Charlotte County road dark as 61 streetlights remain unreplaced

Paul Aubuchon, a local resident, turned to WINK News after several calls to the county yielded no results. He attended our Port Charlotte WINK Listens event to share his concerns. 

"It was unbelievable loss in Englewood on Winchester Boulevard. There is very, very dark, and it's about a mile and a half," said Aubuchon.

Currently, 61 streetlights are still missing, according to the county, replaced by orange traffic cones.

Aubuchon described the road as dangerous, especially at night.

"I was driving home Sunday night, and wild boars were running across the road. And it's tough to see. It's just plain tough to see," he said.

Aubuchon expressed frustration over the lack of response from Charlotte County on why the lights haven't been replaced.

"I reached out at least three times, and they shifted me from one person to another, one department to another. Leave them a message, okay, we'll have somebody get back to you. And nobody ever gets back," Aubuchon said.

WINK News reached out to Charlotte County for answers. 

The county explained that Winchester Boulevard is a federally designated roadway, requiring coordination with the Federal Highway Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation for repairs.

Charlotte County Public Works officials say they have been working to secure federal Emergency Relief funding tied to Hurricane Ian but acknowledge the process has been "notoriously slow." 

The widespread storm damage along Florida’s coast over the past couple years hasn’t helped. Officials cite supply shortages, high demand, and rising costs as major obstacles.

The county says it is attempting to exhaust all available federal funding options before passing costs on to local residents, emphasizing that public safety remains a priority.

Still, Aubuchon feels residents need clarity.

“Can you give us a timeline of when we’re going to get lights? Three years is a long, long time,” he said.

Charlotte County says it plans to continue pressing federal agencies for answers. 

County officials have promised to follow up with WINK News once more information is available. For now, residents remain in the dark, awaiting a resolution.