East end: SR 29 near Immokalee | Length 48.09 km | |
West end: US 41 / SR 867 in Fort Myers | ||
State Road 82 (SR 82) is a 29-mile-long east–west highway serving northern Lee and Collier County, Florida (and "clipping" the southwest corner of Hendry County). The western terminus is an intersection with Cleveland Avenue (US 41-SR 45, part of the Tamiami Trail) in Fort Myers; the eastern terminus is an intersection with SR 29 midway between Immokalee and Felda.
Contents
Map of FL-82, Fort Myers, FL, USA
Route description
West of Interstate 75 (SR 93), State Road 82 is a divided residential/commuter road. Within the city of Fort Myers, it is known as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. East of Lehigh Acres, SR 82 loses its median and becomes a two-lane agricultural road as it crosses the southwest Florida farmlands and wetlands, a part of Big Cypress Swamp and the western edge of the Everglades drainage system.
Motorists continuing past the western terminus of State Road 82 travel along McGregor Boulevard (SR 867). Other State Roads within a few blocks of the western terminus include SR 80 (western terminus located two blocks to the north) and SR 739-US 41 Bus. one-half mile to the east.
History
The route was designated State Road 184 until 1945, when it was changed to State Road 82 as part of a state-wide renumbering.
Until the 1980s, SR 82 was an "interrupted" state road, for there was concurrently a Fort Lauderdale street (Davie Boulevard) with SR 82 signage. As part of a statewide renumbering, Davie Boulevard's SR 82 signage was replaced with signs showing its current designation: SR 736.
Prior to 1991, SR 82 was known as Anderson Avenue within Fort Myers before being changed to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Anderson Avenue was named for Dr. Richard Anderson, who is believed to be the first physician to set up a practice and drug store in Fort Myers.
Future
The two-lane undivided section between Lehigh Acres and Immokalee has been notorious for many fatal high-speed crashes. The Florida Department of Transportation plans to widen the stretch to a six-lane divided highway west of Shawnee Road and a four-lane divided highway east of that location. The project has been divided into seven phases. Construction is underway on the short segment in Hendry County. Construction from Colonial/Lee Boulevard to Shawnee Road is set to begin in 2016 which will include upgrading the Daniels Parkway/Gunnery Road intersection to Florida's first continuous flow intersection. Widening from Alabama Road to the Hendry County Line will begin in 2017.