Caloosahatchee Connect construction begins in front of Cape Coral homes

Construction is ramping up on the Caloosahatchee Connect project. On the Cape Coral side, crews are busy installing the pipe in the right of way in front of homes.

With every piece of piping installed along Everest Parkway, Cape Coral inches closer and closer to a solution to the dried-up freshwater canals.

Cape Coral resident Lesther Arauon has a front-row seat to that work. “It’s probably going to take like a day or two with that noise. Right now we haven’t heard the noise from the other houses,” said Arauon.

He may not have heard it, but you can’t miss it. Mounds of dirt, heavy equipment and construction workers directing traffic are all occurring just a couple of doors down from him. His house is next.

“I’m concerned about what’s going to happen with the parking. You know if they’re just going to trap us inside the house or they’re going to give us some kind of advanced notice to put the car outside,” said Arauon.

Cella Molnar, public information consulting firm, said neighbors will get enough notice to move their cars.

Once the pipe is complete, it will transport water from Fort Myers to Cape Coral. That will allow the city to reduce the amount of water it takes from freshwater canals.

During the dry season, the canal levels can drop down a lot.

“Canals are so dry so low you can’t even go fishing in there anymore. Because you just see bottom,” said Cape Coral resident Tracey Ramirez.

While it’s a construction zone now, Arauon hopes his neighborhood of six years will keep its charms.

“It is a beautiful neighborhood I expect to keep it that way,” said Arauon.

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