Will new developments along SR 82 cause traffic problems?

New developments are coming to State Road 82 near the Forum, the biggest of which is Amazon’s new robotics fulfillment center.

• RELATED: Resident reacts to plan for new Amazon facility in Fort Myers

Linda Bollinger describes traffic along State Road 82 in one word.

“It’s horrendous!” she said.

Sam Blatt, Amazon’s economic development manager, said it is the company’s first fulfillment center in Southwest Florida.

“All of our product is going to be stored in this facility,” Blatt said.

“You can order a package at 10 at night, and you get it the next morning,” said Tami Slater, who lives near the new Amazon facility. “It’s amazing how it works.”

Amazon’s fulfillment center will be built right next to the Lexington Palms apartments.

In the same area, a new townhome community, the North Forum Reserve, is also in the permitting process.

Those aren’t the only developments coming to this area.

Two new housing developments, Novo Gateway and Asher Park, are already under construction about five minutes away on State Road 82.

With all of these changes, neighbors are worried about one thing.

“It’ll be good because of jobs, but then we’re a little more worried about traffic,” said Dashawn, who lives near the site of Amazon’s new facility. “It already takes a longer time to commute back and forth.”

State Road 82 is a state road, and WINK News reporter Sommer Senne reached out to FDOT for answers.

FDOT said they won’t know if any improvements need to be made until a traffic study has been reviewed and approved.

The City of Fort Myers finished a traffic analysis of this area in June. At the time, the city concluded that “these net reductions will result in no adverse impacts on the adjacent roadway system.”

The city says another traffic study won’t happen until after Amazon starts construction in 2025.

“Our engineering departments looked at widening certain roads such as Hanson and Edison and all the access roads to get in and out to the interstate,” said Fort Myers City Councilmember Liston Bochette.

Amazon said it’s working with the city and FDOT to add traffic signals at its facility entrance and upgrade the signal at Forum Boulevard.

Once the new Amazon facility is open, Amazon says it will monitor any areas of congestion and make changes as needed.

If changes do need to be made to the infrastructure, Amazon would pay for all of it including water, sewer connections and those traffic lights.

The facility is expected to open in 2027.