Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city

Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
Cape Coral City Council
Cape Coral City Council. CREDIT: WINK News

The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.

The council said that the improvement could reduce evacuation times for hurricanes or other emergency events by 30%.

Mayor John Gunter and the Cape Coral City Council endorsed it as a critical legislative priority.

This resolution formally requests the support of Lee and Charlotte counties in order to designate the I-75 Interchange at Slater Road a legislative priority for state and federal funding.

This priority is critical for enhancing regional connectivity, fostering economic competitiveness and ensuring the safety and welfare of residents during emergency evacuations.

The I-75 Interchange improvement was assessed as part of the 2024 Lee County Evacuation Route Study, which concluded that this improvement, along with others, could reduce evacuation timeframes by approximately 30%.

In response to these findings, the mayor and city council adopted a resolution on Sept. 18, urging the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation to prioritize the interchange as a critical evacuation route.

On Dec. 4, at a Committee of the Whole meeting, the council recommended the I-75 Interchange as a key legislative priority, and on Wednesday night, it was approved.

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