Public comment sought as Marco trail, Naples sidewalk move ahead

NAPLES — Short- and long-term traffic plans are under consideration in Collier County and officials are ready to hear comments on both.

However, while officials are ready to talk about a fresh approach to county transportation in the future, they’re not quite sure what those enhancements will be, what they’ll cost or where they will obtain the money to implement the plan.

Two more-immediate projects have tentative price tags.

The public comment period is under way for the Collier Metropolitan Planning Organization’s amended plan to incorporate a linear park trail from San Marco Road to Andalusia Terrace on Marco Island, and a sidewalk on 14th Avenue North from U.S. 41 to 12th Street North in Naples.

These aren’t amendments to the long-range plan, just the regular transportation improvement program (TIP), according to Nick Casalanguida, head of transportation planning for county government.

“These two projects are just TIP amendments for enhancement grants from approved projects. Not related items,” Casalanguida said.

The Marco path project is in the construction phase and is expected to cost $209,258, Metropolitan Planning Organization director Phil Tindall said.

The MPO has the money for that.

There also is $54,760 set aside for the 14th Avenue North sidewalk, but that’s only for the preliminary engineering phase, he said.

Tindall said there’s about $500,000 in federal money to write the overall public involvement plan and do the studies for the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan, but a source of money for those improvements hasn’t been identified.

“We will address a cost (feasibility) plan sometime late this summer,” Tindall said. The future of paying for transportation projects is, in general, a question mark right now, he said.

Gas taxes eventually will be phased out because everyone is reaching for vehicles that are more fuel-efficient, Tindall said.

The group was created in 1982 as a result of the Federal Highway Act, requiring urbanized areas to develop transportation plans and programs in order to receive federal money or operating assistance.

Plans can include highways, mass transit, bike or pedestrian paths, trains or air transportation. The most recent plan to involve the public was updated on Oct. 14.

County officials are in the process of developing, and justifying, traffic models. That will continue until March.

After that, they will start to develop a “needs” plan, a process that will continue through June.

From July through September, transportation planners will develop a cost feasibility plan.

A final plan is expected to be presented to Collier and Lee officials in November.

Another comment period under way allows the public to voice opinions on a proposed $532,000 grant to provide transportation in Collier’s more rural neighborhoods, according to transportation planner Glama Carter, who applied for the grant.

The transportation plan is posted at the county’s Web site www.colliermpo.net.

Amendments also can be viewed at Collier County Government Complex, 3301 U.S. 41 East; Collier County Transportation Division, 2885 S. Horseshoe Drive; Naples City Hall, 735 8th St. S.; Everglades City Hall, 102 Copeland Ave. N.; Marco Island City Hall, 50 Bald Eagle Drive; or any Collier County Public Library.