In response to concerns regarding the potential impacts caused by increased traffic to the protected resources on the island, the Refuge, in partnership with the City of Sanibel and Lee County applied for a grant from the Transportation in Parks and Public Lands (ATPPL) Program in 2006.  The ATPPL Program provides funding for planning and construction of alternative transportation systems in national parks and public lands. This program is sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The grant was subsequently approved and agency cooperation between the Refuge, the City, and the County was empowered by the adoption of an interlocal agreement in May 2007.

Using support provide by the ATPPL Program, this project will evaluate alternative transportation techniques and scenarios for the Refuge and Sanibel Island while continuing to balancing human activities with the commitment to preserve and protect natural areas. The project will look to identify a broad range of alternative transportation scenarios.  These may include travel by means other than private automobiles such as walking, bicycling, bus, refuge type tram, water taxis and other guideway systems. An inventory of all available information to date and input collected through an extensive public outreach program will lay the foundation for the development of these alternatives and analyses of their environmental consequences.

Any project in a sensitive habitat area requires recognition of the potential impacts of a project’s actions on all natural resources.

To ensure that this complex natural environment is fully understood, the capacity analysis and resource studies will encompass the full context of the sensitive habitats on Sanibel Island and incorporate them into the alternatives development. Resource capacity data and analysis will focus on the limits of human interaction with:

• Threatened and endangered species protected under the Endangered Species Act (federally listed species), state listed species, and other species of special concern
• All species (avian, mammalian, reptilian, avian, amphibian, aquatic, etc.) with special breeding and reproduction needs on the island and refuge
• Sensitive habitat
• Natural processes
• Encroachment of non-native species
• Beaches (breeding/nesting habitat, protection, condition, restoration and erosion)
• Noise and air quality thresholds

 

The consultant will examine existing and desired capacities for automobile, pedestrian, bicycle, and waterborne traffic, in addition to parking through public interaction and technical analysis. The identification of shared use path facilities needs and recommendations will build upon those outlined in the Comprehensive Shared Use Path Plan, such as, but not limited to:

• Identification of new paths
• Locations of path amenities,
• Mid-block crossing needs
• Safety and security
• Usage and maintenance

 

An Existing Conditions and Capacities Report has been produced as a part of the study to summarize the current traffic, parking, pedestrian, bicycle, wayfinding, recreational, and waterborne demands. Go to the downloads page to download and view these files.

The final outcome of the study will result in a Preferred Alternative Summary Document and Implementation Plan.