FDOT making upgrades to I-75 diverging diamond interchange

If you drive on Pine Ridge Road to get on I-75, you know traffic can be a nightmare.

“There’s a lot of congestion that happens on Pine Ridge, also on the ramps that go mainly south off of the highway onto Pine Ridge,” said Jennifer Pepe from Collier County.

“Sometimes it’s bumper to bumper and you’re stopped dead still on the road,” added Gary Johnson, also from Collier County.

That’s why the Florida Department of Transportation has a plan: a diverging diamond interchange similar to the one being built now in Lee County at Colonial Boulevard at I-75, the first one in Collier County.

“Some of the advantages of the diverging diamond is that it allows free-flowing turns when you’re entering or exiting the interstate and eliminates the left turn across oncoming traffic when you’re trying to exit, and it also reduces the number of traffic signal faces, so it’s less waiting time that you spend at the interchange,” said Bill Howell, Consultant Project Manager with Stantec.

On Friday, FDOT briefed the Collier Metropolitan Planning Organization Board on the design of the I-75 Pine Ridge Road interchange improvements.

“Anything the state or the federal government can do to make the flow of traffic better is welcome in my book,” said Johnson.

The design is replacing the existing diamond interchange.

“It can be accomplished within pretty much within the same footprint of the conventional diamond interchange,” added Howell. “And it can handle more traffic volume.”

WINK News asked people in the area about their thoughts.

“Everybody knows we have a huge traffic problem if you travel 75. And, [on] some of the roads like Pine Ridge, you’re gonna run into some bad traffic sooner or later. So if this will help, I’m all for it,” said Johnson.

“I think that the change of the traffic pattern is worth the diamond. Yeah, I think I like it,” added Pepe.

Construction is expected to start in October, and the project will take approximately 18-24 months. FDOT said public information meetings will take place on May 14 and 16.

Live Online Design Workshop
Tuesday, May 14th at 6 p.m.

In-Person Meeting
Thursday, May 16, from 5-7 p.m.
North Collier Regional Park Exhibit Hall
15000 Livingston Road
Naples, FL 34109