle regular pace, able to stop at the illuminated crosswalks when needed, thus enhancing the life of all residents and visitors. Our LeeTran trolleys should have pull-off points at all their stopping places, so that they do not block cars behind them, as they frequently do at present!
5. Finally, a nicely designed cycle path should be built (separate from the sidewalk) on one side of Estero Boulevard, desirably on the eastern side.
How can all this be afforded, you may ask? Well, at last the Board of County Commissioners have recently approved a grant of $750,000 to be spent on rehabilitating Estero Boulevard throughout our island within the next five years. This is wonderful news! Since the County cannot build a parking lot at Seafarer’s Mall without approval from our Town Council to change the Commercial Plan Development (CPD) for that site, we must ask our Town Council not to give this approval, because of the most undesirable consequences it would cause.
I urge all residents to contact the Council and our excellent County Commissioner Ray Judah and press them to support the sensible, realistic alternative proposals I have outlined above. We have a marvelous chance to improve our island now in a way that will be of benefit to us all!
Michael Short
Fort Myers Beach