The rapid growth in Estero has made East Corkscrew a major roadway in Fort Myers, but with this progression comes increased congestion, safety concerns, and pressure on nearby land and wildlife. Over the years, East Corkscrew has gone from a rural area into a major connector as development increases. Especially in the Estero area, new housing, commercial growth, and roadway expansions raises traffic, leading local officials to build and widen roads and use access management strategies like medians and driveway control.
This rapid change in Estero has challenged local government officials regarding the safety of traffic flow and the environment. With more vehicles on the road, the crash rate and probability increase drastically, especially if the roads aren’t ready prepared like having frequent left turns and multiple access points. Because East Corkscrew runs near the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, a large amount of traffic could impact natural areas.
FDOT data and research show that the implementation of raised medians and controlled access reduce crashes and improve traffic flow. Simple observations show that during peak hours congestion is constantly getting worse supporting the need for better road design.
Moreover, expanding raised medians can improve traffic congestion and limiting direct access and reducing driveways can ease congestion and affect businesses. To improve planning traffic modeling can be used, but investments are required. Each option has its pros and cons but offers a solution for safer and more efficient roads in Estero.
Reference
Lee County Government. Corkscrew Road widening project. (used all tabs on the left side bar)
https://www.leegov.com/corkscrew
Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Transportation improvement program.
https://leempo.com/plans/long-range-transportation-plan/
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Written by Travis Cousino, FGCU Student
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