A ribbon-cutting is planned for the new Vanderbilt Beach Road extension.
A brief ceremony will be held on July 1 at 10 a.m.
Years in the making, the 7-mile extension opened to traffic on June 12 (from Collier Boulevard to 16th Street Northeast). It’s expected to ease traffic congestion and improve safety.
A tent for the celebration will be set up at the northeast corner of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Collier Boulevard, near St. Agnes Catholic Church. Parking will be available at the church, located at 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Rd.
The event is open to the community.
There will be several speakers, including two Collier County commissioners, Bill McDaniel and Burt Saunders, and Florida Rep. Lauren Melo, R-Naples, along with county staff.
The project is one of the largest Collier County has undertaken. The improvements include a new six-lane divided roadway with a shared-use pedestrian path and on-street bike lanes, extending out to Wilson Boulevard.
The extension tapers down to a new two-lane roadway from east of Wilson Boulevard to 16th Street Northeast in Golden Gate Estates.
Other enhancements include improvements to Massey Street and to existing intersections at Collier Boulevard, Weber Boulevard, Danbury Boulevard and Douglas Road. New signalized intersections have been built at Wilson Boulevard, Eighth Street Northeast and 16th Street Northeast.
The project included adding three new canal bridges and stormwater management ponds, as well as relocating a canal from 31st Street Northwest to 15th Street Northwest.
The extension is designed to relieve congestion on other arterial roadways, and it’s expected to reduce emergency response times. It’s a big investment, with a price tag of more than $200 million, including land acquisition costs.
Since taking office in 2017, Commissioner McDaniel has championed the road project, viewing it as long overdue.
A second phase will stretch the major east-west connector from 16th Street Northeast to Everglades Boulevard. It’s in the final stages of design and construction and could begin by early next year, with the right-of-way acquisition for it “predominantly done,” McDaniel said.
At an estimated cost of about $50 million, the second phase would extend the road by another 2 miles.
Initially, the second phase will create an undivided two-lane roadway with shoulders, curbs and gutters, and a paved multi-use pathway. However, it has been designed with a four-lane divided roadway footprint to meet future growth.
Looking ahead, McDaniel is eager to see the second phase completed, but that’s not all; there are other big transportation projects in the works that are expected to significantly improve traffic flow and safety in the county.
Part of the “battle plan” includes a four-laning of Everglades Boulevard from Oil Well Road to Golden Gate Boulevard, McDaniel noted.
Additionally, the county recently received a $2 million federal appropriation to fund a feasibility and planning study for a new Interstate 75 interchange at Everglades Boulevard.
“The infrastructure is key to success,” McDaniel said.
Laura Layden is a senior business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Ribbon-cutting planned for Vanderbilt Beach Road extension
Reporting by Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
