Infrastructure – Transportation on the Island

Full Version:

We encourage everyone to read the full version. While we did our best to summarize above, this full version offers much more nuance.

Transportation on the Island
Islanders knowingly choose a bridgeless barrier island lifestyle, accepting limited mainland access in exchange for peace and quiet. Golf carts and unpaved roads are preferred, reinforcing the island’s distinctive, off the beaten path character.

Transportation on the Island is centered on privately-owned and rental golf carts, with additional travel by car, bicycle, or on foot. All roads are unpaved except for N. Gulf Blvd. and a limited section of S. Gulf Blvd. Island roads function as shared, multi-use community spaces accommodating a mix of vehicles, service traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists.

• The Roads.
  Unpaved roads are a valued community feature that contributes to the Island’s unique character. Maintenance of both paved and unpaved public roads is provided by Charlotte County and funded through the Don Pedro/Knight Islands Street and Drainage taxing unit, with input from a formal Advisory Board (known informally as the “Roads & Bridges Committee”).

  The sand road maintenance is guided by principles recommended in reports prepared specifically for Island roads by a consultant from Penn State University. To encourage speed reduction and improve longevity, the Penn State reports suggest that the unpaved roads should be narrow and meandering with close vegetation in the rights-of-way. The Island has no designated bicycle or walking paths; pedestrians share the roads and unimproved shoulders.

• The Road Rights-of-Way.
  Island roads—paved and unpaved—lie within a County-owned right-of-way approximately 50–66 feet wide, encompassing both the roadway and shoulders. Unpaved roads follow a meandering alignment, while paved roads are centered with equal shoulders. Parking is permitted within rights-of-way Island-wide, with designated parking areas near beach access points to support beach renourishment funding. Homeowners may not modify the right-of-way without a permit or variance, except for planting grasses; unauthorized changes constitute encroachments.
• Golf Carts and other Vehicles.
  While golf carts are the primary mode of Island transportation, other motorized options include e-bikes, e-motos, electric scooters, hoverboards, ATVs, OHVs, side by sides, and low speed vehicles, each subject to different regulations. All motor vehicle regulations apply to the public roads on the Island. Golf carts are quiet, environmentally friendly, and limited to speeds under 20 MPH, while modified carts capable of higher speeds are classified as low speed vehicles and must be registered, insured, and operated by licensed drivers. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the beach except for official personnel.
• The Bridges.
  There are no connecting bridges from the Island to the mainland. The Island has two interior bridges. The Michael Kosinski Bridge connects Knight Island to Don Pedro Island, and the one-lane Anne Merry Bridge crosses Bocilla Lagoon, providing vehicular access for residents and the public to the southern end of the beach. The Island’s interior bridges have historically been timber structures. Today, we retain the timber decking and railings to reflect the character and aesthetics of our Island community.

Here are the Issues related to Transportation on the Island

• Speeding damages Island roads and increases accident risk, especially on N. Gulf Blvd. due to its long, flat, straight design and a blind curve where it turns north. The problem is exacerbated by commercial, construction, and service workers rushing to and from the ferry.
• Over time, higher traffic volumes and normal wear degrade the paved roads, which will eventually require maintenance or resurfacing.
• Unpaved roads are highly susceptible to damage from heavy use and severe weather; increased traffic volume, speed, and vehicle weight create potholes and washboard conditions that are intensified by rainfall and standing water.
• Encroachment of landscaping and hardscaping into public rights-of-way by current and future homeowners creates safety risks for all road users, restricts parking at the Island beach easements for residents and visitors, and reduces available parking at the five public beach accesses, jeopardizing eligibility for maximum beach renourishment funding.
• Turnarounds have disappeared in many areas, making it hard for fire trucks and large vehicles to maneuver.
• Unsafe operation of golf carts remains a concern, including reckless use by drivers unfamiliar with golf cart operation, under-aged drivers operating golf carts in violation of the law, and drivers operating golf carts at night without headlights, increasing hazards to themselves and others.
• Motorized vehicles have been observed operating on the beach in violation of County ordinance. Certain motorized vehicles, such as ATVs and side-by-sides, are prohibited from street use but have been observed on the roads.
• E-bikes have proliferated in the area to the extent that, when ridden on the beach, they have become an environmental concern, a public nuisance and a safety issue.
• The most persistent issue related to transportation on the Island is the enforcement of the existing regulations.
• There is a concern that increased pressure on the existing methods of transportation to and from the Island may revive consideration of building a bridge to the mainland.

Here are the Recommendations related to Transportation on the Island

1. It is a community priority to retain and maintain the existing roads and usage on the Island.
2. Any modifications to paved roads should be completed concurrently with maintenance and/or resurfacing plans.
3. The ongoing maintenance program for the unpaved roads, including regular grading and scraping by a local contractor, should be continued as is.
4. The Roads & Bridges Committee should continue to develop multi-year project plans to identify capital projects for transportation infrastructure and implement them through the MSTU funding mechanism.
5. In the wake of new home construction, landscaping, servicing and deliveries, property owners should be held responsible for the condition of the roads and road rights-of-way for the frontage of their properties.
6. Work with the County to develop additional funding sources for road maintenance and repair, instead of relying exclusively on the Island taxpayers.
7. Adopt a proposed phased plan to establish a 10 foot clear zone within road rights of way: Phase 1 aligns with the County beach parking plan to preserve renourishment funding; Phase 2 removes unpermitted hardscape along N. Gulf Blvd., with owners allowed to permit, seek a variance, or relocate improvements onto their property line. Subsequent phases will be determined based on results.
8. Explore the option of a multi-use path network in the road rights-of-way.
9. In accordance with the Penn State report, homeowners should be discouraged from allowing the aprons of the driveways to extend beyond their property lines on the unpaved roads.
10. The Roads & Bridges Committee should continue to explore passive traffic-calming techniques suggested as options to address speeding and public safety concerns.
11. Support the existing regulations related to golf carts on public roads and the County Ordinance which prohibits motorized vehicles on the beach.
12. Although e-bikes are not considered “motorized vehicles”, as the focus of an issue the community recommends the prohibition of e-bikes on the beach.
13. Support the recommendations for the Enforcement of Laws and Regulations as described in Chapter 6 of this Neighborhood Plan.
14. To minimize noise and pollution, encourage the use of residential electric vehicles as opposed to gas-powered vehicles.
15. Continue to support the Sheriff’s Department’s Island-wide “Golf Cart Registration” program. Explore adding an identification sticker for registered Island golf carts and rental golf carts to make it easier for officers to enforce the golf cart ordinances, as well as identify stolen or abandoned golf carts.
16. Maintain opposition to any bridge connection to the mainland, as the bridgeless barrier island lifestyle includes boat access as the primary and intended mode of transportation.
17. Preserve the traditional timber character of Island bridges by maintaining the existing wooden components of the Kosinski Bridge and working with the County on any future repairs or replacement of the Anne Merry Bridge.