Engage Estero recently asked the greater Estero community to identify dangerous intersections or roads.

Estero Parkway was mentioned for speeding and the ability to safely exit the communities of The Cascades of Estero and The Reserve at Estero. A few responders, unaware of the history of upgrades to Estero Parkway, criticized the Village of Estero for not planning for a roundabout on Estero Parkway at the entrances to The Cascades at Estero and The Reserve at Estero.

The following notes provided information for a decision on the design of Estero Parkway.

During 2017 and early 2018, the Engage Estero (then The Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) Transportation Committee members, led by then-chairperson Bob King, worked with the HOA leadership from the Cascades at Estero and the Reserve at Estero to install a roundabout at their entrances. It was known that the intersection did not have “the warrants” to justify a traffic signal.

Working with transportation design consultants, it was determined that the current 150-foot right-of-way for Estero Parkway was insufficient at the Estero Parkway intersection, particularly at the entrances to the Cascades at Estero and the Reserve at Estero. Transportation/traffic engineers determined that additional right-of-way would be needed from the Cascades at Estero. After many Village, HOA, and ECCL discussions, the HOA leadership from the Cascades was unwilling to cede any right-of-way. Without the right-of-way from the Cascades at Estero, no roundabout could be constructed.

The following are excerpts from the Village Council meeting where the decision was made on the design of Estero Parkway.

There will be no roundabouts on Estero Parkway. In a 6-1 vote on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018, the Estero Village Council picked a four-lane road design for Estero Parkway that includes 10.5-foot-wide driving lanes, a 7-foot-wide buffered bike path, and 6-foot-wide sidewalks.

The council voted against a design for Estero Parkway that would have made it a two-lane road with 12-foot-wide driving lanes and 8- to 10-foot-wide sidewalks. This option would have added roundabouts to the roadway at the entrances of gated communities, including the Cascades at Estero and the Reserve at Estero.

“I think the practical solution is we go the way where we stick with the four lanes,” said Estero Mayor Jim Boesch. We are going to put the bike paths and sidewalks on both sides of the streets. I do not know how any resident on Estero Parkway could ask for anything more than what we are doing there.”

For years, residents of the gated communities along Estero Parkway have complained that the road is unsafe and have requested improvements. Village officials and consultants have been working on plans to upgrade the portion of Estero Parkway from U.S. 41 to Three Oaks Parkway, addressing safety, providing spaces for pedestrians and bicyclists, and beautifying the road with landscaping.

The two-lane road with roundabouts would have reduced vehicle speed, which could have done more to protect people walking or riding a bike on Estero Parkway, according to village agenda documents.

“Estero can do better than just a standard street,” Nick Batos said. “We had the plan for it, and I still support it. I am sorry if it does not pass because I do not think we will ever have the opportunity again to do it on that road. His comments were met with jeers by many in the standing-room-only crowd in the council chambers on Wednesday morning.

The village’s vision for the project is to follow a model referred to as Complete Streets — shorthand for a national program that encourages governments to create roads for all forms of transportation — is limited by Estero Parkway’s 150-foot right-of-way, said Councilor Jon McLain, Estero’s liaison for the road project.

The idea of putting roundabouts on Estero Parkway has been controversial since it was first presented to residents of gated communities along the road. None has been more vocal about their opposition to the proposed Estero Parkway roundabouts than residents of the Cascades at Estero. This 55-and-older community would have had one of the roundabouts at its entrance.

Bill Williams, a resident of the Cascades and the vice president of the community’s Board of Directors, said Estero Parkway is better without roundabouts. “I am not against roundabouts in the right location,” Williams said. “I understand there’s a place for them in Estero, just not in this location.”  Williams said he was pleased the council “made a decision that’s best for the village.”

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