Fort Myers FL
Being in a road relationship with WCI has our community at a pretty big disadvantage when it comes to major road repairs or road resurfacing. Yesterday Lee County commissioners approved road resurfacing in Lehigh covering 32 streets, bringing the total number of streets being resurced in Lehigh to 107.
As you know Gateway Boulevard, especially in front of the main gate entrance is like driving on old gravel and rocks. The potholes on the side of the road are also becoming cave-like. There are about 5 cavernous potholes as you make a right turn from Gateway Boulevard onto Commerce Lakes. When filled with water they are harder to see and can damage vehicles. Believe me I know. Like all aging communities, the roads are starting to show wear and tear.
So while Lehigh gets fixed up our main roadway continues to deteriorate and the free money being passed out is passing us by. The problem is that WCI still owns almost all of Gateway Boulevard (and Griffin Drive). WCI is working its way out of bankruptcy and, for sure, doesn't have Gateway on the top of its to-do list. Add to that, a sterile Gateway Board of Supervisors that nobody takes seriously, ever since Pete Doragh left, that couldn't fight its way out of a swamp filled with weeds
Fixing the roads (or sidewalks) is not even on the GSD radar screen. If they were seriouos about the road issue they would find ways to rally the entire community and put pressure on WCI and Lee County to get a deal done and repair the roads. Instead they take a major issue like this and assign the task to a revolving-door traffic committee. How's that 4-way stop-sign coming by the way? The GSD's idea of repairing a cave-like pothole is putting a big orange cone over it (Keep your eye on the corner of Commerce Lakes for orange cones).
The end-game has always been for Lee County to take control of the roads, however, they will not take control until the roads are up to code. Although I'm not an engineer, I'm guessing Gateway Boulevard is not up to code, especially the portion in front of the main gate. November is coming. Look for candidates who will take the road issue more seriously.
FYI - Total spending on Lehigh roads...1 Million dollars.
