Collier County residents fear emergency delays due to impassable roads

Collier County commissioners reviewed an agenda item at their meeting on December 9, 2025, regarding several private unpaved roads deemed impassable by the county. The proposal suggests declaring a valid public emergency to make these roads passable.

The roads are part of the Private Road Emergency Repair Municipal Services Taxing Unit. The emergency repair request includes a $1.5 million loan from the county's capital reserves and $1.238 million in purchase orders for the necessary repairs.

Pat Zennario, a resident on one of these roads, expressed concern about the impact on emergency response times.

"My husband has seizures, so if he has a bad seizure, they're not going to get down here in time to help him, and it's going to be really hard for me, as small as I am, to get him in my car and drive him down the road to meet an ambulance," said Zanario.

Maria Contreras, another resident, shared her frustrations about the road conditions damaging her car tires.

"My tires pop all the time, I have had to change my tires a few times already," said Contreras.

Contreras also recalled an incident when her daughter's medical emergency highlighted the difficulty of reaching the main road quickly.

"One time, we did have an emergency with one of my daughters, we went as fast as we could on the road, but it was horrible. I felt like my car was gonna break down by the time I got to the end of the road. I didn't even call the ambulance, because I knew it was going to take longer," said Contreras.

For now, Collier County commissioners are holding off on a final decision until the Attorney General's Office provides input and the Clerk's Office reviews the funding.