Burnt Store Road – Veterans Parkway – Colonial Boulevard
Bi-County Corridor Study
Project No. 4085
Lee and Charlotte Counties, Florida

Open  House
Business  Owner  &  Tenant  Meeting

December 16, 2004
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Colonial Boulevard:

East of Metro Parkway to east of I-75

Welcome

Thank you for attending the Open House. We scheduled this meeting to provide the business community on Colonial Boulevard with information regarding the corridor study.  Members of the project staff are available to answer questions and provide you with further information.  Your input is valuable to the study process.  Furthermore, a public workshop will be held in Spring 2005 prior to the completion of this study.

Project  Objectives

The objectives of the corridor study are identified below.  The study conclusions will assist your local officials in programming transportation improvements over the next 25 years along Colonial Boulevard.

·                     Identify long-term 2030 transportation improvements

·                     Estimate right of way and construction cost

·                     Identify funding sources from local, state, and federal programs

Future  Needs

The project team has evaluated the forecasted growth along the Colonial Boulevard corridor.  Identified below are some preliminary needs:

·                     Improve mobility for local traffic and through traffic

·                     Provide additional lanes

·                     Provide additional overpasses at major intersections

Project  Phases  &  Schedule

The corridor study is one of several phases to be completed prior to construction.   Project phases beyond the corridor study have not been scheduled.  Furthermore, there is no funding available for phases beyond the corridor study.  The project phases are listed below:

·                     Corridor Study

·                     Project Development & Environment (PD&E) Study

·                     Design

·                     Right of Way Acquisition

·                     Construction

Discussion  Topics

·                    Existing  Traffic  Congestion

·                    Access:

-         Existing

-         Proposed

·                    Concepts:

-         Partially  At Grade

-         Fully  Elevated

·                    Aesthetics

Open  House  Exhibits

·                    Project  Location  Map

The corridor study includes Burnt Store Road, Veterans Parkway, and Colonial Boulevard.  A project location map is provided below.

·                    Project  Schedule

As discussed previously in the Project Phases & Schedule section, project phases beyond the corridor study have not been scheduled or funded.  The duration of each phase was estimated in months.

·                    Express  Lanes  Conceptual  Plan

Express lanes are proposed for through traffic (long trips) and frontage roads are proposed for local traffic (short trips).  The express lanes and the frontage roads would be physically separated from each other.  Additionally, on/off ramps would be provided at designated  locations.  In order to enhance the operation of the express lanes, signalized intersections and median openings would be closed.

TheExpress Lanes Conceptual Planevaluates the addition of overpasses at Metro Parkway, Verinoca Shoemaker Boulevard, Winkler Avenue, and Ortiz Avenue/Six Mile Cypress Parkway.  Furthermore, the existing interchange with I-75 would remain with modifications to its configuration.

·                    Typical  Sections

Typical sections (cross sections) were developed to accommodate the Express Lanes Conceptual Plans discussed previously.  The typical sections being evaluated for the study corridor show the relationship between the express lanes and the frontage roads.  They also determine the approximate right of way needed for the corridor. 

TheTypical Section At Grade(at ground level) and theTypical Sections Elevated are applicable to the concept.  The typical sections are discussed below.

The Typical Section At Grade is applicable for segments along the study corridor where the signalized intersections are proposed to be closed.  These locations are between Veronica Shoemaker Boulevard and Winkler Avenue.

The Typical Section Elevated with Retaining Wall is applicable along the study corridor where overpasses are proposed.  These locations are at Metro Parkway, Veronica Shoemaker Boulevard, Winkler Avenue, and Ortiz Avenue/Six Mile Cypress Parkway.  The existing interchange at I-75 would remain with some modification to the configuration.                     

Another typical section is being evaluated.  The Typical Section Elevated with Piers is similar to the retaining wall typical section. This typical section shows the express lanes elevated on piers instead of retaining walls.  This typical section is more costly than the retaining wall typical section.  However, it has different aesthetic characteristics.

·                    Potential Right of Way Needs

The typical sections developed for the study corridor determine the approximate right of way needed.  The existing right of way is not sufficient to accommodate the proposed express lanes and frontage roads.

Between Metro Parkway and east of Challenger Boulevard , additional right of way is anticipated on both sides of Colonial Boulevard primarily east of Veronica Shoemaker Boulevard.  The extent of the impact affects mostly vacant undeveloped property which front Colonial Boulevard  By the completion of this corridor study, the right of way needed will be defined further.

Provided is an aerial view of the corridor betweenMetro Parkway and east of Challenger Boulevard .  It illustrates the existing right of way and the area of potential right of way needs.

Betweenwest of Winkler Avenue and I-75 , additional right of way is anticipated on both sides of Colonial Boulevard primarily west of Winkler Avenue.  The extent of the impact affects mostly vacant undeveloped property which front Colonial Boulevard.  By the completion of this corridor study, the right of way needed will be defined further.

Provided is an aerial view of the corridor between west of Winkler Avenue and I-75 .  It illustrates the existing right of way and the area of potential right of way needs.

Questions  or  Comments

If you have further questions or comments about the corridor study, please contact the Lee County Project Manager:

                        Ms. Nicole C. Maxey, P.E.

            Project Manager

Lee County Department of Transportation

P.O. Box 398

Fort Myers, Florida  33901

Phone : (239) 479-8580

Email :  maxeync@leegov.com

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