We know you don’t need to be reminded, but most Southwest Florida residents are spending a lot of time in their cars. Traffic has been a longstanding concern that’s grown more concerning as the region’s population continues to increase and snowbirds descend in the winter months. Daily one-way commute times in Lee and Collier counties have averaged about 25 minutes in recent years.

Part of the reason is the distance between home and work for many people. About one-fifth of Southwest Florida residents commute more than 50 miles one-way to get to work each day, according to U.S. Census data. Jobs tend to be clustered near the western edges of Lee and Collier, so residents of the more rural parts of the region are having to travel farther.