CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Cape Coral is exploring safety enhancements for roads near its extensive canal system because of several vehicles that have crashed into the water.
Hear what homeowners want to see done:
The city is assessing major roads within 150 feet of canals to determine where additional safety measures might prevent accidents and save lives.
"As far as I'm concerned, any kind of safety precautions, signage, you know, railings would even be better," Edward Elms said.
Cape Coral has more than 400 miles of canals, creating numerous intersections where roads meet waterways. I've reported on several incidents where vehicles have driven into these canals for various reasons.
Residents along Kismet Parkway West have seen several cases where drivers missed existing warning signs and ended up in the water.
"We need to put up as much signs and make it very clear to people what the limitations are," Ben Chavez said.
Many residents expressed concern about preventing future accidents, suggesting additional street lights or more prominent dead-end signage at the beginning of streets.
"I see it every day in front of my house. I see people going so fast and then they slow down immediately, because it's like oh, is this the end of a road," Chavez said.
Elms echoed those same concerns about signs.
"If somebody's driving there and they don't realize what's coming up, they can the signs at the end there are not going to be too much help," Elms said.
The city plans to evaluate how close roads end in relation to the water, study traffic volume, and assess existing safety features. Potential enhancements include guardrails, additional signage, and improved lighting.
According to city officials, "This assessment effort will continue into 2026, and the City encourages residents to report any canal-adjacent roadways they believe may pose a safety concern by calling 311."
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