Bonita Springs lays out timelines, ROW needs and funding gaps for major road and sidewalk projects

Bonita Springs City staff on the city’s transportation capital improvement plan (CIP) told council members that multiple sidewalk, drainage and roadway projects are at varying stages of design, permitting and right-of-way acquisition and that several have target construction windows between 2026 and 2028.

“ I would like to start with a map of where our current projects are,” Matt, a city staff member, said as he opened the presentation and listed active projects from Paradise Road and Goodwin Street to the US 41/Bonita Beach Road corridor.

Why it matters: The projects combine drainage work with pedestrian and bicycle improvements in areas of high pedestrian use and known safety concerns. Several projects require additional property interests or final grant agreements before the city can advertise bids or begin construction, which will delay start dates if those items are not resolved.

Key project details

Goodwin Street and Rosemary Drive: Goodwin Street is under design and would add an 8-foot sidewalk on one side and a 6-foot sidewalk on the other, with curbing, landscaping and lighting. That corridor currently has no sidewalks or bike lanes and was described by staff as a location where at least one pedestrian fatality and bicyclist injuries have occurred. Staff said plans identify needed right-of-way and that the city is working with its legal team to minimize impacts; if private property cannot be acquired by agreement, condemnation proceedings would follow and could add about a year to the schedule before construction can begin.

Rosemary Drive is fully designed and falls within existing city right-of-way. Staff said the city has received a state funding award of $1,400,000 toward the project, and that the…