Collier Drive Island to Shrink, But Stay

An that became the subject of controversy last month will not be removed, but it will become smaller.

Service Director Joe Walker said the city has agreed to keep the circle in place after residents protested plans to remove it during a street repaving.

But it will be reduced from about 90 feet in diameter to about 30 feet.

"I met with a coalition of residents and they indicated they were happy with that," Walker said.

A group of Collier Drive residents told City Council in early May they were angry to learn that the city planned to remove an island in their street when the road was resurfaced this spring.

They told officials the charm of the island, which separates an older neighborhood with their newer homes, was one of the reasons they moved there, and the circle made the street safer because it slows traffic.

They were also upset they weren't directly notified the circle was being removed.

Walker said  he decided to remove the island after complaints from homeowners who live directly in front of it about poor drainage and problems with snow plows getting close enough to their driveways.

Collier, which runs off Atlantic Road, is one of about 40 streets being repaved or repaired this summer in a $5 million project.