LABELLE, Fla — LaBelle is growing, and that means big decisions are coming about how people move through the city.
Fox 4's Hendry County Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski works in this area daily, so he keeps an eye on commission meetings - that's where he saw a mobility study laying out ideas for safety, growth, and what streets like Main should look like.
Watch to see what the study shows:
The Western Transportation Institute says it spent years studying how people walk, bike, and drive in LaBelle - especially as growth brings more traffic. The goal? Make getting around safer and easier for everyone.
"People will drive - speeding - or not paying attention. Especially nowadays, people with their phones," said Jorge Santana.
Jorge Santana manages Bridge Street Coffee and Tea and has lived in LaBelle for years. He says a new pedestrian crossing nearby has already made an impact.
"Since that’s been installed, I think drivers have been more conscious," Santana said.
The study recommends adding three more of these crossings - two on SR29 and another just east of it on SR80. But one of the bigger talking points is Main Street.
Fox 4 has previously reported how FDOT's Second Bridge Plan, which would add a second bridge over the Caloosahatchee right next to the current one, could feed traffic into Main Street - cars go on Main, trucks stay on Bridge as a dedicated truck route.
But the mobility study suggests keeping Main Street as is to protect the neighborhood feel and the oak trees lining it.
"Personally I think the way it is right now is great. Working here, coming in at 6:30 in the morning I see people walking their dogs and taking their kids to school," said Santana.
The study also calls for wider sidewalks on the bridge and SR29, separated bike paths, and better connections to restaurants and shops. LaBelle Commissioner Hugo Vargas says the city needs to get ahead of the growth.
"We definitely have to try to find a balance between the walkability and the increase in traffic," Vargas said.
Researchers also suggest adding signage at city entrances to remind drivers they're entering a neighborhood and need to slow down. The city hasn't made any decisions, but Vargas says this study is a look at what could come next.
"They're hard decisions. They're big decisions. We live here too — we live here too. So we want what's best for the city. That's what I'm looking to do and I'm sure the other board members are too," Vargas said.
