NewsLocal News

Actions

SR-82 Widening Project: The Latest

Posted at 12:45 AM, Feb 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-14 00:45:24-05

The Lehigh Acres commute in and out of Fort Myers can be stressful to say the least - especially if you're traveling through the intersection of Daniels Parkway and State Road 82.

Drivers told FOX 4 on Wednesday night that it is.
"I left Miami to get away from traffic, and this is the worst I've ever dealt with", one driver told Fox 4.

A cause for the traffic? Construction. The Florida Department of Transportation is widening SR-82 from Lee Blvd to Shawnee Road. They are also implementing a Continuous Flow Intersection - a first for our state.

Zach Burch, Government Affairs & Communications Manager for FDOT, says the new intersection should be complete by this spring. He says you can also expect the entire project to end this upcoming summer.

Concerns over changes to the plan were prevalent on social media today. In particular, some are concerned about a shorter turning lane instead of the extended lanes that were promised. FDOT says it may look like that from the ground, but they are sticking to the original plan of extended left turn lanes.

"It's gonna be able to move those moving cars a lot quicker. The turn lanes will be able to hold ever more cars than before we started", Burch told Fox 4.

Drivers in the area say they are just ready for it to be complete.