MPO citizen advisors express SR 31 concerns
By CHUCK BALLARO - | May 7, 2021
With the expected building boom coming in Babcock Ranch, the only major road to get to it will need to be dramatically improved.
However, the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Citizen Advisory Committee expressed some concerns about how the State Road 31 project has been presented and what it could end up being, especially since utilities will have to be installed.
Thursday’s meeting in Cape Coral devoted significant time to a presentation on the expansion of State Road 31 from Route 80 to Cook Brown Road in Charlotte County.
The road will be expanded to four, and eventually six lanes. There will also be traffic lights and high-speed traffic circles installed to improve the flow of traffic.
Dozens speak out on SR 31 expansion
By CHUCK BALLARO - | Mar 17, 2021
Expanding State Road 31 to four lanes could have a serious impact on the one main landowner on the east side of the road by possibly forcing him to close down one or more of his businesses.
On the west side, the project could result in the installation of unwanted underground infrastructure and exacerbate what is already a serious problem regarding flooding.
That is what affected property and others said during public comment at the Project Development & Environment Study public meeting for the widening of SR 31 from SR 78 to Cook Brown Road in Charlotte County held last week. The project also has a Lee County segment.
Public hearing set on SR 31 road plans
By CHUCK BALLARO - | Mar 10, 2021
Want to know what’s in the works for improvements to SR31, aka Babcock Ranch Road?
The Florida Department of Transportation, District One, will host a public hearing on the Project Development and Environment Study for the two-pronged project to expand State Road 31 from Bayshore Road to Cook Brown Road in Lee and Charlotte counties.
The live hearing and testimony portion (both virtual and in-person) will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 11, at the Lee Civic Center, Whaley Hall, 11831 Bayshore Road.
“The purpose of this project is to evaluate the potential widening of State Road 31 from State Road 78 to Cook Brown Road,” said FDOT spokesperson JoAnn May. “We’re at the stage where we’re going to hold a public hearing to present information about the preferred alternative and engineering and environmental analysis completed to date. The hearing provides the opportunity for the public to offe