Cape Coral moving forward with plans to improve problematic intersection

A construction project will soon improve one busy road many locals rely on.

It’s right at the intersection with NE 24th Avenue and Kismet Parkway, north of Diplomat Parkway.

County leaders say this intersection at Kismet Parkway is dangerous and causes confusion for many drivers. To stop that, they want to make it a four-way stop and have Kismet continue on through what is now a field.

Crystal and Curtis Hibbert know what it’s like dealing with other drivers on Kismet Parkway.

“A lot of them don’t signal, so you don’t know what you’re doing and you got to wait and traffic backs up there. It’s always really been a problem,” Curtis said.

One sharp turn on the road is especially problematic. It’s a route the Hibberts take almost daily to get to Fort Myers.

But now county leaders are looking at a way to make traffic flow easier.

“This is a project I’ve been pushing for for four years trying to help people get to work from Cape Coral a little more safely,” said Brian Hamman, a Lee County commissioner.

Hamman says the project would involve Kismet continuing through an empty lot.

“People will know better which direction people are going to travel in and then they can head straight,” Hamman said.

Eventually, Kismet will turn into a roundabout at Corbett Street, eliminating another problem intersection.

“This will open up a new route to help people get to the Chattahoochee river and help them get to work a little bit faster without having to go over the midpoint or south Cape Coral bridge,” Hamman said.

A new project the Hibberts are happy to see done.

“I think any improvement to this area would be good,” Crystal said.

Hamman says the money for this $8.5 million project will come from gas taxes and impact fees. Cape Coral’s transportation board meets Wednesday to discuss the plan.