On October 23rd
Lee County DOT celebrated the opening of the
Estero Parkway Flyover, a
major bridge project over I-75 from Three Oaks Parkway to Ben Hill Griffin Parkway. Fortunately this
$35 million project was begun in 2007 with financing from the County’s Roadway
Loan Fund. Since then the County’s road impact fees, gas tax and property tax
revenues have declined precipitously thus delaying most major County road
projects.
Two weeks after its opening
the Flyway was carrying almost 9,000 vehicles per day and reducing traffic on Corkscrew Road east
of Three Oaks Parkway
by nearly 4,700 vehicles per day. Traffic on Ben Hill Griffin south of Estero Parkway also
was reduced by nearly 4,000 vehicles per day during this period.
It looks like the County’s
pre-construction projection that the Flyover would reduce Corkscrew Road traffic by 10,000 vehicles
per day will soon be realized.
