Traffic Light Planned at Gulf Coast Medical Center

FDOT says a signal is warranted at Metro Parkway entrances after 39 crashes since the start of 2025.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Traffic Light Planned at Gulf Coast Medical Center

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The Florida Department of Transportation has stated that a traffic light is warranted at the Metro Parkway entrances to Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers. Lee Health is evaluating funding strategies that could accelerate the project.

Why it matters

Heavy evening traffic on Metro Parkway makes it difficult for drivers to safely enter and leave the hospital, and several crashes have occurred near the entrance. A signal could ease congestion and reduce collisions for patients, staff and visitors in Fort Myers and Lee County.

Deputies responded to 39 crashes at the Metro Parkway hospital entrances since 2025, 25 of them between 3 and 6 p.m. The estimated $1.15 million project cost includes design, construction and inspection, but no construction timeline has been set.

The players

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

The state agency responsible for planning and maintaining Florida's transportation network, including the signal and roadway improvements proposed for Metro Parkway.

Lee Health

The public health system that operates Gulf Coast Medical Center and is evaluating funding strategies to accelerate the traffic light project.

Tiffany Esposito

A Florida state representative who helped Lee Health get the process started for the traffic light.

The details

FDOT has determined a traffic light is warranted at the Metro Parkway entrances to Gulf Coast Medical Center. Lee Health and FDOT have maintained an ongoing partnership to evaluate transportation and safety improvements, and State Rep. Tiffany Esposito helped Lee Health begin the process.

Since the beginning of 2025, deputies have responded to 39 crashes at the hospital entrances.
On Nov. 6, 2026, FDOT stated that a traffic light is warranted at the entrances.

Policy Context

FDOT's determination that a signal is warranted at Metro Parkway follows the traffic-signal warrant standards in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which tie signal installation to crash history and volume thresholds. The Gulf Coast Medical Center case applies that framework to a hospital access point where crash data and peak-hour congestion meet those criteria.

Drivers using Metro Parkway during evening peak hours may face continued congestion and entrance risks until the signal is built. Residents and hospital visitors should expect no change in traffic patterns until a construction timeline is set.

The takeaway

Hospital access roads can carry significant safety risk when peak traffic meets entrance design, and state warrant criteria are one mechanism that can bring a signal to such locations. Drivers near Gulf Coast Medical Center should allow extra time and watch for turning traffic during the 3 to 6 p.m. window.