A Lehigh Acres family is fighting for more lighting and sidewalks along State Road 82.
A petition, pleading with Florida officials to keep the highway safer after their son, Nick Kuchman, died when he was walking along the road.
According to troopers, Kuchman was walking home before 5 a.m. in the morning, Friday, June 12th. They say he ran in the road and an oncoming car swerved trying to miss him, but it was too late.
The driver was not charged, but the family believes it could have been prevented with additional lights, sidewalks and added LCSO patrolling.
Kuchman was only 19 years old, a new father and recently moved to Lehigh Acres from Rochester, New Hampshire.
The family set up a petition for Kuchman on Change.org, and it has received a lot of response in the last 24 hours.
Florida Department of Transportation released the following statement: “The Florida Department of Transportation is very sorry to hear of her loss. As far as I know we have not received her petition at this time, but our Safety Department will be happy to look at the area where this occurred and see if any safety improvements are needed. Safety is the Department’s number one priority. Our goal is to have zero bicycle and pedestrian fatalities, even one if far too many.”
The following items are being done on SR 82 in the next few years:
2 to 6-lane Widening of SR 82 from Lee Blvd to Shawnee Rd: Design complete. Construction is funded in FY 2018. ROW acquisition is under way.
2 to 6-lane widening of SR 82 from Shawnee Rd to Alabama Rd: Design complete. Construction is expected to be funded in FY 2021.
2 to 6-lane Widening of SR 82 from Alabama Rd to Homestead Rd: Phase III (90%) Design is under way. ROW acquisition is funded in FY 2016 through FY 2018. Construction is expected to be funded in FY 2021.
2 to 4-lane Widening of SR 82 from Homestead Rd to Hendry County Line: Phase II (60%) Design is under way. ROW acquisition is funded in FY 2016. Construction is not funded. The construction phase is scheduled for funding in the FY 2026 – FY2030 time frame.
2 to 4-lane widening of SR 82 from Lee/Hendry County line to Collier County Line: Design complete. Construction is funded in FY 2016.
2 to 4-lane widening of SR 82 from Hendry County line to Gator Slough Lane (Collier County): Design complete. ROW is funded in FY 2019. Construction yet to be funded.
2 to 4-lane widening of SR 82 from Gator Slough to SR 29: Design completed. ROW is funded in FYs 2016 and 2017. Construction yet to be funded.
SR 82 Turn lane at Homestead Rd: Design complete. Construction is funded in FY 2016.
SR 82 Turn Lane at Corkscrew Rd (Collier County): Design complete. Construction is funded in FY 2017.
SR 82 Pavement Markings from Sunshine Blvd to Wildcat Dr: Design complete. Construction is funded in FY 2016.
2 to 6-lane Widening of SR 82 from Lee Blvd to Shawnee Rd: Design complete. Construction is funded in FY 2018. ROW acquisition is under way.
How is street lights and sidewalks going to keep someone from RUNNING into a road?
well mr dudley he didnt run into the fucking road, that is what investigators and THE driver said happened when accident first occurred, unfortunately no info has been updated related to the accident but HE DID NOT RUN INTO THE PATH AND THIS WAS NOT THE FAULT OF THE PEDESTRIAN!!!! the evidence from the medical examiner and some things in his cell phone prove this was not exactly what took place, and unfortunately my brother isnt alive anymore to tell his story and there were no witnesses other than the driver that hit him!!!!