BUILDING COMMUNITY LIGHT-RAIL MASS TRANSIT AND
BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS ON POWERLINE CORRIDORS

I am proposing the building of a revolutionary community light-rail mass transit system
with bicycle and pedestrian pathways on electric powerline corridors. These tram-style
systems will provide a better alternative to driving vehicles everywhere people need to
go. They will be a much safer, faster, less expensive, and more enjoyable way to travel
throughout our communities, while reducing air and water pollution and escalating traffic
congestion. Wide paved treelined bicycle and pedestrian pathways would be built on both
sides of the light-rail tracks to create an attractive linear park-like natural setting. Water
fountains, park benches, picnic tables, and restroom facilities would also be available.
Building these vehicle-free mass-transit arteries, which are designed to include pathways
for bicycle riders and people walking and running, will help to reduce serious roadway
injuries and fatalities, and Florida has the highest bicycle/vehicle accident and death rate
in America. This project will create cleaner, healthier, and more livable communities.

This system will be an infinitely better alternative to the current and approved plans to
widen the six lane I-75 Freeway by adding two more lanes for twenty miles from Golden
Gate Parkway to Corkscrew Road. The total cost to widen the freeway to eight lanes is
estimated at $578 million or $28.9 million a mile. These light-rail mass transit systems
with bicycle and pedestrian pathways would cost a similar $28.9 million per mile to
construct on powerline corridors. There would be passenger transit stations spaced every
10-20 blocks, and the tram-like buses will average 35-45 mph. Solar panels would be
installed on the roofs of the transit stations and on the roofs of the buses. This system will
be 100% powered from renewable energy with the assistance of ground mounted solar
panels installed near the tracks. Each light-rail tram-style bus will hold 20-30 passengers
and bikes would be allowed to be taken on board at the rear of the buses. This concept is
similar to the Metro-Mover transit system (1986) that runs through Downtown Miami.

Bridges would be constructed over main roadways so this system can operate continually
regardless of traffic congestion. The system could also be expanded to run along wide
highways such as Collier Blvd. from Marco Island to Immokalee Road. It could then
continue north to SW Florida International Airport and the Solar City of the Future -
Babcock Ranch. Developing this mass transit and bicycle and pedestrian pathway system
will revitalize our cities and it will typically increase real estate property values by 3-5%
for the homes and businesses that are located near the light-rail and pathways. This will
then raise property tax revenues for local city and county governments, which will help to
pay for building this futuristic community transit infrastructure project. By reducing the
number of vehicles on the streets, this will help reduce road wear and maintenance costs.

Building this system will encourage the construction of desperately needed multi-family
workforce housing near the pathways for firefighters, police, teachers, and nurses to
purchase, lease, or rent. These critical workers are often priced out of the local housing
market, and they usually need to drive their vehicles long distances to commute to work
and home. The need for safer and abundant bicycle/pedestrian pathways and affordable
workforce housing are two of the most critical issues now facing Collier and Lee County
and all of Florida. Implementing this project will change our past misguided direction of
focusing primarily on vehicles and begin focusing on what is truly better for people by
providing healthier quality-of-life alternatives to driving vehicles throughout our rapidly
growing communities. I have spoken with Tesla Inc. in the past about developing this
light-rail project and a partnership with them could help make this project a reality.

There is another alternative to widening the I-75 freeway to eight lanes for twenty miles
for $578 million. This would be to create 200 miles of bicycle and pedestrian pathways
costing less than $3 million a mile to build. This system will improve our communities
immensely by reducing traffic congestion, while promoting business growth and smarter
sustainable housing development, and providing new places for our citizens and tourists
to ride bikes, run, walk, and enjoy the outdoors. This will increase the health, wellness,
and quality of life of everyone living and visiting Southwest Florida and this will increase
tourism. For too long, we have focused on how to add more vehicles to our already
crowded roadways. A better choice would be to significantly expand park-like bike and
pedestrian pathways to provide more enjoyable and healthy alternatives to driving.
Implementing this revitalization project, with NextEra Energy and Florida Power & Light
leading the way, will set a new standard for community development in America.