Lee gives boost to Estero Parkway project

Lee County commissioners gave direction today to their department of transportation to prioritize the Estero Parkway extension and remove the Alico Expressway from the county's five-year road construction plan.

The county's department of transportation had to delay the start of construction on the Estero Parkway extension by about a year until October 2007 because of a lack of funding.

That would push the road's completion out until early 2010, said David Loveland, director of planning for the Lee County Department of Transportation.

The extension, which would cross over Interstate 75 and connect to Corkscrew Road east of Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, is proposed to take traffic of Corkscrew Road around the congested area to the east and west of the interstate.

"We need to alleviate traffic on Corkscrew Road," Judah said. "Either six-lane Corkscrew or complete the Estero Parkway flyover. One of these projects needs to go forward as soon as we can because congestion on Corkscrew Road is untenable."

The congestion is only predicted to get worse with the Miromar outlet mall opening its fifth phase and other retail developments in the area being completed.

It will take $17 million to build the Estero Parkway extension, Loveland said.

The county recently used $22 million from its loan program to purchase right of way for the roadway but doesn't have funding to complete the project.

It could expand the loan program, but it could be several years before that money would be paid back because funds from growth in the area would be used.

"All the money spent on the repayment of that loan can't be spent on other projects," Loveland said.

Meanwhile, the six-laning of Corkscrew Road is not in the county's long-range plans.

If something is not done soon, Corkscrew Road is going to fail, said Arnie Rosenthal, an Estero resident.

"The only way you're going to be able to travel on Corkscrew Road in a couple of years is if you have a helicopter," Rosenthal said. "They've got to push up the flyover, otherwise Corkscrew Road dies."