Cape Coral targets Oct. 23 for Parkway East lane change

Cape Coral expects three through lanes in each direction on Cape Coral Parkway East, between Coronado Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard, to open by Oct. 23, weather permitting. The six through lanes are a scheduled milestone, not a confirmed opening, according to the city’s Oct. 14 update.

Until then, paving and striping are scheduled overnight from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. The city says at least one lane in each direction will remain open during the work. Drivers may still encounter construction congestion, and the city advises caution and alternate routes when possible.

Parking on both sides of the parkway will be prohibited once the permanent lane configuration opens. The city anticipates construction will continue toward completion in November, so the lane change will not mark the end of the project or all work in the area.

Work and project costs

The target follows a changing construction schedule. An Oct. 12 report by WBBH said nighttime milling and paving were underway through Oct. 16 after weather delays, and described an expectation that three lanes in each direction would be available for through traffic after paving. Cape Coral’s update two days later set Oct. 23 as the weather-dependent target; the earlier report did not confirm that the lanes had opened.

The City Council approved a construction contract of $2,259,296.47 and a city-controlled contingency of $112,964.82 on April 1, 2026, for a combined $2,372,261.29. The approved work includes resurfacing and restriping, removing a median and lengthening a turn lane, installing nine signal heads, rewiring eight signalized intersections and adding signs.

The project scope also calls for removing 33 street trees and replacing affected curb, gutter and paver sidewalks. Those elements are part of the construction package, which covers a section from Triton Court East to just west of Cape Coral Street and SE 15th Avenue; the Oct. 23 lane-opening notice identifies the segment between Coronado Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard.

The city says the permanent lane arrangement is intended to help reduce traffic backups. That is the stated purpose of the change; the opening target and project schedule do not establish a measured traffic result. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are urged to follow work-zone signs and directions while construction continues.