Commission approves developer-funded traffic signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive

The Collier County Board of County Commissioners approved a traffic signal agreement with the Cameron Commons Unit 2 property owners association to install a signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive, authorizing the chairman to sign the agreement and allowing the county to remove the signal at its discretion.

Trinity Scott, department head for Transportation Management Services, summarized background: the board accepted a traffic signal study in January 2022 and had directed staff to return with a formal agreement that would ensure the county could remove the signal later and that the applicant would waive claims for business damages. Scott also said the intersection warrants a signal after traffic counts taken before and after the gating of a nearby private road (Limestone Trail) showed increased U-turn activity farther down the road.

Noel Davies, speaking for the applicant, told the commission the property owners association agreed to pay 100% of construction costs and accepted the county's condition that the signal may be removed at the county's discretion. Davies said the applicant had "no additional comments" and was "in agreement with paying 100% of the light and the conditions of the agreement."

Commissioners discussed the proximity of the new signal to other nearby signals and traffic queuing concerns. Commissioner Kowal asked staff to consider restricting right turns on red at the new signal because allowing rights on red could cause queueing conflicts while east-west movements are green. Staff and the applicant agreed to incorporate a no-right-on-red restriction into the permit review; commissioners also reserved discretion to let traffic engineers refine the final signal timing and control features during permit processing.

A motion to approve the traffic-signal agreement and allow engineering discretion passed nearly unanimously on a voice vote.

The agreement requires Cameron Commons to fund the installation; the county retains the right to remove the signal in the future and will finalize operational controls (including a possible prohibition on right turns on red) during the permitting and signal design process.