Residents question new I-75 lane expansion plans. What to know
While some parts of a major widening and improvement project for Interstate 75 have been decided, other pieces have not. On Oct. 28, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) held a virtual public meeting on Microsoft Teams to gather input and questions about the proposed addition of auxiliary lanes between Golden Gate Parkway in Collier County and Alico Road in Lee County. The auxiliary lanes are being considered as another way to relieve congestion in Southwest Florida, said Melody Joyner, a corridors program development manager for FDOT. "A portion of these lanes will function as accelerated congestion relief lanes between Immokalee Road and Bonita Beach Road," she said. She explained the purpose of an auxiliary lane in simple terms. "An auxiliary lane allows motorists to travel from an entrance ramp at one interchange to the exit ramp at the next interchange without merging directly into the mainline traffic stream," she said. "This helps separate local traffic from longer-distance travelers, improving overall traffic flow." She offered up an example. "Someone traveling from one interchange to the next can remain in the auxiliary lane, while drivers making longer trips, such as from Sarasota to Miami, can continue in the thru lanes," Joyner
