Concerns raised by the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition were addressed when a 5.3-mile stretch of road stretching from the Charlotte County line into Lee County was paved, providing a safer evacuation route during hurricanes.

“On August 13, a road crew was busy repaved this section of Burnt Store Road. I was pleasantly surprised that the first section of the road was completed so quickly and that the rest would be completed soon, before the peak of our hurricane season,” said Germaine Hyatt, BSCC representative in Lee County.

BSCC Chairman John Fleming said the 5.5-mile stretch from Burnt Store Road in Charlotte County to Van Buren Parkway in Lee County is the only part of the road that has not been widened. He said that part of the road has deteriorated very quickly.

“When it rains really heavily, flooding often occurs,” Fleming said.

When Hurricane Ian came, there was some confusion about where it would hit, and the road was blocked because people were heading north from Cape Coral and the road began to flood.

According to the county government, this stretch of road was showing signs of deterioration, as revealed by a countywide road surface review. Since no funding is available for the four-lane Burnt Store Road over the next five years, resurfacing has been undertaken in the meantime.

“The resurfacing of Burnt Store Road will provide residents with a safe and efficient road,” Lee told DOT Director Rob Price in an email. “We also resurfaced some of the shoulders that were showing signs of wear in advance of the resurfacing. Drivers should see improved road and shoulder conditions on this stretch of road.”

BSCC approached Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane for help as they wanted to make improvements to the road before hurricane season reached its peak.

“The meeting with the Burnt Store Road Coalition came at the right time,” Ruane said in an email. “During this discussion, the coalition raised issues with Burnt Store Road from Charlotte County to Van Buren Parkway. I was pleased to see the completion of paving this 5.5-mile section of Burnt Store Road to make it safer for our residents who travel Burnt Store Road daily.”

The repaving contract was valued at $1,058,414.

“He found the money and did it for us,” Fleming said. “Rob Price made it a priority on the to-do list. He did a great job. They got it done on time.”

He said that if a hurricane were to hit the area now, people would have peace of mind – they would be able to use the road without puddles or standing water forming.