Fort Myers neighbors push for road repairs in Dunbar community

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Neighbors in the Dunbar community came to WINK Listens to sound the alarm about a dangerous dip in the road where Clermont Drive and Capri Drive connect, just off Veronica Shoemaker Boulevard and Edison Avenue.

Sandra Ludgood and Geraldine Hill live right at the intersection where the roadways meet. The dip doesn't look bad from afar, but when drivers cross it, the results can be damaging.

"Every time my car goes across, it scrapes the bottom, and a lot of cars and vehicles that go across there, it knocks the bottom off, or you'll see the people pull over to the side and get up under the cars and look to make sure there's no damage," Ludgood said.

Scrapes in the concrete from cars are visible at the site. Hill expressed concern about the potential for a serious accident.

"I'm so scared they're gonna have a head-on collision, and then too, if that bump, if they hit that bump, it can run right into my house, and the house is facing there," Hill said.

WINK News anchor Corey Lazar went to see the pavement problems and reached out to the city of Fort Myers to alert them about the issue. A spokesperson for the city responded that the Public Works team is currently working on a design to address the concerns, including surface drainage.

Within days of that email exchange, crews came out to start repairs. The city is currently waiting for bids on street repaving projects in the area.

Jaylen Watkins Street is expected to be repaved from State Road 82 to Edison Avenue. The street shows cracking asphalt and uneven pavement.

"I would like for the roads to be dug up and repaved or either paved properly and smoothed out," Ludgood said.

The city of Fort Myers says it recognizes there are roadway needs throughout Fort Myers. Available paving funds are prioritized and distributed across the city's wards, with projects evaluated as funding becomes available.

Statement from the City of Fort Myers spokesperson:

"The Public Works team is currently working on a design to address these concerns, including surface drainage. The City recognizes that there are roadway needs throughout Fort Myers. Available paving funds are prioritized and distributed across the City's wards, with projects evaluated as funding becomes available. For specific hazards or safety concerns that may require attention before a roadway is scheduled for repaving, residents are encouraged to report the location and issue through the City's FixMyFort resident reporting tool or contact the appropriate City department (in this case, Public Works). This allows staff to evaluate the concern and determine whether interim repairs or other action may be warranted."