Burnt Store Road safety plan adjusted to avoid multi-year permitting delay

LEE COUNTY, Fla. - The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to scale back previously approved safety improvements on the remaining two-lane stretch of Burnt Store Road in order to avoid a multi-year permitting delay.

Commissioners directed staff to move forward with rumble striping and four-foot paved shoulders from Van Buren Parkway north to Vincent Avenue but eliminated two planned 1.06-mile passing lanes that had been approved in January.

The change came after county transportation officials determined the passing lanes would trigger a full Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) from the South Florida Water Management District.

According to Lee County Department of Transportation Director Rob Price, obtaining that permit would require additional drainage design work and could take more than two years before the project could move forward.

“We’ve never obtained an ERP in less than 12 months. It typically takes us 18 months,” Price told commissioners. “For us to even submit for our ERP, we need to do a drainage design that is going to take us probably six months.”

Price explained that safety improvements such as rumble striping and paved shoulders qualify for a permit exemption, which typically takes about 30 days.

“Activities that are eligible for a permit exemption are defined in the Florida Administrative Code,” Price said. “The code provides for exemptions for safety improvements, provided that they do not add additional travel lanes. In the opinion of the district, passing lanes are added travel lanes.”

County staff said lane departure is the primary safety concern along this stretch of Burnt Store Road.

“Lane departure is the biggest issue from a safety perspective out there,” Price said. “The most effective way to address lane departure is rumble striping.”

Staff estimates rumble strips could reduce certain crash types by 45 to 50 percent. Adding paved shoulders could provide an additional 25 to 30 percent safety improvement by giving drivers more recovery space and providing room for emergency vehicles and law enforcement traffic stops.

The estimated cost for rumble striping alone is $140,000. Adding four-foot paved shoulders brings the total estimated cost to approximately $4.9 million.

County officials said the work could begin as early as late summer once a contract is approved. Construction is expected to take about nine months once started.

Price added that pursuing a full ERP for passing lanes could also complicate the long-term four-lane widening project.

Because the widening project is currently being developed under older drainage standards, obtaining a new permit now could subject the project to updated nutrient and stormwater requirements, potentially increasing future costs.

“If we get an ERP on this section of roadway, we’re going to have to bring everything into compliance,” Price said, noting it could mean additional drainage improvements and potentially more right-of-way.

In the end, commissioners voted to eliminate the passing lanes and proceed with the faster option. Commissioner David Mulicka voted no, stating he supported the broader interim improvements but ultimately backed the master widening project.

Tuesday’s vote applies only to interim safety improvements and does not impact the ultimate plan to widen the remaining two-lane stretch of Burnt Store Road to four lanes.

The Florida Department of Transportation completed the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study for the northern segment in August 2025. The next step for the full widening project is securing funding and continuing right-of-way acquisition.

Commissioners reiterated that widening Burnt Store Road remains a Tier One priority project for the county.