Residents filled the room to hear a guest speaker from the Lee County Department of Transportation during a meeting held by the Lehigh Acres Community Council on Monday, Nov. 19.

Council President Rick Anglickis opened the meeting and handed it over to Lee Department of Transportation Director Randy Cerchie, who gave a presentation regarding the restriping project under consideration for Lehigh Acres’ gateway road, Joel Blvd.

Joel Blvd, which is one of the busiest streets in Lehigh, currently has no turn signals between the heavy residential sections between Country Club Boulevard and E. 18th Street.

According to Cerchie, DOT is currently looking into whether or not to resurface Joel Blvd. back to its same four lanes or to three lanes with five foot shoulders. That would leave the fourth lane open for vehicles to turn off the bustling street.

More than 20 people from the community were in the audience against the proposed plans.

“DOT brought it forward as a public hearing because there was a lot of concern from residence. No one in the audience or from the council is for the current plans,” said Council Vice Chair Mohamed Yasin. “They plan to basically reduce it to two lanes and in the middle have turn arrows for vehicles who need to make a left.

According to Yasin and other residents who spoke out, The resurfacing plans will only reconfigure the current road. A boulevard that is increasing daily with additional traffic as Lehigh’s population grows.

“There are not expanding it, so it won’t be wider or faster. It will really just create additional problems” added Yasin.

Other concerns and suggestions coming from audience members included the possible additional of more lights on Joel Blvd.

“While the DOT did mention looking into a traffic light by the 7 Eleven, near the intersection of Joel and 6th Street, there was no mention of more lights in their presentation,” said Yasin. “Country Club is another problem, because drivers will have issues making a right or left turn.”

During the presentation, DOT also mentioned possibly reducing the speed limit on the boulevard.

One of those attending the meeting started a petition against it and is encouraging other residents to join.

Yasin said that the council asked the DOT to come back to present again later and address some of the concerns voiced by residents during the meeting.

Under standing committee reports, Yasin updated the council on street lighting and a new pilot program being initiated by Florida Power and Light.

“Right now FPL is putting in LED lights for all lights currently in place and new poles that are put in for the future,” said Yasin.

Council members took a few minutes to discuss the recent passing of the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services and Improvement District’s signage referendum.

“We hope that they stick to their promises and don’t raise taxes in the future,” said Yasin.

The council also installed new member Isaac Gray to their board.

The Lehigh Acres Community Council’s meetings are open to the public and held on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room at the LCSO East District substation, at 1301 Homestead Road N.