FDOT to address safety issues on State Road 82

Author: Paul Dolan Writer: Elyssa Morataya, Bryanna Sterzenbach
Published: Updated:
State Road 82, SR-82

The Florida Department of Transportation is preparing to act on safety concerns for State Road 82.

Earlier this week, WINK News rode along with Ryan Beiner from the Fort Myers police Department. Beiner knows how important roadway safety is, that’s why he keeps an eye on State Road 82.

“It’s a key issue out here in Lee County.” said Beiner “There are a lot of people out here speeding and driving dangerously, and unfortunately, they’re killing people or themselves.”

People all around Southwest Florida know that the 29-mile-long road in Lee and Collier counties is dangerous.

On Monday morning just before sunrise, a 21-year-old woman was hit and killed on State Road 82 just south of Corkscrew Road in Collier County. Earlier the same week, two people were hurt in another crash on State Road 82.

The Florida Highway Patrol says not all crashes happen for the same reason.

“There have been many times where I’ve worked fatal crashes or deadly crashes because of people making left-handed turns,” said Nicolas Duncan, a traffic sergeant with the Lee County sheriff’s office.

People don’t feel safe, and they want to see changes on the road to improve safety.

“Florida Department of Transportation: Do something about it.” Kris, the wife of a State Road 82 Victim, “You hold the key. It’s taken too long we have too much to lose.”

Unrelenting voices, concerned with safety are urging authorities to take action, and they will not go unnoticed.

FDOT has plans to improve safety along State Road 82 this summer. Next week they will announce when the road improvements begin.

The project proposes interim median modifications to reduce conflict points and increase safety at the intersections of SR-82 with several cross streets.

The proposed safety improvements will prohibit left turns from these side streets onto State Road 82.

Traffic will be required to turn right onto SR-82 and make a U-turn at one of the adjacent intersections.

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