CAPE CORAL, Fla-- Cape Coral residents are upset and asking why more planning hasn't been done to prevent car crashes near Pine Island Rd and Hibiscus Dr. The intersection has now seen 11 crashes including 1 death in the past 6 months with the most recent happening on Saturday.
FOX4 learned last week Walmart is paying for a traffic study. However, some residents are asking if the City of Cape Coral or the Florida Department of Transportation can do more.
"You're coming out of BJ's, the traffic coming here and season the way it is now it's like a kamikaze race," said resident Ron Wilder.
Wilder calls the intersection of Pine Island and Hibiscus a traffic nightmare.
You might ask yourself, why not just put up a traffic light? That's the question FOX4 asked FDOT last week.
FDOT said getting a light isn't as easy as you think. Any changes require several traffic studies to be conducted. Walmart is currently paying for an initial study to count the number of cars driving through the area. FDOT also said they factor in the number of crashes in the area, going as far back as 5 years.
While finding a solution can take weeks or even months it's possible you can see changes coming soon.
FDOT said just down the road at N.E. 24th Avenue there's temporary quick curbs. These were installed to help traffic while a study was taking place. Just last week FDOT and the City of Cape Coral agreed to install a traffic light at that intersection and said the changes could potentially help with traffic at Pine Island Rd. and Hibiscus Dr.
You might also be asking yourself, "Why didn't the city think about all this before the businesses moved in?" A Cape Coral spokesperson sent FOX4 this response.
"Sometimes these "theoretical" assumptions, while based on the best available data, do not end up reflecting the reality of what actually occurs with the development. It is under those circumstances the traffic engineers and planners have to go back to the table and take another look at the situation."
Until a decision is made some drivers said they plan to make their own changes on the roadway to prevent a tragedy.
"We usually just go out to the right and come in the main entrance," said resident Cora Ware.
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