Cape Coral city leaders discuss expansion of Cape Coral Parkway

Reporter: Jolena Esperto Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:

Cape Coral City leaders discussed expanding Cape Coral Parkway from four to six lanes in a meeting Wednesday morning.

The expansion would match the future expansion of the Cape Coral Bridge, which will also have six lanes.

Some people are unhappy about traffic getting on and off this bridge during rush hour. They’re also frustrated with peak season while trying to get to work or take their kids to school.

Residents are saying that necessary parts of their daily routine are becoming much more of a hassle because the bridge can’t fit all of the drivers it has.

Suzanne Treichler has lived in Cape Coral for 30 years. She said Cape Coral Parkway is so bad she won’t use it anymore.

“I used to drive my son from Cape Coral to Canterbury School,” said Treichler. “I did for eight years, and I think it’s a real problem now for people to get over the bridge during commuting hours.”

Terry Elswick is a Cape Coral resident who said her commute home from work takes over an hour.

“I would get off work between like 4:30 and 5:30, and that’s a seven-mile drive from from Gulf Coast Hospital to my house, and it would take me an hour plus and all those lanes merging. I would stay in the left-hand lane on the bridge, but you’ve got three lanes merging into the right-hand lane.

The City of Cape Coral is expanding the parkway between Coronado Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard from four to six lanes.

It will take away 56 parking spaces, including from Iguana Mia and Yellowfin Sushi.

Elswick said losing those spaces is worth it.

“I do see the need for it, especially during snowbird season,” said Elswick. “And snowbird season is coming earlier and earlier each year, so we’ll start seeing and seeing it soon.”

During the Cape City Council workshop on Wednesday, Mayor John Gunter said he hopes the project can be accelerated by at least 30 days and be ready for next October, when peak season starts.

The project is expected to be completed by mid-November 2025, just in time for next year’s holidays.

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