CAPE CORAL
Adding sidewalks to a busy road is getting discussed Wednesday at the transportation meeting in Cape Coral.
The changes would be on Skyline Boulevard from Cape Parkway to El Dorado Parkway. But, the project is getting push back from some city leaders who argue this would not add sidewalks near school zones.
Bike lane in Cape Coral. CREDIT: WINK News
Cape city council plans to hold a meeting to get the public’s feedback on the project. But, after talking got numerous people living in the area, most don’t like the idea.
Most days, Skyline Blvd. is pretty busy, but the traffic flow isn’t just cars.
“We have a lot of people that walk,” Cape Coral resident Larry Sailor said.
Bikers are also pretty popular. Despite that, Sailor said drivers aren’t always mindful of pedestrian safety.
“We have a lot of people that really go fast already. You know, we lowered the speed limit to 35. But they, they just ignored that,” Sailor said.
Because of concerns like Sailor’s, the City of Cape Coral floated the idea of adding five-foot sidewalks to both sides of the busy roadway. At the Wednesday meeting, city council members were split because the project isn’t within two miles of a school zone.
Biker in Cape Coral. CREDIT: WINK News
Neighbors that WINK News spoke to said they agree that those areas should take priority.
“I know that there are streets that are near schools that have no sidewalks, and their narrow streets is so wide street with a large boulevard,” Dyann Miller said.
Miller has lived on Skyline Blvd. for 15 years. While she knows a grant has already been secured to cover the cost of this project, like many others in the neighborhood, feels the existing bike lanes are enough to ensure pedestrian safety.
The mayor of Cape Coral is on record saying he would prefer the city put sidewalks in school zones.
But, if the council decides to go ahead with putting in sidewalks along Skyline Blvd. it would require the removal of 50 palm trees.
WINK NEWS