County approves Burnt Store safety improvements
Project's projected cost is $5.7 million; permitting expected to take 6-9 months
The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday directed staff to procure a contractor to build several safety measures for the remaining two-lane section of section of Burnt Store Road from Van Buren Parkway north to Vincent Avenue.
The planned improvements will include:
• Adding rumble stripes on the edge lines and along the center line to alert drivers if they cross out of the travel lanes.
• Adding two 1.06 mile long passing lanes.
• Adding 4-foot paved shoulders.
Commissioners in December directed the Lee County Department of Transportation to plan for safety improvements to be in place until the stretch of Burnt Store is widened to four lanes.
The next step will be to obtain environmental permits for the additional pavement while bidding the project for construction. The project will take six to nine months to permit. Once construction starts, it will take about nine months to complete.
The estimated cost of the improvements is $5.7 million.
Lee County DOT will work with Procurement Management to present a contract for the work for approval at an upcoming regular meeting of the Board.
Lee County DOT has completed three previous widening projects along Burnt Store Road:
• Van Buren Parkway to Diplomat Parkway was completed in January 2018.
• Diplomat Parkway to south of Tropicana Parkway was completed in April 2020.
• Tropicana Parkway to Pine Island Road was completed in early 2021.
The Florida Department of Transportation in August 2025 completed the Project Development & Environmental study of the northern segment. More information on that is available here: https://www.swflroads.com/project/436928-1
The next step in the widening project is identifying funding. Widening this section of Burnt Store Road is a Tier One Lee County DOT Priority Project for the Lee Board of County Commissioners:
• Burnt Store Road is a critical north-south corridor, and the segment in discussion connects with US 41 and Interstate 75.
• Widening Burnt Store Road will address projected travel demand as well as accommodating area-wide growth.
• The widening and addition of multimodal amenities will enhance safety.
• The road project will help during emergency evacuations.
Source: Lee County Government