As we reported in the February edition of the Verandah View, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), at the request of our Traffic and Safety Committee, issued what is called a Traffic Signal Warrant Summary. The Warrant Summary Analysis provides a procedure to determine input into a decision of whether conditions at an intersection warrant the installation of a traffic signal. They analyzed traffic data, collisions and injuries at the main gate, and traffic volume projections. In September of last year, the FDOT Warrant Analysis confirmed the need for a traffic signal adjacent to Verandah’s main gate on Palm Beach Boulevard.
However, the satisfaction of a Warrant study is not a guarantee that a traffic signal will be installed. Verandah is not within the city limits of Fort Myers so Fort Myers would not pay for a light. The FDOT reports it does not participate in the design or construction of traffic signals. Further, it says that the 2003 construction permits for Verandah “state the design, equipment, and installation of the traffic signal (when warranted) including additional geometric improvements to SR 80, if needed, will be the responsibility of the Verandah developer.”
Of note is the major project for State Road 31 (the road to Babcock Ranch) from SR 80 to SR 78, in Lee County. All plan alternatives accommodate future traffic demand for the growing area by widening SR 31, addressing the bridge deficiencies, and improving emergency evacuation and response time. The FDOT concluded a traffic signal at our main gate would have no effect on the proposed improvements to the intersection of Palm Beach Boulevard and State Route 31 but did conclude th new intersection would make turning west at Verandah’s main entrance more difficult.
We have learned that Lee County will maintain a traffic signal once it is installed. With continued growth in the Hwy 80 and 31 corridors, the FDOT estimates an increase in traffic from the current 36,000 cars per day to 52,000. In the spring of 2024, the VCA Board of Directors queried homeowners about the importance of this traffic signal and shared the results of that survey with all homeowners. (Please click “View Traffic Signal FAQ” on the front page of the VCA website.) In June the Board discussed this topic with our Neighborhood Representatives. It is currently unclear how much a traffic signal would cost and who would provide the necessary funding. At the July 14, 2024 VCA Board Meeting, the release of a Request for Proposals from qualified engineers was approved. At this time the Board wants to learn what it would cost for a firm to prepare design plans, a construction schedule, and cost estimates for the traffic signal. When the Board has more information it will share it with the community.
