Nearby North Naples homeowners want roadway’s speed limit increased

There is a push in North Naples to get the speed limit increased along a busy roadway. Nearby homeowners said, because the speed limit was reduced, more people are crossing the double yellow line to get around.

Nearby homeowners say the speed limit along a stretch of Imperial Golf Course Boulevard in North Naples doesn’t need to be as slow as it currently is — 25 mph — because it’s become a safety concern.

“I’m driving 25 miles down through, and this car blows passed me on the double yellow line at like 55 miles an hour, it must have been,” neighbor David Lafountain said.

Lafountain said he has noticed more drivers making dangerous decisions on the roadway, since the speed limit was lowered.

“I feel like it’s a concern to everybody’s safety,” Lafountain said.

It was originally reduced from 35 to 25 mph.

“When that was completed, we thought they would raise it back up to the original 35,” Lafountain said. “But they never did.”

Now, more drivers are impatient. Cars line up along Imperial Golf Course Boulevard when there is more traffic.

“You get a train coming down through, and everyone wants to pass you,” Lafountain said. “And, really, it’s not safe.”

Lafountain is not the only one on the road who notices some of the dangerous behaviors.

“You have people honking at you and riding your bumper,” said neighbor Linda Ciabattari, who is a local realtor. “There’s really no reason for us to be going 25 miles on that road. There are no children, no buses, no nothing.”

Collier County Sheriff’s Office told us their legal counsel is reviewing the reduction in speed limit to make sure it meets the Florida Department of Transportation requirements.

We also reached out to the Imperial Golf Club homeowner’s association but have not received a response yet.

Neighbors started a poll asking if neighbors think the speed limit should change back, and 86 percent of those who participated in the poll are in favor of the increase.

“I understand changing the rules, but let’s change it for the better,” Lafountain said. “This isn’t helping anybody out.”