Immokalee residents frustrated by pothole-ridden Little League Road conditions

Residents of Immokalee are voicing concerns over the condition of Little League Road, which many see as both an inconvenience and a safety hazard. Located next to Tony Rosbough Park, this road has become a focal point for community discussions on infrastructure needs.

"There’s no spot on that road that you can safely drive in," said Ivia Garcia, a Collier County resident who attended Wednesday's WINK Listens event at the Seminole Casino in Immokalee. "There’s at least 30 potholes in a stretch of maybe less than a mile."

Garcia expressed concern for her loved ones who live on the road, saying, "I feel horrible that somebody has to live like that, you know, and then they feel like nobody's gonna do anything for them."

Rene Rodriguez has lived off Little League Road for nearly five decades and has faced ongoing issues due to the rough conditions.

"It damages the vehicles so front end alignments, tires wear out faster," said Rodriguez.

Carlos Mendez, who drives the road daily to his gym, also shared his experience.

"It was pretty rough - there's a lot of potholes," said Mendez. "It's really hard to drive down that road."

According to Collier County's Transportation Management Services Department the portion of Little League Road from Dillon Lane to Trafford Farm Road in Immokalee is a private road and required to be maintained by the property owners along it. 

The department told WINK News Collier County is prohibited from using public funds for a private purpose.

While Rodriguez mentioned that a friend tries to smooth the road by adding dirt, he said, "If it doesn't rain, it'll last a couple weeks."

Rodriguez also noted past efforts to pave the road.

"They wanted to pave it, but not everybody was on board with giving up the easement for the road, and that's what stopped it," he said.

As the community continues to discuss potential solutions, Little League Road remains a symbol of the infrastructure challenges faced by residents in Immokalee.

When WINK News reached out to Collier County Monday with neighbors concerns about road accessibility for emergency services, their Transportation Management Services Department directed our team to a plan that county officials are in the midst of discussing.

In an email to WINK News, the department stated in-part: "In December 2023, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) adopted Ordinance No. 2023-71 establishing the Private Road Emergency Repair MSTU in order to strike a balance with the BCC’s obligations to safeguard the health and safety of the citizens of Collier County and the prohibition of public expenditures on private roads."

This ordinance was revised last December and, since then, emergency service providers reviewed all Collier County roads in a Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) and identified roads that are impassable to their equipment.

At a Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting on December 9, commissioners discussed a plan to bring all roads within the MSTU to a passable condition for emergency vehicles. The proposed plan sought for a $1.5 million loan from Capital Reserves to fund repairs. 

Although several county commissioners acknowledged the matter's urgency, the BCC voted to defer the plan. The board is waiting for an opinion from the attorney general on the legality of the proposed plan before moving forward.

WINK News is still working to confirm whether or not the private portion of Little League Road is considered 'unpassable' by the county.