LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass is addressing concerns on Burnt Store Road by sending a letter to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno and Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore.

FOX 4’s Bella Line spoke with the commissioner on the phone about the letter:

Commissioner seeks law enforcements help for Burnt Store Rd safety

Pendergrass’ letter, dated on Nov. 5, highlights “the need for continued enforcement and education efforts”.

Commissioners have directed the county manager to work with the Department of Transportation to address and implement safety measures, Pendergrass wrote, while also identifying potential funding for long-term improvements.

Pendergrass spoke to Line on the phone on Wednesday.

“If they see marked units out there, this would draw more awareness, and people will drive careful,” he said.

The commissioner acknowledged that road improvements take time but emphasized the immediate need for safety measures.

“The roads not going to be built overnight but, you know, meanwhile, we’re just trying to improve safety, so let’s protect people’s lives,” Pendergrass said.

In addition to requesting more patrols, Pendergrass is exploring other temporary safety solutions including additional signage and potentially installing rumble strips on the roadway.

However, the commissioner cautioned that widening alone may not solve all safety issues.

“We went from two lanes to six lanes, and now you see on the nightly news, we still have issues on State Road 82, with people super speeders, and we still have wrecks and death out there too,” Pendergrass said.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office sent this response to the letter to FOX 4: “The Lee County Sheriff’s Office patrols the 2-lane portion of Burnt Store Road. This is multi-jurisdictional effort as the roadway is shared by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Cape Coral Police Department. Traffic operations are ongoing and will continue on this stretch of roadway.”

Pendergrass said commissioners are exploring state funding options and working with the city of Cape Coral to expedite funding for the road widening project.