Lehigh Acres Florida

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my recent trip to and from the Fort Myers area of Southwest Florida to see MercyMe, Zach Williams, and Sam Wesley LIVE in concert at the Hertz Arena.

I took the same route arriving and departing the area. Of course – I departed the area early on a Sunday morning under much more favorable traffic conditions than the afternoon before.

From Ben Hill Griffin Parkway (the same road in front of the Hertz Arena) – I continued northward as it became Treeline Avenue. I then head east on Daniels Parkway – which is a major thoroughfare in the area. I made a right at Florida State Road 82 – at a weird intersection known as a “continuous flow intersection” (CFI). It’s the first one in Florida. It’s hard to explain, but as a visitor to the area – I definitely wouldn’t want to drive it at night. I’ve actually been studying this innovative intersection on Google Maps and elsewhere in order to figure out its history and reasoning. It looks like it cost over $57 million to construct from 2017 to 2019. It was designed to alleviate heavy turning traffic at the intersection, and it seems to be working. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen such an intersection design. Wikipedia explains it nicely, so head there for more information.

At that intersection I entered Lehigh Acres. It’s not a village. It’s not a town. It’s not a city. It’s not incorporated. It’s merely a “census designated place” (CDP). But over 130,000 residents live within its municipal district boundaries. It’s one of the fastest-growing areas of the Fort Myers area, and its population has quadrupled since 2000.

Fun Fact: Last week I wrote about the Christian rock concert that I attended at the Hertz Arena. Back in October 2009 I attended a Christian rock concert in Lehigh Acres at a church. As it turns out I drove within about 1,500 feet of that church on this trip a couple of weekends ago. (I didn’t know it at the time. I just realized it as I was doing research for this post.)

I drove through a substantial portion of Lehigh Acres to and from Estero – Florida State Road 82, Alabama Road, Leeland Heights Boulevard, and Joel Boulevard to Florida State Road 80. Just shy of 80 is the northern boundary of Lehigh Acres – and the southern boundary of Alva – another CDP – a rural area with less than 3,000 residents.

After Alva it was on to Fort Denaud, Labelle, Florida State Road 29, U.S. 27, and then back home again to Highlands County and Sebring. And yet again I drove right through the heart of downtown Labelle without stopping (aside from traffic lights). I really need to stop doing that. I’d like to stop and visit and eat at one of the local restaurants.

I definitely want to visit the newly restored Labelle Heritage Museum at 360 Bridge Street (Florida State Road 29). Google says they are open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 AM to 1 PM, but a recent feature on the historic house museum on the local news stated that they are open on Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM. I should call beforehand. I recommend that you do the same if you plan to visit. It appears that they have no Facebook page or web site.

Next #TravelThursday – What life changing event may be occurring soon down south ? If you’re a regular reader – then you may have an idea of what it is. Let’s keep traveling together.