Connector road proposed between Burnt Store, Tuckers Grade

PORT CHARLOTTE — A connector road between Burnt Store Road and Tuckers Grade may be in the cards for future construction.

Robert Fakhri, Charlotte County’s transportation engineer, presented options for alternative traffic flow to the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Each option was aimed at connecting Burnt Store Road to Tamiami Trail/U.S. 41, which would increase access and allow for easier connection to evacuation routes.

All four options were raised at a previous public information meeting with 64 attendees. The options included:

Alternative 1: Connection at Tuckers GradeAlternative 2: Connection through Notre Dame Boulevard extensionAlternative 3: Connection through Scham Road extensionAlternative 4: Connection through Tribune Boulevard extension

According to Fahkri, the majority of attendees not only were supportive of an east-west connector road in general, but favored the Tuckers Grade direct route.

The proposed road would be built out to a two-lane roadway between 2030 and 2035, with plans to widen it to a 4-lane roadway by 2045.

Commissioners voted to approve pursuing designs for the Tuckers Grade plan, noting that it was the only plan that would not include relocation of existing residential properties and impacted the least number of parcels.

Only 22 parcels would be impacted by the plan, compared to Notre Dame Boulevard (58), Scham Road (155), and Tribune Boulevard (63).

Vice Chair Christopher Constance, however, asked if it was likely that they could expand the road to six lanes beyond 2045.

Fahkri and Public Works Director John Elias responded that plans to expand the road to its maximum extent could strain the budget, particularly in obtaining the land for right-of-way.

Constance in turn said South County’s population growth may require them to keep larger traffic in mind decades down the road.

“I think we need to hedge our bets,” he said.