Lee County commissioners just signed off on $5.7 million for safety upgrades along Burnt Store Road, a stretch that’s seen more than its share of deadly crashes.
They’re not waiting for the big project, widening the entire road, which still lacks funding. Instead, the county will put in rumble strips, two-mile-long passing lanes, and four-foot-wide paved shoulders over nearly six miles. It’s a stopgap, but locals are desperate for any change.
Rumble strips cut into the road will warn drivers when they drift out of their lane. The new passing lanes and wider shoulders should give drivers a little more room and maybe a bit more safety.
Not everyone agrees this is the right fix and feels the money would be better spent on an investment in more law enforcement, LED speed radar signs and traffic cameras.
The county says it’ll take about a year and a half to get these improvements in place. For now, drivers just hope the changes come soon enough.
