>> FROM YOUR CAPE CORAL NEWS TEAM, IT’S BEING CALLED ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS ON THE GULF COAST. THESE 3 P OR 3 PEOPLE WERE KILLED ON BURNT STORE ROAD EARLIER THIS MONTH. THERE ARE JUST 2 LANES AND NO SHOULDERS. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER JALEN BARRON EXPLAINS THE CHANGES THAT THE COUNTY WANTS TO MAKE STUDENTS SAFER FOR YOU. >> THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SAY THEY ARE READY TO PUT OTHER PROJECTS ON HOLD TO FOCUS ON WIDENING FIRST STORE ROAD. THAT IS ONLY 2 LANES. THE PLAN IS TO MAKE IT 4 BUT IS SET TO TAKE NEARLY 10 YEARS. AND DRIVERS SAY IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WANT THE WORK TO START SOONER. >> WE’VE HAD A COUPLE CLOSE CALLS OURSELVES. WELL, I THINK THAT IF YOU CARE ABOUT SAFETY IN HUMAN LIFE, IT’S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED. >> PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG BURNT STORE TELL ME THEY ARE TERRIFIED TO PULL OUT ONTO THE BUSY TWO-LANE ROAD. >> AND FOR JOHN ARE DOZY, A NEW RESIDENT TO CAPE CORAL. HE TELLS ME IT’S A FEARFUL TIME FOR HIS TEENAGERS TO DRIVE ON. IT MAKES ME A LITTLE NERVOUS THAT >> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PASS IT REALLY FAST. I MEAN, THEY’RE JUST ALWAYS IN A HURRY. SO IF IT’S NEEDED IS DEFINITELY NEEDED. NO DOUBT. YOU REALLY ARE OUT FLAMES IN BURNT STORE, MARINA COMMUNITY AND SHE SAYS PULLING OUT WHILE CARS SPEED BY. >> IT’S VERY SCARY. IT’S A LITTLE BIT DANGEROUS. JUST TRUCKS TAKE LONGER THAN CARS AND CARS CAN TRUCKS BLOCKING STUFF UNTIL THE ROAD CAN BE WIDENED. COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED RUBBER STRIPS TO SLOW DOWN DRIVERS, BUT RESIDENTS URGED THE COUNTY TO ENFORCE THE SPEED LIMITS. SOMETIMES YOU THINK THEY’RE GOING 45, BUT THEY COULD DOING 65 OR 70 AND TRYING TO JUDGE. THAT IS JUST THAT I THINK IS WHAT’S CAUSING A LOT OF THIS. >> NOW, LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE NOT SAID WHICH PROJECTS WILL BE PUT ON HOLD, BUT THEY WILL DISCUSS THE FUNDING AND SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS AT THE NEXT MEETING
Lee County residents urge faster action on Burnt Store Road widening
Updated: 9:48 PM EST Nov 5, 2025
Lee County commissioners are ready to put other projects on hold to focus on widening Burnt Store Road, which currently has only two lanes, as residents express concerns about safety.The plan to increase it to four lanes is expected to take nearly 10 years, but drivers who say the road is dangerous want the work to start sooner.John Nardozzi, a new resident of Cape Coral, said, “And we’ve had a couple close calls ourselves.”Joe, another resident, emphasized the importance of discussing the project, saying, “Well, I think that if you care about safety in human life, it’s something that needs to be discussed.”Residents living along Burnt Store Road have expressed their fear of pulling out onto the busy two-lane road. Nardozzi shared his concerns about his teenagers driving on it, saying, “It makes me a little nervous that they, you know, people pass really fast. I mean, they’re just always in a hurry, and so it’s needed. It’s definitely needed, no doubt.”Eulaina Ralph, who lives in the Burnt Store Marina community, described the situation as “A little bit dangerous because trucks take longer than cars, and cars can’t see when the trucks blocking stuff.”Until the road can be widened, commissioners have proposed rubber strips to slow down drivers, but residents are urging the county to enforce speed limits. One resident noted, “Sometimes you think they’re going 45, but they can be doing 65 or 70, and trying to judge that is just, I think is what’s causing a lot of this.”Lee County commissioners have not confirmed which other projects could be put on hold, but they will discuss funding and safety enhancements at the next meeting on Nov. 18.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.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
Lee County commissioners are ready to put other projects on hold to focus on widening Burnt Store Road, which currently has only two lanes, as residents express concerns about safety.
The plan to increase it to four lanes is expected to take nearly 10 years, but drivers who say the road is dangerous want the work to start sooner.
John Nardozzi, a new resident of Cape Coral, said, “And we’ve had a couple close calls ourselves.”
Joe, another resident, emphasized the importance of discussing the project, saying, “Well, I think that if you care about safety in human life, it’s something that needs to be discussed.”
Residents living along Burnt Store Road have expressed their fear of pulling out onto the busy two-lane road. Nardozzi shared his concerns about his teenagers driving on it, saying, “It makes me a little nervous that they, you know, people pass really fast. I mean, they’re just always in a hurry, and so it’s needed. It’s definitely needed, no doubt.”
Eulaina Ralph, who lives in the Burnt Store Marina community, described the situation as “A little bit dangerous because trucks take longer than cars, and cars can’t see when the trucks blocking stuff.”
Until the road can be widened, commissioners have proposed rubber strips to slow down drivers, but residents are urging the county to enforce speed limits. One resident noted, “Sometimes you think they’re going 45, but they can be doing 65 or 70, and trying to judge that is just, I think is what’s causing a lot of this.”
Lee County commissioners have not confirmed which other projects could be put on hold, but they will discuss funding and safety enhancements at the next meeting on Nov. 18.
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.