Improvements in progress on Corkscrew Road where officer died in crash

Officer Reidy died in a crash yesterday along Corkscrew Rd. And many have reached out to WINK News saying that area is dangerous because of the rapid growth. Luckily, there are plans in place to make it safer.

Tony Davis has lived in a neighborhood along Corkscrew Road for 25 years.

“25 years ago, there was almost nothing here,” Davis said.

But now there are more developments, more homes sprouting up at every turn and more traffic on Corkscrew.

“It’s getting quite busy; people start taking risks,” Davis said.

Joey Quinter agrees that it’s busy. “Traffic is very heavy, very heavy,” Quinter said. “It’s a dangerous road.”

A dangerous road where neighbors say they’ve seen several crashes.

“To be honest, I’m not surprised that we get accidents but it is horrible when something like that happens,” Davis said.

“Since we’ve been here I think there have been four deaths on that road,” Quinter said.

Reidy, a Naples police officer, is one of the people who has died on this road. He was driving on Corkscrew Road Thursday when the car in front of him slowed down because of construction. Reidy tried to swerve but hit that car, crossed the center line and crashed into a truck. Reidy was a husband, father and friend.

Quinter says Reidy lived in his neighborhood so he wants to see more safety measures on Corkscrew to prevent crashes like this in the future.

“It’s a big issue and now we’ve lost a neighbor,” Quinter said. “The kids have lost their father. A mother has lost their husband and it’s just horrible.”

Within the next few months, the county plans to start construction phase one to widen Corkscrew Road. Phase two, which will happen farther east, is still in the permitting and designing stage.