County Road 881 (Florida) Explained

State:FL
Type:CR
Route:881
Marker Image:
State:FL
Type:CR
Route:881
County:Collier
State:FL
Type:CR
Route:881
County:Lee
Map Custom:yes
Maint:Lee County DOT, Collier County TMS, and the city of Bonita Springs
Length Mi:26.3
Counties:Collier, Lee
Direction A:South
Terminus A: near Naples
Junction:
Direction B:North
Terminus B:Oriole Road near Fort Myers

County Road 881 (CR 881) is a major thoroughfare in Southwest Florida. It is one of three major routes connecting Collier and Lee counties along with US Highway 41 (US 41, Tamiami Trail) and Interstate 75 (I-75). Locally, it is known as Livingston Road in Collier County and Imperial Parkway and Three Oaks Parkway in Lee County. The route is fully signed in Collier County, but is only signed sparingly in Lee County (though it is indicated on county maps).[1]

CR 881 is maintained by the respective counties except for the segment between Bonita Beach Road (CR 865) and East Terry Street, which is maintained by the city of Bonita Springs.[1]

Route description

Collier County

CR 881 begins as a six-lane road at Radio Road (CR 856) just east of Naples Airport. About 1.5miles after it begins, it intersects with Golden Gate Parkway (CR 886), which connects Naples with Golden Gate.[2] It continues north and intersects Pine Ridge Road (CR 896) where it enters North Naples. Livingston Road passes North Collier Regional Park shortly before its intersection with Immokalee Road (CR 846). At Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Livingston Road is reduced to four lanes and passes the Mediterra community before crossing into Lee County.[2]

Lee County

Upon entering Lee County, CR 881 becomes Imperial Parkway. A mile north of the county line, Imperial Parkway intersects with Bonita Beach Road (CR 865), the main east–west thoroughfare through Bonita Springs. After intersecting Bonita Beach Road, Imperial Parkway continues north and crosses the Imperial River and winds through some residential neighborhoods before running directly beside I-75 as it heads north toward Estero. As it enters Estero, Imperial Parkway shifts to the west and intersects with Coconut Road, where it becomes Three Oaks Parkway.[1]

From Coconut Road, Three Oaks Parkway continues north through the Brooks neighborhood and comes to an intersection with Corkscrew Road (CR 850), the main east–west thoroughfare through Estero. From Corkscrew Road, it continues north through the community of Three Oaks.[1]

After intersecting with Alico Road (CR 840), Three Oaks Parkway continues north a little over a mile and terminates at the airport canal near Oriole Road.[3]

History

The first segment of CR 881 built in Lee County was Three Oaks Parkway, which opened in April 1988 between Alico Road (CR 840) and Corkscrew Road (CR 850). The two-lane road was originally named Corlico Parkway (a portmanteau of Corkscrew and Alico) but was later changed to Three Oaks Parkway within a year of opening. It was built by the developers of the residential community of Three Oaks.[4]

In the early 2000s, a four-lane extension of Three Oaks Parkway was built south from Corkscrew Road to just south of Coconut Road. The extension from Williams Road south was built by Bonita Bay Properties, the developers of The Brooks neighborhood (who also built Coconut Road). Lee County built the remaining segment north of Williams Road to Corkscrew Road.[5]

In Collier County, Livingston Road previously existed as a two-lane residential road north of Pine Ridge Road (much of this segment is now the parallel Old Livingston Road).[2] Livingston Road was rebuilt and extended to its full length segmentally in the early 2000s and was fully complete by 2005. The expanded Livingston Road was built as a six-lane road from Radio Road to Immokalee Road and a two-lane road further north (which was widened to six lanes a few years later).[6] The segment of Imperial Parkway from the Collier County line to Bonita Beach Road (CR 865) was built in 2000 as a two-lane road by Bonita Bay Properties, the developer of the Mediterra community. This segment was also widened to four lanes a few years later.[7]

The two segments of CR 881 were linked in the late 2000s. The city of Bonita Springs expanded Imperial Parkway (originally Imperial Street) from a residential street to a four-lane road from Bonita Beach Road to East Terry Street (which was also widened at the same time).[8] Imperial Parkway was then extended north from East Terry Street to Coconut Road in Estero to connect with Three Oaks Parkway in 2008.[9]

Also in 2008, the original segment of Three Oaks Parkway from Corkscrew Road to Alico Road was widened to four lanes. The widening also realigned a portion of Three Oaks Parkway to run beside Interstate 75. The original alignment is now Pine Chase Drive.[10]

In 2010, Three Oaks Parkway was extended on the north end from Alico Road a short distance to a dead end at the airport canal. This segment was built by a private developer.[3]

Future

Construction is currently underway to extend Three Oaks Parkway from the airport canal north to Daniels Parkway (CR 876). The extension will parallel I-75 and connect CR 881 to Daniels Parkway via Fiddlesticks Boulevard and set to be completed around 2025.[11] [12]

Notes and References

  1. Road Maintenance System . . Lee County GIS . April 20, 2016 .
  2. Web site: County Road 881 - Livingston Road . AA Roads . January 11, 2024 .
  3. News: Oliver . Chad . Good Question: Road to nowhere . April 10, 2015 . WBBH-TV . February 5, 2013 .
  4. News: Zoldan . Sheldon . Three Oaks moves right along . October 24, 2023 . The News-Press . October 14, 1988 .
  5. News: Husty III . Denes . Bonita key link in road plan . December 5, 2023 . The News-Press . May 26, 2000 .
  6. News: Hannan . Larry . Livingston Road pieces to unite in 2005 . October 24, 2023 . Naples Daily News . May 28, 2002 .
  7. News: Hannan . Larry . Portion of Livingston Road dedicated . December 6, 2023 . Naples Daily News . December 8, 2000 .
  8. News: Krzos . Mark . Expansions of Terry, Imperial streets set to start . December 6, 2023 . The News-Press . May 21, 2006 .
  9. News: Kane . Brad . Imperial Parkway is now open . April 10, 2015 . Naples Daily News . January 22, 2008 .
  10. News: Witmer . Pam . Parts of road projects put on hold during the holidays . December 5, 2023 . The News-Press . December 6, 2008 .
  11. News: Work progresses on first section of Three Oaks Parkway extension . November 13, 2023 . WGCU Public Media . October 15, 2023 .
  12. Web site: Three Oaks Parkway Extension: Daniels Parkway to Oriole Road . Boylan Environmental Consultants . December 9, 2015 .