ESTERO, Fla. — On Corkscrew Road, there is a long stretch where traffic can only drive on one lane. Drivers say it’s slowing down school buses and frustrating them.
Mark Novitski is a spokesperson for Engage Estero who's studying the project. Engage Estero is a voice for community members, and people like Novitski bring their concerns to Lee County commissioners.
Novitski says one issue with the road is there is no where to pull off for emergencies and the traffic lights in the area are not synced yet.
Hurricane Ian has a hand in the project's delay with the first phase intending to wrap up this past April. Now it will not not be done until February 2024.
Another factor contributing to the need for a more efficient roadway, Novitski says, is the communities being built in Estero.
"Verdana is just starting, Corkscrew Shores is done, WildBlue is almost done, Corkscrew Estates is close," he said.
As Estero builds and plans for thousands of new homes, Novitski expects the traffic to get worse.
For each of those 1,000 homes built, the study calls for two drivers from each household.
“Now the good news in phase one is they put in a traffic monitoring system at LDOT headquarters,” he said.
This part of the plan is intended to help break up congestion. In the monitoring system, a person can look at how long the traffic lights stay a certain color.
The planwill take several more years to complete.
