The Florida Department of Transportation unveiled plans to expand the turn lanes from Corkscrew Road onto I-75, and extend the on-ramps and off-ramps.
Residents at the Island Club and Corkscrew Woodlands community pressed F-DOT officials Monday at meeting for answers on whether the traffic issues would be solved.
“This is the most dangerous situation I’ve seen in my entire life,” said Island Club resident Nancy Stringham.
Drivers trying to get onto the westbound lanes of Corkscrew Road hold their breath as they cross into the median, turning east on Corkscrew is also a challenge.
“Sometimes you can spend 15 minutes trying to get onto I-75, with the traffic,” said Stringham.
FDOT plans to add a second left hand turn lane for access onto the north and southbound lanes of the interstate.The on ramps will also be lengthened to ease traffic on the interstate caused by merging vehicles.
FDOT’s plans do not include putting a traffic light at the intersection of the Island Club and Corkscrew Road.
The project would be the responsibility of the Village of Estero.
But instead of a light, Village officials plan to build a frontage road linking the community to the Lowes parking lot at the corner of Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Parkway.
Building that road could take several years, but some residents don’t want to wait that long. They want something to be done in the meantime to address the congestion and dangerous driving conditions.
"If there was a no right on red sign at the corner of Three Oaks and Corkscrew that would give us break so we could get out easier,” said resident Bill Savage.
Construction on the I-75 Corkscrew interchange is scheduled to start this summer. The Village of Estero is having a meeting to discuss the frontage road on January 16th.
