New bike lane proposed for Pine Island Rd. between Cape Coral and Pine Island

A new bike path could be coming to Southwest Florida. Right now, only one road takes you from Cape Coral to Pine Island, and cyclists say it isn’t safe for them.

Every day, John Lynch rides his bike to the Blue Dog, the restaurant he owns.

“When it’s gridlock traffic, which it is during season, I can get to my house and back to work quicker than I can driving,” said Lynch.

The bike’s even decked out with his restaurant’s logo.

Lynch knows first-hand just how backed up the stretch of Pine Island Road to Cape Coral can get.

Lynch said, “it’s a big, fast, busy road. Definitely want a bike lane there, from Burnt Store Road to the beginning of Matlacha.”

Bonnie Sproull said, “I lose my concentration on gawking at the marketing here and the little, little colorful buildings, and I kind of almost stepped out in front of the vehicle.”

The proposed plan puts a new bike lane on Pine Island Road between Burnt Store Road and Stringfellow Road.

There is barely any space on the side of the road along that stretch right now, with some of it having speed limits of 45-55 miles per hour.

Sproull’s husband, who used to teach traffic safety, said we all have the responsibility toward safety in this case, “And there’s one fundamental thing about being in traffic is it’s a privilege to be on the road, it’s not a right.”

Lynch said anything built for this project would likely go through his property. Space that he cannot, and does not want to give up

Lynch said, “In Matlacha, you’re at 30 miles an hour or less frequently gridlocked, and it’s so packed together. I don’t know. Specifically, I’d like to find out more whether we even can do a bike lane here.”

Sproull’s husband said, “I think all you’re going to do is make all the property owners here more angry because you’re taking some of their land.”

The Florida Department of Transportation says this plan is just in the planning stages. Engineers have not made a final decision on what to do.