Cape Coral considers 30 mph speed limit cap on residential streets

Imagine fearing for your safety in your own driveway or getting nervous every time you go for a walk, all because of speeders flying by your home.

Cape Coral residents have noticed a speeding issue on Viscaya Pkwy for years.

Because of issues like this, Cape Coral is considering capping the maximum speed on residential streets to 30 mph.

Carmen Morales, who lives along the roadway, said she has noticed the problem for around 25 years. It is something that affects Morales and her neighbors.

“If you don’t have a driveway like this or a horseshoe driveway, it’s an issue, you know because of the traffic and especially in the morning and the traffic is heavier like people going to work like that,” Morales said. “It’s a big issue and you have to wait a little bit and you have to be real careful.”

Riding bicycles, getting the mail and taking afternoon walks are activities Chris Schmeltzer has to plan for before heading outside. He said a lot of people have given up riding their bikes on the sidewalks.

“You have 2 feet between you and somebody going 50 miles an hour or even 40 [mph],” Schmeltzer said. “You plan it for like a little later in the day. Maybe 8 or 9 o’clock or in the afternoon. About 3 [p.m.] to about 6 [p.m.] and get crazy again.”

With speedy drivers, anything could happen in this Cape Coral residential neighborhood.

“All someone has to do is not pay attention, be texting or something come off,” Schmeltzer said, “and they would hit you.”

These neighbors are hopeful the city will follow through with the speed cap for streets like theirs. They told WINK News they have witnessed scary situations with children and senior citizens.

“We had a little girl riding her bike and she slipped and she almost went to the street and she almost got hit by a car,” Morales said, “because kids are riding their bike and you know the cars, sometimes you can’t see them.”

“It’s hard for the kids to be safe around here or for anybody to be safe in this road,” Schmeltzer said. “It’s been like this like I said, for a while.. we got sidewalks now but still not safe.”

Schmeltzer wants to believe a cap in the speeding limit would prevent drivers speeding along the residential roadway, but he is skeptical. Morales, like Schmeltzer, hopes their neighborhood will become safer for pedestrians soon.

“We love Cape Coral,” Morales said. “But we want to be safe.”

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