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Dear Collier County Citizen,
       
I have some more good news concerning our Veterans Nursing Home project.  We have enlarged the site from 18 acres to just over 20 acres.  This additional space will provide room for additional veterans services, as well as create more of campus feel for this project. We will be meeting with legislative leaders and with the Department of Veterans Affairs in early December to address any outstanding issues and secure the necessary additional state funding.  I have again included in this newsletter the listing of all our Collier County Legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session.  My top priority is the obtaining of additional funding for the Veterans Nursing Home.
       
We are all concerned about traffic congestion throughout the County. I have provided the Florida Department of Transportation  “Roadwatch" report to keep you informed on road construction issues throughout the county.

We have completed construction of a new bridge in Golden Gate City on Golden Gate Parkway that was completed on time and on budget. This bridge was designed with the understanding that the entire roadway from Santa Barbara to Collier Blvd will eventually be improved to provide a more pedestrian and bike friendly corridor through Golden Gate City.
       
If you have any questions or concerns about the operations of County Government, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 239-252-8603 or via email at:

            burt.saunders@colliercountyfl.gov.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to represent you on the Collier County Commission. Thank you for helping to make Collier County a great place to live, work and play.  

The Golden Gate Parkway over Santa Barbara Canal Bridge is now open to traffic. The bridge replacement project began in October 2022 and is substantially completed, with some punch list items remaining to be completed.

The good news for the traveling public is that the lane closures are completed, and the new four-lane bridge (two eastbound and two westbound) with 12-foot-wide sidewalks in each direction is open and usable for all.

The $3.9 million design-build project was fast-tracked due to the structural condition of the previous bridge, constructed in 1971, and near the end of its useful life. The project has stayed on time and within the approved budget.



To keep traffic flowing during construction, one side of the old bridge was removed while two-way traffic was shifted to one side. Once two lanes of the replacement bridge were constructed, traffic was shifted to the newly constructed travel lanes, and the other half of the old bridge was removed, allowing the contractor to complete construction on the additional two travel lanes. 

FDOT ROADWATCH REPORT FOR COLLIER COUNTY OCTOBER 22 - 28, 2023

COLLIER COUNTY

I-75 from mile marker 76 to the mile marker 100/Toll Plaza: Construction project: Crews will widen and resurface the roadway as well as construct new guardrail and wildlife crossings.  

Motorists should expect intermittent southbound and northbound lane closures during daytime hours throughout the duration of the project.  

Motorists should use caution as crews work on the roadway. The expected project completion is spring 2024.

I-75 from the Broward County line to the east of the bridge over Wildlife Crossing #15: Construction project: Crews will widen and resurface the roadway as well as construct new guardrail and wildlife crossings.  

Through October 22, 2023,motorists should expect daytime ramp closures at the Recreational Area at MM 70 on I-75 northbound from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Motorists should expect intermittent southbound and northbound lane closures during daytime hours throughout the duration of the project.

Motorists should use caution as crews work on the roadway. The expected project completion is spring 2024.

I-75 at SR 951 (exit 101) Interchange Improvements:  FDOT is reconstructing the I-75 southbound on and off-ramp connections and the northbound on-ramp connection to the mainline lanes at SR951 (exit 101). The northeast quadrant loop ramp will be connected to, and accessible only by, a direct flyover ramp from northbound Collier Boulevard starting south of the Davis Boulevard intersection. This single-lane fly over ramp will carry traffic over Beck Boulevard and a reconstructed I-75 south bound on-ramp.  A single-lane flyover ramp extension will carry I-75 southbound traffic over Davis Boulevard to a new signalized intersection at Collier Boulevard and Business Circle North. This ramp will extend along the western side of Collier Boulevard.

During the nighttime/overnight hours of 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., motorists should expect a lane closure on northbound and/or southbound SR 951 from Magnolia Pond Drive to Business Circle South for utility relocations.  This lane closure could include the inside right turn lane for the southbound off ramp at exit101.  

Through Friday, November 18, during the nighttime/overnight hours of 9:30 p.m. to 6a.m., motorists should expect a lane closure on westbound Beck Boulevard from Tollhouse Drive to Collier Boulevard (SR 951) for utility relocations.  

Crews are also currently constructing the noise wall on the south side of I-75, just west of the interchange. The contractor does not expect impacts to traffic with this activity.

Crews are also currently working at northbound SR 951 at the I-75 southbound on-ramp. Motorists should expect truck traffic during daytime hours. The contractor does not expect impacts to traffic with this activity.

Please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and leaving the roadway. The expected completion date is spring 2026.

US 41 at Oasis Visitor Center: Construction project: Crews will construct an eastbound left turn lane from US 41 at the Oasis Visitor Center. Additional improvements include lane widening, guard rail installation, resurfacing, and new signage and pavement markings at the intersection.  

Motorists should expect intermittent lane closures and shifts during daytime hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the duration of the project.  

Motorists should use caution as crews work on the roadway. The expected project completion is early2024.

Shoulder closures and bicyclists flagging operation during daytime working operations.  

US41/Tamiami Trail from Davis Boulevard to Courthouse Shadows: Construction project: Improvements include adding mid-block crossings and pedestrian signals, milling, and resurfacing, and making sidewalk repairs within the project limits.

Motorists should expect lane closures during daytime and nighttime/overnight hours.

Expected completion is fall 2023.

US 41 from 10th Street North to 9th Street North: Maintenance permit project:  Motorists should expect intermittent northbound and southbound lane closures during nighttime/overnight hours from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. while crews construct underground utilities. A temporary traffic signal will be installed during construction. Motorists should expect slow-moving traffic and possible delays.

US 41 from Tomato Road to CR92: Maintenance permit project: Motorists should expect intermittent northbound and southbound lane closures during nighttime/overnight hours from 7p.m. to 6 a.m. while crews construct a temporary bypass road. Motorists should expect slow-moving traffic and possible delays.

US 41 at the Treviso Bay Entrance east of Johns Street: Maintenance permit project: Motorists should expect intermittent northbound lane closures during nighttime/overnight hours from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. while crews make turn lane modifications. Motorists should use caution as crews work on the roadway.

SR 84/Davis Boulevard from Ospreys Landing to West Crown Point Boulevard: Maintenance permit project:  Motorists should expect intermittent westbound lane closures during nighttime/overnight hours from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. while crews replace underground utilities. Motorists should expect slow-moving traffic and possible delays.

SR 670 9th Street North to Tamiami Trail: Maintenance permit project: Motorists should expect intermittent southbound lane closures during nighttime/overnight hours from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. while crews construct a turn lane. Motorists should expect slow-moving traffic. Motorists should expect to work during weekends from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Copeland Avenue from Chokoloskee Bridge to Broadway Avenue: Construction project: Crews will construct sidewalk on the east side of Copeland Avenue from Chokoloskee Bridge to Broadway Avenue. Crews will install temporary signalization within the project.

Motorists should expect intermittent lane closures during daytime hours from 7 a.m. to 5p.m. with possible flagging operations throughout the duration of the project.

Motorists should use caution as crews work near the roadway. The expected project completion is early 2024.

US 41 From East of Whistler's Cove Boulevard to West of Collier Boulevard: Motorists should expect nighttime lane closures from Sunday, October 15 through Tuesday, October 17, 2023, from 4 p.m. to 7a.m. in the vicinity of Triangle Boulevard and Price Street. Crews will be working on the installation of traffic loops. Motorists should use caution as crews work near the roadway.

VETERANS’ NURSING HOME UPDATE

This week, the County received anew boundary sketch and parcel description for the Golden Gate Golf Course property to be developed for the State Veterans’ Nursing Home.  This new location along the Collier Boulevard side of the golf course increases the amount of land that can be used to develop a long-term care campus to 20.07acres.  The previous property at the northwest corner of the golf course along Golden Gate Parkway was 12.7 acres.  In addition to the extra space for outpatient services facilities, the larger parcel will also allow for more green space and water features to surround the campus.

With the surveyed boundaries and parcel description, the County will now update the Memorandum of Agreement with the State to include the new property location.  With their preliminary design architect already on board, the State will use this new location to begin constructing its plans for a state-of-the-art facility for our veterans.  These early designs will be part of the construction matching fund application the State will submit to the Veterans Administration in Washington, DC, by April 2024.

Board of County Commission Meetings

Second and fourth    Tuesdays of each month - The meetings begin at 9:00 a.m. and are broadcast live with closed captioning on Collier Television channel    97/98 and via live streaming at www.colliercountyfl.gov/ctv.    

Individuals who would wish to participate in person must complete and submit a speaker form prior to the beginning of the discussion about the item.  Individuals who would like to participate remotely must complete and submit the online speaker registration form prior to the beginning of the discussion about the item.  The agenda will be available on the Collier County website at http://colliercountyfl.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx.

Ever wonder what all those acronyms mean?   I have added several documents listing the abbreviations and what they mean:

Collier 311

If you have any County related issues that need to be resolved, you can dial 311 or (239) 252-8999 and you will be connected to an appropriate Collier County Department staff member. They will respond to your questions immediately and create a service request that will be responded to by the correct Department based on service need.

Benefits of 311:

• 311 acts as a single point of access to Collier County Government 

• You can report ANY issue

• You don't have to know which Department or who to call

• It will create a service request

• You can easily track the status of your request

• ...and YOUR voice is heard & ACTION is taken!

When Emergencies Happen in Collier County, We Can't Alert You if We Can't Reach You

Collier County  encourages all residents to sign up for Alert Collier, the County's  new mass notification system.  When you sign up with Alert  Collier you can enter up to five addresses within the County boundaries that  you would like to receive emergency alerts about. Enter your home, work,  relative, school or any other address that's important to you.

Should an alert be issued for that location, you will receive a notification.
You can sign up with your cell phone to receive calls and/or text messages, your email address(es), home phone, business phone and hearing impaired device. Collier County encourages you to also download the Everbridge Public Safety app (free in the iOS, Android and Windows app stores), this app will allow you to see all public notifications issued across the State and Country by other Everbridge users. Live in Lee county but work in another County? No problem you can receive their emergency alerts just by having the app installed.

So, create a contact on your phone for Alert Collier: the caller ID our alerts will come from is 239-252-8000, and the short code our texts will come from is 89361 and 87844. Save Alert Collier as a contact today!