Should there be bike lanes on Gulf Shore Boulevard? Naples residents debate at workshop

People fill the city council chambers at Naples City Hall for a public workshop about Gulf Shore Boulevard on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.

Neon shirts advocating for bike safety and green stickers declaring “Save GSB” stood out in the audience Tuesday at Naples City Hall.

The shirts and stickers reflected the sides of the debate that has been triggered in Naples surrounding the design of Gulf Shore Boulevard. The Naples City Council held a public workshop Tuesday about the design of a stretch of the road from South Golf Drive to Second Avenue South.

That section of the road, about 12 blocks, will have to be torn up as part of the city’s beach outfall removal project.

People fill the city council chambers at Naples City Hall for a public workshop about Gulf Shore Boulevard on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.

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The outfall project will remove the stormwater pipes that line Naples beaches and build a new stormwater management system. A pump station at Third Avenue South will run the system, and clean water will be discharged more than 1,000 feet out into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the city.

Along the stretch of Gulf Shore Boulevard that is impacted by the project, Naples plans to install larger drainage pipes, upgrade a potable water main and elevate the roadway, according to the city.

Naples is considering how to put the impacted stretch of Gulf Shore Boulevard back. According to a city document with design options, the road could get 10-foot travel lanes, 4-foot bike lanes or 6-foot buffered bike lanes on both sides of the road and 6- to 8-foot-wide sidewalks.

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A Gulf Shore Boulevard street sign pictured in February 2020.

The city says it has made no final decisions about what the road will look like and a vote is not expected at the Tuesday workshop. The city is expected to see plans in April that are 90% complete, City Manager Charles Chapman told the council.

Supporters and opponents of bike lanes on the road had the opportunity to speak before the Naples City Council about the potential look of Gulf Shore Boulevard.

Advocates for bike lanes said the infrastructure would increase safety for cars, bicycles and pedestrians that travel the road. Gulf Shore Boulevard is marked by sharrows, or shared lane markings, which require cars and bicycles to share the road.

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Sharrows can lead to confusion about where cars and bicycles are supposed to be on the road, said Craig Manchen, president of the board of directors of the Naples Pathways Coalition.

“I do think it’s an accident waiting to happen,” he said. “I really strongly suggest we do put in bike lanes and make sure people understand where they’re supposed to be.”

Supporters of bike lanes on Gulf Shore Boulevard also highlighted the potential bike lanes would connect to other areas in the city.

“We’ve got Central Avenue that connects us to Baker Park. It has worked quite well. If you turn around and go to the other direction, how do you get from Central Avenue to Lowdermilk Park?” said Cathy Faerber, executive director of the Naples Pathway Coalition.

Nearly 2,500 petitions were collected from residents in the city who are opposed to bike lanes on Gulf Shore Boulevard, said a group of residents also against the bike lanes. The petitions were brought before the city council and placed on a podium as people gave their input to the city council.

A stack of nearly 2,500 petitions in opposition to bike lanes on Gulf Shore Boulevard, residents said, sits on the podium as people speak before the Naples City Council at a public workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.

Those opposed to bike lanes on Gulf Shore Boulevard said they are concerned the lanes could have a negative impact on safety in the community.

“Adding more bike lanes will certainly increase bike lane speed, traffic and density,” said city resident John Pluta.

City resident Mitchell Hertz told the council that bike lanes are not appropriate in all situations.

“Our objective here is to come up with the bike safety solution for Gulf Shore Boulevard in Naples, not Lake Shore Drive in Chicago,” he said.

Brittany Carloni is the city of Naples reporter at the Naples Daily News. Support her work by subscribing to our local news organization. Find her on Twitter as @CarloniBrittany.