Near head-on collision on Burnt Store Road in Cape Coral sparks push for safer conditions

A driver narrowly avoided a head-on collision on Burnt Store Road near Charlotte County after swerving off the road to miss a minivan attempting to pass another vehicle. Clay Quimby, a Cape Coral resident who has lived near the two-lane stretch for decades, shared his advice for drivers. "Be patient. And, that's all I can tell you. Just be patient. Someday it'll be all fixed. But you got to be patient on this last stretch," Quimby said. Video footage of the incident was no surprise to Kathy Erickson, another Cape Coral resident, who said the road has been the site of numerous fatal accidents. "Yeah, we've seen a lot of deaths here. Yeah, no. And a lot of it has been head-on collisions sooner because they're just driving too fast," Erickson said. Both Quimby and Erickson are advocating for improvements to make the road safer. "They're trying to police it and slow the traffic down, you know, and the speed limit is only 50. But we need the four lanes. And it's four lanes in Charlotte. And Lee needs to step up too," Erickson said. Quimby also avoids driving the full length of the road due to safety concerns. "Don't even go to the end of this road out here. I cut in and then I take the next. So I only have to watch two lanes of traffic, and then two different lanes. And you got to because it's insane. It really is," Quimby said. Lee County commissioners approved $3 million in safety enhancements for Burnt Store Road, with construction beginning in June. The project, expected to take nine months, will include 4-foot paved shoulders, rumble strips, updated guardrails, signs, and markings along the stretch from Delilah Drive north to Vincent Avenue. Residents continue to call for additional improvements to address the ongoing safety concerns. 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.