It looks like the widening of Pine Island Rd between Chiquita and Burnt Store Rd is finally a go ahead years before expected. This is good news. Probably about the time this is done our economy should have turned around and more people will be living here again. At that point we could finally get our regional mall. That is exciting and would bring us to super status as a first class community. It just keeps getting better. This is also a hurricane evacuation route.
But before an $80 million road project moves forward, it needs the blessing of property owners, the Cape Coral City Council and Gov. Charlie Crist.
"The governor's people have given a thumbs up to this plan," said state Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral. "The next step is the governor signing the bill and making this happen."
A transportation bill awaiting review by Crist would adjust a local government reimbursement plan and allow Cape Coral officials to front costs for widening State Road 78. In exchange for a commitment, the state Department of Transportation would reimburse costs in 2014, the scheduled funding date for widening.
It is also the only portion of the road that isn't four lanes.
Crist spokesman Sterling Ivy said the governor has taken no position on the funding plan, a part of the transportation bill, and is still awaiting a staff analysis. But Aubuchon hopes the fact that DOT helped draft the legislation will win Crist's support.