IMMOKALEE, Fla. — An $85 million, 3.35-mile loop around downtown Immokalee could soon redirect big trucks away from neighborhood roads, addressing safety concerns for locals and creating opportunities for community development.
The new four-lane divided highway would redirect truck traffic away from Main Street and New Market Road West, areas that currently have a lot of homes.
Catherine Benton, a neighbor, said she sees the big trucks as safety concerns for children in the community.
Click here to see Immokalee Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo speak with neighbors and leaders about State Road 29:
"Kids have to safely walk to school here, within so many so much of a distance, they're required to walk to a bus stop or to school, so we need safety, or you know, for our children, you know, they're our future," Benton said.
Collier County Commissioner Bill McDaniel said the loop road is part of a larger vision for Immokalee. Once the loop is built, Main Street can be converted to a two-lane road with angle parking to create a walking community.
"It has always been the dream of the residents of Collier County to have State Road 29 be a walking community. In order to effectuate that, you have to give a place for the employers of our community to be able to get the goods and services in and out of town," McDaniel said.
The project is part of Governor DeSantis's "Moving Florida Forward" initiative. Collier County received $1 billion from the $4 billion state infrastructure program.
FDOT spokesman David Scarpelli said the project will also improve hurricane evacuation routes.
"There's a lot of growth happening in Immokalee. This is the long-term vision for safety and population growth," Scarpelli said.
Design work is expected to be completed by 2027.
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