Some day, commuters

might hop on a high-speed train to the state’s east coast, but “not in our

lifetimes,” predicts businessman Tom Conrecode, founder of the Southwest

Florida Transportation Initiative. Given the region’s relatively small

population and the high cost of high-speed rail, Southwest Florida is low on

the priority list to get that kind of service, Conrecode says.

There have been a few inquiries a bit north: The

Sarasota/Manatee Metro-politan Planning Organization investigated a light-rail

system but decided that a rapid-transit bus system with lanes for buses would

be almost as effective and more affordable. The organization also decided to

support high-speed rail service between Tampa and Naples, an option considered

by Amtrak and the state Department of Transportation as part of a far-reaching

feasibility study. But Amtrak has run afoul of federal funding decision-makers

recently. Besides, high-speed rail might not alleviate local traffic congestion

as much as commuters might like.

“It has a lot to do with the development pattern,” says Glen

Ahlert, staff director for the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization,

the county’s intergovernmental transportation planning agency. Unlike

metropolitan areas with strong downtown areas, our region has no centralized

area of employment, and workers travel from as far as Lehigh and North Fort

Myers to jobs in Naples, which is not even in the same public transit system.

Congestion is an unavoidable symptom of growth. The

challenge is how to accommodate the population explosion without undermining

the quality of life that makes our region desirable. In 2000, the average

commute in Collier County was 24 minutes (up from 18.8 minutes in 1990) and the

average commute in Lee County was 25 minutes (up from 21 minutes in 1990),

according to the U.S. Census.

In Southwest Florida, as in most of the country, efforts to

relieve traffic congestion revolve around adding and expanding roads, even

though accommodating a growing number of vehicles is not very efficient.

Other efforts in Collier and Lee to reduce congestion (and

its accompanying monetary and environmental costs) are basic: build sidewalks

and bike paths, install bicycle racks in public places to encourage people to

walk or ride bikes, and promote carpooling and telecommuting—anything to reduce

extra car trips. Still, it’s tough to get Americans out of their cars. Only

11.2 percent of workers in the United States reported carpooling to work in

2000 while 76.3 percent reported driving alone, according to the Federal

Highway Administration.

Bob Herrington, manager of the Collier County Metropolitan

Planning Organization, which administers state and federal funds, coordinates

transportation planning and oversees initiatives such as Collier Area Transit,

would like to start vanpools. The programs have been successful in other cities

where Herrington has worked, as employers often offer employees incentives to

ride together in a van, sometimes leased through public transit. For a nominal

fare, workers are guaranteed transportation, even if it means leaving the

office early.

Last year, about 3.3 million passengers rode LeeTran’s 21

bus routes, says Jeff Shuler, Lee’s transit marketing manager. Ridership has

been increasing since 1996, when LeeTran added buses along U.S. 41, its most

popular route. About 25 percent are “choice riders” who choose to park their

cars and take the bus. The remaining 75 percent are elderly, or have lower

income or no reliable transportation alternative.

Since Collier’s bus service was launched in February 2001,

ridership has outstripped predictions, says Herrington. The buses now carry

about 30,000 riders per month—double the expectation. (Until additional buses

were added, vans followed buses on a couple of routes to pick up overflow

passengers.) Most riders are students or workers without alternative

transportation, Herrington says. “I would love to see, in the future, someone

park their BMW and get on a bus to help alleviate some of the congestion,” he

adds.

That won’t happen until the convenience of driving is

outweighed by frustration with traffic or by the comfort and convenience of

public transportation, which means adding routes and buses. Unless people see

that riding will circumvent the congestion—perhaps with a dedicated lane for

bus rapid transit—it’s tough to sell commuters on the idea of getting stuck in traffic

with a bunch of strangers instead of in their own vehicle, most say.

Funding is another challenge. “You will not find a transit

system in the United States that is self-supporting,” Herrington says. Public

money keeps public transportation going.

A new twist in Lee and Collier counties could create greater

problems for funding because the distribution of state and federal dollars is

likely to change. Due to shifts in population reflected in the 2000 Census, the

Naples Urbanized Area has become the Bonita Springs-Naples Urbanized Area and

the Fort Myers-Cape Coral Urbanized Area is now the Cape Coral Urbanized Area.

As a result, the metropolitan planning organization boundaries will change.

That will affect everything from the makeup of the boards (elected city and

county officials) to funding. As a result, Collier might lose its federal funds

for operations and maintenance.

LeeTran, which gets much of its funding through approval of

the Lee County Board of Commissioners, has lost money in recent years to newly

incorporated areas, such as Bonita Springs, which also take a cut of the gas

tax revenue. (Bonita offers a dial-a-ride program for people who call for van

service.) “The big issue here is how to put [public transit] on a financial

footing that keeps up with the growth of the area and the growth of demand,”

says Lee’s Ahlert.

Lee is looking into establishing a municipal services taxing

district of the areas that it serves. A more permanent answer might be to

establish a separate public transit district that would have its own taxing

authority—a solution that would require special legislation or voter approval.

The metropolitan planning organizations of Collier and Lee

will meet this month to discuss the transit challenges. Although it’s currently

little more than a conversation, the changes in urban centers and in funding

are stirring some discussion about establishing a district that would cross the

Lee/Collier line—a political boundary that many commuters cross every day.

Transit Links

Collier County Metropolitan Planning Organization

2685 S. Horseshoe Drive, Suite 211

Naples, FL 34104

(239) 403-2310, (239) 213-5815 fax

www.co.collier.fl.us/mpo

CollierMPO@Colliergov.net

Collier Area Transit

2685 S. Horseshoe Drive, Suite 211

Naples, FL 34104

(239) 403-2310, (239) 213-5815 fax

www.co.collier.fl.us/mpo/Transportat-ion%20Planning/transitpage.htm

Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization

4980 Bayline Drive, Fourth Floor

P.O. Box 3455

North Fort Myers, FL 33918

(239) 656-7720, (239) 656-7724 fax

www.swfrpc.org/mpo_prop_amend.htm

mpo@swfrpc.org

LeeTran

6035 Idlewild Drive

Fort Myers, FL 33907

(239) 275-8726, (239) 277-5011 fax

www.rideleetran.com

shulerjc@leegov.com