Our Gulf Coast is growing fast, and Burnt Store Road is no exception.
"Just going to be a mess. Just a mess. Burnt Store can't handle it, not as it is right now," said Barry Gelfand, who lives off Burnt Store Road.
Patricia Pichette with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) said the 5.7-mile stretch of road from Van Buren Parkway to just north of the Charlotte County line is getting a major change.
"We're looking to widen from four lanes to six lanes. Then there's a section near the county lines where it's a two-lane, undivided highway right now," Pichette said.
Pichette said the goals are enhancing safety and addressing traffic issues.
With so much development happening in the area, people who live here said they hope the road gets done before more building starts.
"I would think that the road should be first," Lee Veopraseuth said.
"It's getting quite congested. There's a lot of accidents, a lot of deaths on Burnt Store Road now right over here on Vincent. There's like an accident every week, and it ties up all the traffic. They’re predicting 10,000 houses within the next ten years, the traffic, the streets can't handle, kind of traffic," Gelfand said.
Traffic isn't the only concern for neighbors.
"Now there's a big problem with the water. How are you going to handle 10,000 houses with more water when they can't handle what they have right now? You know, so I think it's going to be bad," Gelfand said.
Pichette said all the growth in the area is making the road project challenging.
"We have had growth that no one could have expected. So yes, we are playing a little bit of catch-up, but that's because our growth has been considerable," Pichette said.
FDOT is already in the project development and environment study phase-
Which should wrap up this summer. Then the design phase will start. As for project completion, there's still a long way to go.
"The Metropolitan Planning Agency for Lee County has this project listed as cost-feasible in the right of way and construction in phases between 2031 and 2035. That's what it looks like now. It's going to depend on funding availability when that time comes," Pichette said.