FDOT Emergency Travel Alert: For information on the current situation, please visit the following
page - 
447878-2 SR 80 from North of Captain Hendry Dr to West of Forrey Dr
Project Details
About
SR 80 is a four-lane roadway that serves regional traffic, freight movement, local businesses, civic destinations, neighborhoods, pedestrians, and bicyclists through the City of LaBelle. The corridor consists of variable posted speeds, a two-way left-turn lane through portions of the corridor, sidewalks and bicycle lanes, changing pedestrian crossing needs, and concentrated operational and access management challenges in the central segment of the corridor.
Safety Solutions being evaluated include intersection modifications, speed-management measures, pedestrian crossing enhancements, access management treatments, signal improvements, and other countermeasures supported by the project studies.
Project History:
The SR 80 Safety Improvements project was initiated in 2023 under FPID 447878-1 to address a significant and persistent safety need along SR 80 through the City of LaBelle. Public outreach was conducted from 2023 to 2025 which resulted in a change in the project scope of work and limits. The project paused briefly in 2026 to reset communication and rebuild a shared foundation.
FDOT restarted the project in August 2026 in the project-development process to reestablish a shared understanding of the corridor’s safety needs, improve communication, and evaluate potential improvements through a transparent and community-informed process.
Why the Project is Needed:
The corridor ranks first in Hendry County in three key safety categories: the Segment Fatal and Serious Injury High Crash List for 2016–2024, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Fatal and Serious Injury High Crash List for 2016–2024, and the Two-Way Left-Turn Lane Roadway High Crash List for 2014–2018. FDOT’s review of crash data verified 27 fatal and serious-injury crashes along the corridor between January 1, 2014, and June 8, 2026. Eleven of those crashes involved pedestrians or bicyclists within the area between Hardee Street and Missouri Street. These findings reinforce that improving safety for people driving, walking, bicycling, and using other modes must remain the project’s primary purpose.
Public Involvement
Public engagement has occurred since the design phase was initiated in 2023 and will continue throughout the life of the project.
An Advisory Committee was formed in September 2026 and is made up of a mixture of local business owners and community leaders to help provide sustained local perspective during the study and concept development phase. It is anticipated that the Advisory Committee will meet four times.
The project team will have a booth set up at the November Shop Downtown event taking place on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Barron Park in LaBelle. Project information will be available as well as the opportunity to provide comments to the project team.
Additional opportunities for public engagement will include two public workshops, tentatively scheduled for early 2027 and spring 2027.
Your feedback is important to us. Please provide comments at any time through the project website, or by contacting the FDOT Project Manager Natalie Mueller, who's contact information is provided to the right of the screen.
FAQs
For additional information on Proven Safety Countermeasures developed by the Federal Highway Administration and FDOT, please visit the following websites:
Medians and Pedestrian Refuge Islands in Urban and Suburban Areas