Vanderbilt Beach Road extension now open in Collier County

Drivers in Collier County are finally getting their first chance to use the new Vanderbilt Beach Road extension after years of planning and construction.The new seven-mile roadway officially opened to traffic Friday morning, connecting Collier Boulevard to 16th Street Northeast and creating another east-west route through Golden Gate Estates. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office said deputies are monitoring the new roadway as drivers adjust, reminding people to follow the posted speed limits.The extension includes new bike lanes, a shared-use path and new traffic signals.Amy and Scott Johnson, who live in Golden Gate Estates, were among the first drivers to test out the road Friday morning.“We loved it. It was very convenient,” Amy Johnson said.The couple said they have lived in the area for more than a decade and knew the road would eventually be built when they purchased their home in 2011.“We found out that the road was going to open at 10 a.m., and Amy and I were very excited,” Scott Johnson said.Scott Johnson believes the road will significantly cut down his daily commute times.“It’s going to save me ten minutes one way, ten minutes the other way every time I go,” he said.Still, Amy Johnson said she worries some drivers may go too fast along the new roadway.“We were surprised that right here at 16th Street it said that the speed limit is 50 miles an hour, which seemed very fast,” she said.According to Collier County Transportation Management Services Community Liaison Connie Deane, the project has been in the works since the early 2000s as county leaders tried to prepare for rapid growth in eastern Collier County.“We have very few east-west corridors, so this will help relieve congestion on Immokalee Road as well as on the other east-west connectors,” Deane said.The county says this is only the first phase of the project. Another extension from 16th Street Northeast to Everglades Boulevard is expected to begin construction in the future.Collier County is planning an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the roadway on July 1.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.