A recent article published in the December 30 – January 5, 2022 Coastal Breeze News titled “New San Marco Shared Use Path is Bumpy for Cyclists”, contains numerous references to a “Shared Use Pathway” from Barfield Drive easterly to the Marco Island Academy. Please let me clarify that this section of our bike system is not a Shared Use Pathway, but is a sidewalk as identified by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the project design plans. Shared Use Pathways are between 10-feet and 12-feet wide. This project as designed by American Engineering Consultants of Marco Island, is eight-feet wide or less, which is considered by FDOT to be a Pedestrian Way or wide sidewalk, or a space for pedestrians totally separated from vehicle traffic.

Several quotes that were attributed to me made it sound like input from volunteer committee members is not important to City Council decision making. That was certainly not the message that I wanted to convey to the public or to our volunteer committee members, and if I offended anyone on this Bike Committee, it certainly was not my intention. The Bike Volunteer Committee, under the guidance and direction of the Chairman, Mr. Al Musico, has assisted the City in securing over $12,000,000 in State funds to allow the City to construct sidewalks and pathways. This year alone we have three projects for $1,720,000. Overall, the Committee worked hard to minimize City costs, reduce traffic congestion, ensure public safety, improve the environment and to enhance recreation and the quality of life on Marco Island.

The writer also discussed the issues with wide “contraction joints” in the sidewalk. To clarify, there are only three types of joints used in FDOT sidewalk construction:

Three-sixteenth of an inch saw cut joints – one and one-half inch deep at either five-feet or 30-feet on center.

One-eighth of an inch tooled joints at five-feet on center.

One-half inch Expansion Joint (with Preformed Joint Filler) full depth at 120-feet max on center or when there is temporary work stoppage. 

For the sidewalk in question, over 70 expansion joints and over 1,500 either tooled or saw cut joints were placed in the concrete. Expansion joints are used to prevent cracking where two slabs of concrete are in contact, when a slab meets other concrete structures or when spans are overly long, such as in this case. Tooled or saw cut joints help to control surface cracking due to concrete shrinkage, the opposite effect of the expansion joint. Both are necessary items of work for a sidewalk project.

Going forward, the Public Works Department staff will continue to work with our contractors to ensure that any construction project meets the expectations of our citizens.

Respectfully submitted, Timothy E. Pinter, P.E., City of Marco Island Public Works Director

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