Bonita Springs traffic swells as city seeks mobility fixes  

Rush-hour traffic backed up Feb. 12 on Old 41 Road in downtown Bonita Springs, as walkers, e-bikes, bicycles and scooters shared road and sidewalk space, sometimes passing in close quarters.  

The once-quiet corridor, long bypassed by U.S. 41 and Interstate 75, has seen renewed activity in recent years fueled by investment and population growth. It is expected to grow more crowded as residential and commercial development, including downtown’s Imperial 41 project, moves forward. The growth reflects broader transportation challenges the city aims to address through a new Citywide Mobility Plan.  

Last year, the city hired Tampa-based transportation planning firm ADEAS-Q to lead development of the plan during an 18-month process scheduled to conclude late this year. The plan will prioritize safety and guide roadway improvements in Bonita Springs through 2050, supporting a mix of transportation options.  

On the evening of Feb. 12, the city hosted the first of three public open houses at City Hall as part of the plan’s initial research phase. Two more sessions are planned for the spring and summer. City officials, staff and planners met with residents to share information and gather input to complement an online survey available through Feb. 20.  

Bonita Springs faces transportation challenges common across Southwest Florida, including seasonal population increases and post-World War II road networks designed primarily for automobiles, even as alternative transportation methods gain popularity.  

District 3 City Council member Laura Carr said some residents prefer walking or carpooling instead of driving personal vehicles.  

“There is a conscious effort for people who live here to do that,” she said.  

Bonita Springs also has design features that can complicate travel and infrastructure improvements. The city has a relatively high percentage of private roads because of its many Community Development Districts, often described as golf course communities, said Jason Collins, president of ADEAS-Q.  

Combined with city, county and state-managed roadways, the private districts add complexity to transportation planning. The communities surrounding the city core occupy large areas that travelers must navigate around, limiting the type of grid network that allows more direct routes and contributing to congestion on major roadways.  

“So much of the traffic is funneled onto major arterials,” Collins said.  

More than 700 online surveys for the Mobility Plan have been collected, according to a presentation at the open house. Respondents identified Bonita Beach Road, U.S. 41, Old 41 and downtown Bonita Springs, Terry Street and the Terry Street and Old 41 roundabout as the most difficult locations for travel.  

Survey participants said improvements such as traffic flow and intersection upgrades, expanded bicycle routes or shared-use paths, additional east-west and north-south connections, more sidewalks and crosswalks and improved public transit would make it easier to get around the city.  

At the open house, attendees placed notes on maps of Bonita Springs with additional feedback, including “Bikes and pedestrians don’t mix well on some streets” and “Add crosswalks on Old 41 between Shangri-La Springs and Bonita Beach Road.”  

After incorporating community input and reviewing draft versions of the Mobility Plan through additional public meetings, City Council is expected to approve a final version late this year.  

More information about the plan, future open houses and the survey is available at bit.ly/CityMobilityPlan.