CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Cape Coral city leaders are advocating for a new I-75 exit extending Del Prado Boulevard to the highway, potentially easing traffic congestion.
City Council member Jennifer Nelson-Lastra says the exit would be necessary to accommodate the city's rapid growth.
Hear what people told Fox 4's Bella Line about the proposal and see where leaders would like to see it go:
"One of the things we advocate legislatively annually is for this, and we're hoping that we're getting closer as our community continues to grow," Lastra said.
The proposed exit would be located in North Fort Myers, creating a direct connection between Del Prado Boulevard and I-75.
According to Lastra, the project would provide multiple benefits to the community beyond just reducing commute times.
"As our population continues to grow, traffic continues to get worse, so this would give us another artery out of the city," Lastra said.
She says the new exit would also support economic growth and provide additional evacuation routes during emergencies.
People living near Del Prado Boulevard expressed support for the proposal.
"We have to drive all the way to Bonita and we have to go all the way north too so that's really good," said Yasmani, who lives nearby.
Another homeowner off Del Prado, Amanda, agreed: "Just easier access to the freeway to go north and south."
While the idea has been discussed for years, Lastra noted the project is still in early planning stages.
"We had to have a certain population and a certain traffic count to even be able to suggest this at a state level," said Lastra. "This would be a collaboration between FDOT, you know, the Florida Department of Transportation, as well as you know our county partnerships. So it's going to take all of us working together to make this happen."
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