LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Changes could be on the way for a busy Lee County interchange, and Thursday is your chance to weigh in on FDOT's plan.
The section of Colonial Boulevard around Interstate 75 is one are the Florida Department of Transportation is looking to improve with what’s called a diverging diamond.
The plan calls for lanes to cross over each other to shift traffic to the opposite sides of the roads for a brief section. That creates free flowing left turn lanes onto the highway ramp.
They hope this will help alleviate congestion, and most importantly, give easier access to I-75 during emergency evacuations.
The first of this type of intersection in Florida recently opened on Sarasota’s University Parkway at I-75.
Improvements are also planned at Colonial’s intersections with Ortiz Avenue/Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Forum Boulevard.
If approved, the $45 million project could take about two years.
The public hearing is Thursday night, June 15th, at Gulf Coast Church of Christ, located on Six Mile Cypress Parkway just south of Colonial Boulevard. The open house begins at 5 p.m., with the formal presentation at 6 p.m.
Comments can be made at the hearing or by telephone at (863) 519-2502 or toll-free at 1-800-292-3368 Ext. 2502, or by e-mail at Justin.Reck@dot.state.fl.us. All statements must be submitted before June 26.
More information on the project is available at: http://www.swflroads.com/i75/atcolonialblvd.
Below is an example of the traffic flow in a typical diverging diamond intersection.
