Greater Estero’s July 2026 News Items
Despite the fact that local residents are finding that traffic density has decreased, access to stores and shopping for food has fewer checkout lines, and getting into your favorite restaurant is easier, there is still a great deal going on! Here are some of the top stories from Engage Estero.
The Estero Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
The Village of Estero has released its updated the 5 Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) covering fiscal years 2026–27 through 2030–31. This annual update refreshes project costs, timelines, grants, and development agreements—but the biggest story this year is money.
For the first time, the Village is using major debt-financing tools, giving it far greater capacity to take on large community projects than in previous plans. Compared with the May 2025 CIP, the new plan shows a clear shift in both priorities and strategy. Estero is now using significant debt financing.
- $12.75 million loan
- $69 million bond (net proceeds)
- About $5 million per year in bond payments starting FY 2026–27
The Village also notes that additional bonds will be needed to cover the resident share of future Utility Expansion Projects (UEPs). Even with these commitments, projected fund balances after 2030–31 remain positive, tight, but stable.
The Sports Park is now the Village’s signature investment.
- Phase 2 jumps to a $42.67 million project
- $26.9 million from the General Fund (GF) alone
- Driving Range expanded to $5 million GF
- New $10 million “Future Partners” placeholder for additional facilities
- $3.65 million for project management
Phases 3–5 are still part of the long-term vision but now sit in a new “Projects Not in 5 Year CIP” section—meaning they’re planned but not yet funded.
Other Park Projects
- Estero River Park Phases 1 & 2: Now $8.5 million GF (up from ~$4.9 million)
- River Oaks Preserve: $2.5 million GF plus grant reimbursement
Roadway Projects
Most of the roadway projects cited in the CIP are essentially the same as those identified in the 2024 Estero Traffic Study, conducted by The Johnson Engineering Group on behalf of the Village.
The biggest roadway shift is on Broadway West (road, bike/ped, drainage):
- Total cost: $12.5 million
- Village funding is now almost entirely from the General Fund
- Large $11.8 million grant reimbursement
- Faster timeline than the previous RIF-heavy approach
Meanwhile, major widening projects (Corkscrew Rd, Three Oaks Pkwy, Ben Hill Griffin Pkwy) are now clearly identified as Lee County responsibilities or placed in the “wish list” section.
Intersection Improvements. This is an important focus within the CIP.
- U.S. 41/Pelican Colony signal continues with developer funding
- Williams Rd–Atlantic Gulf Dr: Now mostly GF funded ($4 million) with grant support
- New developer supported signals/turn lanes at:
- Via Rapallo/Fountain Lakes
- Wildcat Run
- Wild Blue/River Creek
- Additional GF or Gas Tax turn lane projects at key intersections, including Estero Pkwy–US 41
Overall, the Village Council is taking a more active role in addressing traffic impacts from new development. In addition, Leah Holmes, who conducted much of the work on the 2024 Traffic Study, has been asked to prioritize recommendations that could be addressed for less than $1M. If additional funds become available, the Village has specific items that can be addressed in sequence.
The full Engage Estero interpretive report can be found at https://esterotoday.com/village-of-estero-updates-its-5-year-capital-plan/
Health Related Information
I. Southwest Florida Proton
Although it has been only 6 months since the Proton Center on Estero Parkway began accepting patients, the extensive procedures required for the cyclotron setup are complete. During a recent visit to the center, Dr. Shannon MacDonald mentioned that they are already seeing 40 patients per day! Dr. MacDonald noted that patients could also undergo a range of diagnostic imaging procedures at the center. Not only was this convenient for patients, who did not have to travel to other locations, but it also enabled doctors to have immediate on-site access to test results. The latest state-of-the-art equipment includes:
- Diagnostic imaging, including MRI, PET, and CT.
- Conventional radiation therapy (TrueBeam LINAC), in addition to the Proteus ONE Proton cyclotron. The current range of cancers that are already being treated at the center includes:
Prostate Cancer, Sarcomas, Skull Base Tumors, Pediatric Malignancies, Breast Cancer, Head & Neck Cancers, and selected Brain Tumors and Gastrointestinal Malignancies, along with other rare tumors.
- The center has its own entrance and waiting area.
- Parents and guardians have a very close proximity to their child when doctors are examining them
- They have a special “play area” that can interest them and helps reduce stress.
- Care has been taken to avoid frightening the children, disguising the equipment and seating area.
Indeed, the center’s interior has been designed to provide a modern, welcoming, friendly, and professional environment for everyone. The more detailed article is available at https://esterotoday.com/southwest-proton/
II. Diagnosing Prostate Cancer
In conjunction with Dr. Paul Rodriguez, a urologist with extensive experience treating cancers of the urinary tract and prostate and a pioneer in robotic surgery, Allan Bowditch, President, has prepared a detailed summary of the range of procedures, including their pros and cons. It is a potential condition that concerns a great many men.
For the record: Prostate cancer accounts for about 11% to 12% of all cancer-related deaths in men. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death among American men, with lung cancer first. The good news is that although prostate cancer can be deadly in the more advanced stages of the disease, it has a 5-year relative survival rate of over 99% when detected early.
For more information, check out the full article at https://esterotoday.com/prostate-cancer/
III. Where Are Our Doctors Going?
Patients in Southwest Florida are running into a combination of physician shortages, retirements, population growth, and health-system turnover, which can leave practices unable to provide a replacement when a doctor leaves. In 2023, the inaugural Primary Care Scorecard made clear the systemic lack of support for primary care in the United States, which is harming people’s health and weakening the U.S. health system.
- Florida’s physician workforce reports show that a large share of practicing doctors is nearing retirement age.
- Demand for primary care and specialists has risen faster than the supply of physicians, creating long wait times and making it difficult for health systems to recruit replacements quickly.
- Long hours, administrative burdens, reimbursement pressures, and work-life balance concerns have led some physicians to retire early.
However, there is encouraging information from Lee Health. In the 2026 fiscal year, Lee Health will add approximately 250 providers to the team, with some through acquisitions (such as Florida Heart Association) and many through hiring. The graduate medical education program at Gulf Coast Medical Center has not yet started. It will grow to over 300 residents by 2033. This will help address physician shortages and build a pipeline for the future workforce. Over 60% of medical students stay in the area where they complete their residencies. This will result not only in adding to Lee Health’s family medicine clinicians but also to its specialists. The complete article can be accessed at https://esterotoday.com/the-doctor-dilemma/
Upcoming Community Meetings You Will Not Want To Miss!
Engage Estero’s new season of Community Meetings starts in September. Here are some brief details:
September 24th at 6 pm
Engage Estero and the East Corkscrew Alliance will host a meeting on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, 6pm, Estero Fire Rescue Station 45 (18743 Corkscrew Rd, Estero, FL 33928 – Across from Verdana Village)
- President Allan Bowditch will present the results of the recent East Corkscrew survey.
- Nick Cameratta will introduce the K-12 Charter school coming to Kingston
- True North Classical Academy will present its plan for a K-12, 3100 student charter school in the Kingston development.
- Lee District Schools have been invited.
- Optima Academy has been invited.
October 26th at 2 pm at the Estero Library.
Engage Estero is delighted to announce the lineup for our October 22nd Community meeting. Lee County Commissioner David Mulicka and Estero’s Mayor Joanne Ribble will be available for residents to speak with our local leaders as they discuss their respective roles in “Guiding Estero Forward.” Both individuals are extremely busy, and Engage Estero is extremely appreciative that they have agreed to speak with residents on this topic. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet our local leaders.
Please consider a donation to strengthen our ability to remain an independent, trusted voice for the Estero community. We would greatly appreciate your support as we continue working to protect Estero’s character and future. A summary of our achievements in 2025 is provided in the 2025 Annual Report available on our website http://www.esterotoday.com
Contributions by check should be payable to “Engage Estero” and mailed to PO Box 424, Estero, Florida 33929. Please include your email and phone number.
Or go to the link on our website: https://esterotoday.com/donate/ and click on “Donate Now.”
