In November of 2018 the citizens of Collier County, by the margin of 51% to 49%, approved a referendum allowing for the collection of a 1% Infrastructure Surtax. On October 10, 2023, the Collier County Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 2023-45, sunsetting the 1% Infrastructure Sales tax effective December 31, 2023. During the period it was levied, the tax generated over $520M in revenues, more than $100M over the original estimated amount of $420M. One of the key projects anticipated to be paid for by the 1% tax was new bridges for the Golden Gate Estates area of Collier County. The project was originally slated to include eleven (11) new bridges at a total estimated cost of $88M, with infrastructure surtax funding $60M of the total. This was subsequently amended to reduce the number of new bridges to be constructed using the surtax from eleven (11) to six (6) and reducing Golden Gate Estates bridge surtax funding from $60M to $34M.
On September 10, 2024, the Board of County Commissioners approved the award of a $5.4M contract funded by the surtax for the design of the following four (4) bridges:
- 10th Avenue Southeast (between Everglades Boulevard and Desoto Boulevard)
- 13th Street Northwest (north of Golden Gate Boulevard)
- 62nd Avenue Northeast (between Everglades Boulevard and 40th Street Northeast)
- Wilson Boulevard South (south of Golden Gate Boulevard)
The total estimated construction, engineering, and inspection costs for these four (4) bridges is $63M, not including the cost of right-of-way acquisition. Bridges have been a topic for the Golden Gate Estates area for many years. In August 2008, Collier County published the East of 951 Horizon Study for Bridges which recommended twelve (12) locations within the Golden Gate Estates for new bridges. The purpose of the study was to identify locations within the east Golden Gate Estates area roadway network where there was a need for additional connectivity. This need was based upon improving access to collector and arterial roadways, improved evacuation routes and emergency response times, and reduced trip length to community institutions. These goals were consistent with Collier’s approved Golden Gate Area Master Plan, which states that in planning and constructing road improvements within the Golden Gate Estates and Golden Gate City, Collier County shall coordinate with local emergency services officials to ensure that the access needs of the fire department, police, and emergency management personnel are met. After an exhaustive public outreach process, eleven (11) of the original twelve (12) recommended sites were identified and ranked for new bridge installations.
The four (4) projects whose design costs were approved on September 10, 2024, were further prioritized by the Collier County Transportation Planning Team. Bridges for 16th Street Northeast and 47th Avenue Northeast are also included in County priorities validated for surtax funding, but these bridges were part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Project Development and Environment Study and qualify for partial federal grant funding. In 2019, FDOT satisfied another priority with the construction of the 8th Street Northeast Bridge, between Golden Gate Boulevard and Randall Boulevard, which included roadway and drainage enhancements and a sidewalk on the west side of the corridor.
The construction of the following four (4) bridges has been deferred at this time:
- 18th Avenue Northeast (between Wilson Boulevard North and 8th Street Northeast)
- 18th Avenue Northeast (between 8th Street Northeast and 16th Street Northeast)
- Wilson Boulevard North (south of 33rd Avenue Northeast)
- 16th Street Southeast (south of Golden Gate Boulevard)