FDOT widening project aims to decrease SR-82 and Daniels Pkwy crashes

Crashes are constantly happening at a Lee County intersection, but a widening project may prevent further deaths.

Fredasia Harris said she lived near State Rd. 82 and Daniels Pkwy for the past eight years. She said she saw crashes far too often.

“It’s probably been two or more accidents probably every couple of months, like it’s always something,” said Fredasia Harris, a neighbor. “And with the new construction, it just makes it worse.”

Her next-door neighbor, Heather Donaldson, said she feels the same.

“The roads are getting kinda crazy out here,” Donaldson said. “They’re getting crowded with all the traffic trying to either get away from [SR]-82 or get through [SR]-82, so they’re pushing other places and it’s just been a little crazy out here.”

Two people died there Monday morning.

Florida Highway Patrol said Yanelys Periera veered over the yellow line while coming around a curve. She hit another driver head-on. Troopers haven’t identified that driver.

Harris said she believes construction played a factor.

“When it was a single two-lane road it was even worse, but now they have all these cones and switches it’s horrible,” Harris said. “It’s horrible.”

Florida Department of Transportation is expanding a stretch of SR-82 from two lanes to six lanes. It is also adding a continuous flow intersection at SR-82 and Daniels Pkwy.

The project is expected to be completed by this summer.

But, Donaldson said until it is completed, she would rather find another road to travel.

“That’s just a really busy road,” Donaldson said. “Kind of a lot going on over there.”