Download Letter To Governor Ron DeSantis(PDF)

Collier and Lee County have attained $578 million in funding to add two new north and south lanes to the 75 Freeway from Golden Gate Parkway to Corkscrew Road (20 miles = $28.9 million a mile). I propose that a better use of our taxpayer dollars would be to begin constructing a revolutionary solar-powered light-rail commuter train system with bike and walking pathways for Southwest Florida. It would start in Marco Island and travel primarily along Collier Blvd. and continue north to S.W. Florida International Airport and then travel north to Babcock Ranch. This system will reduce traffic and congestion on the 75 Freeway and other major roadways and eliminate the need for widening of the Freeway. The pedestrian pathway running along the light-rail route would provide a safe and enjoyable place for walking, running, and riding bikes. The system will connect together and pass close to malls, hotels, schools, hospitals, parks, theaters, sports complexes, arenas, churches, gated communities, and government buildings, etc. It will also provide a less expensive and more relaxing alternative to driving our vehicles everywhere we need to go.

I have shared my urban transportation plan with the U.S. government, U.S. congressional and state leaders, and county and city government leaders in Southwest Florida. It will have a minimum of 50 transit stations with parking for 100+ vehicles at each transit location. Every transit station will have 2000 solar panels installed on the roof, which will provide enough electricity to run the trains. Each solar panel will generate $50 annually in free and clean electricity x 2000 panels at each station = $100,000 in power x 50 stations = $5,000,000 annually. Surplus power will be utilized to recharge electric vehicles at the transit locations for free and then on to the grid to provide power for homes and businesses.