Naples Pathways Coalition Celebrates 20 Years of Championing Safety

Safer Streets for Walkers, Runners, and Cyclists

by Michelle Avola-Brown, Executive Director,
Naples Pathways Coalition

Naples is celebrated for its pristine beaches, exquisite quality of life and abundance of outdoor activities, but it falls short when protecting cyclists and pedestrians. The streets have become perilous for people who bike, walk, and run. Distracted driving, speeding, and decreased awareness of cyclists and pedestrians have resulted in numerous preventable crashes, fatalities, and injuries. Florida tops the charts for the most bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities, due to a lack of safe paths, inadequate laws protecting cyclists and generally poor understanding of how best to safely share the roads. With Collier County’s population continuing to explode, the problem locally is only growing, but there is hope and a plan.

The non-profit Naples Pathways Coalition (NPC) has been dedicated to transforming Collier County into a haven for pedestrians and cyclists for the last two decades. Since its inception, NPC has been instrumental in shaping Naples’ pathway landscape – from influencing funding allocations for bike lanes to participating in key greenway projects and raising awareness of critical safety laws.

Education
NPC’s educational outreach efforts aim to teach all road users how best to share the roads, ensuring safer coexistence through community-wide speaking opportunities, training events and targeted outreach to vulnerable populations. The number of bicyclists killed in traffic crashes has been steadily trending upwards since 2010. Not surprisingly, the vulnerable commuter cyclist population is especially at risk. Because the City of Naples has a large commuter cyclist population, who often ride their bikes long distances to and from labor-intensive jobs in restaurants, construction and hotels, NPC installs bike lights and provides helmets, safety vests and anti-theft bike locks for commuter cyclists through their Lights for Bikes program.

Advocacy
On average, nine people die on Florida roads every day. Six of these deaths are attributed to distracted driving. Drivers who text behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near-miss event. States with hands-free cell phone use laws and are seeing deaths, crashes, and insurance rates drop dramatically.

NPC saw a critical need to take a lead role in advocating to bring these laws to Florida and partnered with several state and national organizations to launch Hands-Free Florida. Michelle Avola-Brown, NPC Executive Director, is leading the charge by providing educational opportunities and meeting with local, regional, and state organizations and leaders to advocate on behalf of the cause. The goal is to create safer roads (for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers) by putting stricter laws in place that will reduce distracted driving, save lives, and hold drivers more responsible for fatal crashes caused by distracted driving.

HandsFreeFlorida.org gathers signatures through an online petition to help persuade lawmakers to support hands-free cell phone use legislation.

Paradise Coast Trail
Because of increasing danger on our roads, NPC recognized the urgent need for a safe, multi-use pathway system in Collier County to provide greater safety for people who walk, bike, and run modeled after the beloved Gordon River Greenway. In 2018, NPC introduced the vision for the Paradise Coast Trail, a 100+mile biking, walking, and running trail that will be 10-12 foot wide, paved, separated from the road, and connect Naples to Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Collier Seminole State Park, the Paradise Coast Sports Complex, Ave Maria, Everglades City, Immokalee and beyond. When complete it will redefine Collier County’s quality of life, sparking healthier lifestyles, lifting property values, and ensuring safety for all who walk, run, or bike.

To learn more about how to support NPC’s advocacy efforts, education programs and the completion of the Paradise Coast Trail or to volunteer, visit NaplesPathways.org or contact Michelle@NaplesPathways.org

Michelle Avola -Brown

For more information, please visit www.NaplesPathways.org and www.HandsFreeFlorida.org
If you have any specific questions, email me at Michelle@NaplesPathways.org