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City hires Johnson Engineering to update downtown traffic study; public outreach plan outlined
Summary
Johnson Engineering briefed City Council on the downtown traffic study kickoff June 14, reporting March peak-season counts and outlining a public-involvement plan that will guide revisions to impact-study thresholds, intersection standards and multimodal metrics.
Johnson Engineering presented a kickoff and public involvement plan for the city—s downtown traffic study at the June 14 workshop, describing the work to update peak-season counts, test model assumptions and recommend changes to how the city evaluates development impacts.
The study area will be bounded approximately by Central Avenue (north), Broad Avenue (south), Second Street (west) and Goodlette-Frank Road (east). Consultants said they had completed March 2025 peak-season data collection (24-hour counters and focused turning-movement counts) intended to capture visitor-season peak hours. They reported that, unlike commuter peak-hour patterns, morning peaks in downtown Naples tended to center near late-morning (around 11 a.m.) and afternoon peaks near 3 p.m.
Johnson Engineering told council it will use updated counts to calibrate traffic models, compare existing level-of-service standards and test policy options. The consultants presented several policy directions for council consideration, including: adopting intersection-level service standards, adding multimodal and pedestrian-level service metrics, changing thresholds for when a traffic-impact study is required (suggesting trip-generation thresholds rather than acreage), and requiring third-party technical review of applicant traffic studies when warranted.
Council members asked about state legislative limits on local requirements; city staff said they will verify whether newly adopted state statutes constrain added requirements. Several councilors urged the city to pursue neighborhood- and city-level analyses rather than rely only on developer-supplied traffic studies. Consultants said they will return in the fall with policy recommendations, refined thresholds and a schedule for community engagement, and they recommended at least two rounds of public workshops and further Planning Advisory Board input.
Why it matters: Downtown traffic policies affect development approvals and everyday mobility in the city center. Council members asked staff and consultants to refine recommendations that balance predictability for project applicants with protections for downtown streets and neighborhoods.
