Resolution 2008-129
RESOLUTION NO. 2008 _ 129
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER
COUNTY, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING A SPEED LIMIT INCREASE FROM FORTY-
FIVE MILES PER HOUR (45 MPH) TO FIFTY MILES PER HOUR (50 MPH) ON
IMMOKALEE ROAD FOR THE EASTBOUND SECTION FROM COLLIER
BOULEVARD TO ONE-HALF MILE WEST OF WILSON BOULEVARD AND THE
WESTBOUND SECTION FROM WILSON BOULEVARD TO ONE-HALF MILE EAST
OF COLLIER BOULEVARD.
WHEREAS, Chapter 316, Florida Statutes, permits the Board of County
Commissioners (BCG) to alter established speed limits on roads under its jurisdiction;
and
WHEREAS, Immokalee Road falls under the jurisdiction of the BCC; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 316, Florida Statutes, the BCC may alter
such existing speed limits as may be appropriate upon the basis of an engineering and
traffic investigation; and
WHEREAS, the subject section of Immokalee Road was designed with a Design
Speed of 50 mph other than the roadway curbing, which would ordinarily limit the speed
limit to forty-five (45) miles per hour, and
WHEREAS, the County's Director of Transportation Engineering and
Construction Management and the Director of Traffic Operations have both approved a
recommendation to grant a Design Variance to increase the posted speed to greater
than forty-five (45) miles per hour based upon the Roadway Design Speed; and
WHEREAS, the results of such engineering and traffic investigations determined
that the increased speed limit is reasonable and safe under the conditions found to exist
and it conforms to criteria promulgated by the Florida Department of Transportation and
Collier County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
1. The BCC does hereby grant the requested Design Variance and establish a 50
miles per hour (50 mph) speed limit on Immokalee Road for the eastbound section from
Collier Boulevard to one-half mile west of Wilson Boulevard and the westbound section
from Wilson Boulevard to one-half mile east of Collier Boulevard and does hereby direct
the County Traffic Operations Department to erect appropriate speed limit signs giving
notice thereof.
2. A copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the Collier County Sheriffs Office for
proper enforcement of the established speed limits for Immokalee Road within the
designated segments.
3. The effective date of the speed limit increase shall be after written notification to
the Sheriffs Office and upon posting of the appropriate signage.
This resolution adopted after motion, second, and majority vote favoring same
this 13th day of May, 2008.
ATTEST:
DWIGHT E. BROCK, Clerk
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
COLLIER CO NTY, F ORIDA.
By.:
~~~efsU~
. ItGftRln"'ofI1..".
.)' .,
().C. . By:
Tom Henning, Chairman
By:
L
cott R. Teach,
Deputy County Attorney
2
Collier County Transportation Services Division
Roadway Design Variance
Roadway: Immokalee Road - County Projcct 60018
Scgmcnt: West of Wilson Blvd to cast of Collier Blvd
Subject Featurc: Curb and guttcr
Requested Variance: To increase the posted speed to greater than 45 mph
Reason for variance rCQuest: This roadway segmcnt was dcsigncd as an urban cross-
section with curb and guttcr, as per dircction from Collicr County BCC Resolution 2000-
77. By normal standards as sct forth in the Manual of Unit()rm Minimum Standards for
Dcsign, Construction and Maintenance lor Strcets and High",ays (Florida Grccn Book)
the use of curbing requircs that the posted specd limit be no morc than 45 mph.
However, all other features on the roadway comply with a Design Speed of 50 mph.
A specd study was conducted lor this roadway scgment aticr all lanes were opened tor
motorists' use and the 85% speed was tound to be 55 mph with a 10 mph pace of 45 to 55
mph. The Spced Limit should normally bc set within 3 mph of the 85% spced and the top
of the 10 mph pace. This would be between 52 mph (which would be posted as 50 mph)
and 58 mph (which ",auld bc posted as 60 mph). As thc Design Spccd of the scgment is
50 mph, and the Posted Spced cannot exceed the Design Spced, the correct Speed Limit
for the segmcnt would be 50 mph, rcquiring a variancc from the normal limit of 45 mph
due to thc usc of curbing.
Advcrsc effcct of variance if approved: Thc variance of a highcr spccd limit would limit
or negate the safety factor am)rded by thc provision of the curbing. which is dcsigned to
redirect errant vehicles that might otherwise leave the roadway. The degree of safety
actually lost is hard to quantify, as FDOT now considcrs Type F curbing as mountable, so
little ctTect will be crcatcd. Howcver, it does crcatc a situation in which a normal 50 mph
clear zone must be maintaincd in the median and along thc roadside. Preservation of the
clear zone will prohibit the installation of any roadside obstaclcs and non-frangiblc polcs,
as well as limit thc size and types of plants and trecs that can bc utilized tor landscaping
in the mcdian and along thc roadsidc.
Benefits of variance if approved: The segment's speed limit being raised to 50 mph will
allow tor thc majority of traftic to travel at spccds of closer proximity to thc 85% spced,
thereby deducing the amount of wcaving, passing. and ovcrtaking. Kecping motorists
traveling in thc same direction at approximately thc samc spccd is a ",cll known method
of providing vehicular safety and the basis !()r thc use of dividcd multi-lane road",ays.
Recommcnded action on thc rcquested variance:
N Approve () Disapprove
Date 4J.zS /;:>( i g
I '4
~,/7
J A ad,p~L... -
)irector, TransportatIon Engmeenng
And Construction Managcl11cnt
~APProvc () Disapprovc
Date 4- 2 g ~ 06
A ~O--/
Robert W. Tipton, P.E.
Director, T raftic Operations