Nicole Kikkert
•8/28/2026
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is planning a 21-mile improvement project on Interstate 75 in Lee and Collier counties to reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety. Lee County resident Davi Araujf shared his frustration with the current traffic conditions. "My drive to work is supposed to be 34 minutes with no traffic, and it takes me an hour and 30 to get here every day. So just about an hour, maybe 45 minutes to an hour every day of traffic," Araujf said. The FDOT project aims to make commuting easier and safer by adding express lanes, additional lane segments, and noise walls. "I think in the long run that would probably be good because it seems like Southwest Florida is growing," said Lee County resident Selena-Sofia. "And I've been on 75 coming north sometimes around 5 p.m. It's not good." The improvements will stretch from north of Golden Gate Parkway to south of Alico Road. The project is part of the Moving Florida Forward initiative, a statewide effort to address congestion as population and development continue to grow. Araujf said he is willing to deal with temporary construction-related traffic for the long-term benefits. "That's one of those things where it's, like, bittersweet. You got to take it for what it is, you know, like it's going to clog up for a little bit. You might have another couple months, couple of years of hard times, but overall it's going to be better for you and the city and the south of Florida," Araujf said. FDOT has not provided a timeline for the project, stating they will not accept questions ahead of next week’s meetings. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
