Cape Coral residents urge Old Burnt Store Road improvements beyond speed limit reduction

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

The speed limit on Old Burnt Store Road in Cape Coral has been reduced from 45 mph to 40 mph to encourage drivers to slow down on the busy road lined with homes.

Nick Celere, a resident and bicyclist living near Old Burnt Store Road, expressed concerns about the road's narrowness and the need for a dedicated bike lane.

"But the road is very narrow, and there are a lot of bicycles on it. So our concern has always been that it needs to be widened with a good-sized bike lane, which they could obviously do to the other side of the street because of less housing," Celere said.

Celere emphasized that more than just a lower speed limit is necessary for the road.

"Seven years ago, when we got here, you could count on one hand the number of houses in this entire area, and now there are 25 to 30 or more that have all sprouted up. So the, traffic is getting more. And this road is really narrow and crumbling on the sides," he said.

Another resident, whose home is directly on Old Burnt Store Road, shared that his mailbox has been repeatedly run over by speeding vehicles. In response, he added a lawn rock to prevent further damage to his property.

The adjustment follows traffic field investigations and studies conducted in April 2025, which evaluated operational and safety conditions for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians along the corridor. This speed limit reduction is expected to improve the safety and comfort of motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians traveling along Old Burnt Store Road, an important north-south route in northwest Cape Coral where traffic volumes and multimodal activity have increased in recent years.

All speed limit signage within the affected segment has been updated to reflect the new 40-mile-per-hour limit. Additionally, advisory flags will be installed on the new speed limit signs for 30 days to draw attention to the change and remind drivers to slow down.

Enforcement of the new 40-mile-per-hour speed limit on Old Burnt Store Road between Kismet Parkway West and Caloosa Parkway is effective immediately.

Law enforcement agencies will monitor driver compliance, and motorists are strongly advised to obey the new posted speed limit to support a safer corridor for all users.

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