ESTERO, FL- According to naplesnews.com, the intersection of Corkscrew Woodlands Boulevard and Corkscrew Road has made some locals nervous. Resident Bill Savage says that he has long feared a fatal accident occurring at the intersection. On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, a fatal accident confirmed Savage’s fears. Taylor Brooke Lee, 23, was in her 2016 Volkswagen […]
ESTERO, FL- According to naplesnews.com, the intersection of Corkscrew Woodlands Boulevard and Corkscrew Road has made some locals nervous. Resident Bill Savage says that he has long feared a fatal accident occurring at the intersection. On Wednesday, April 18, 2018, a fatal accident confirmed Savage’s fears.
Taylor Brooke Lee, 23, was in her 2016 Volkswagen Jetta when she collided with a Lee County school bus. Lee was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital where she died from her injuries. The 22-year-old passenger in Lee’s car, Brittany Marie Diaz, suffered serious injuries in the accident but is now said to be in fair condition.
Both of the young women attended Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and when Lee graduated in 2017, she was hired by FGCU’s Family Resource Center. Lee worked with toddlers at the center. Diaz is still a student at FGCU and was scheduled to graduate in May of this year.
The intersection where the accident occurred has been a problem in the area as development has led to more and more traffic in the area. According to the Mayor of Estero, Jim Boesch, the intersection has been dangerous for a decade. Fixing the issue has been problematic because while Corkscrew Woodlands Boulevard is maintained by Estero, Lee County is responsible for Corkscrew Road. Boesch states that the county has not felt the need to make changes despite the safety concerns that have been addressed.
A traffic study conducted in 2017 indicated that the intersection needed safety improvements. The report also stated plans to add lanes to Corkscrew Road. Some improvements suggested in the Florida Department of Transportation’s plans could improve the situation.
Savage states the simple addition of a traffic light could make things better, and that it might have prevented this tragic accident from occurring.
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