Residents of the Entrada community, as well as those who live on Gator Circle near Island Coast High School remain concerned regarding the traffic that comes through their area on North Del Prado, especially during morning and afternoon rush and on school days.

While a signal is set to be installed at the Del Prado and De Navarra intersection, the short-term solution may be creating more problems.

A traffic light will be installed at the intersection of Del Prado and DeNavarra as part of the agreement with the developer of the Entrada subdivision, which was created by ordinance in 2005.

The ordinance included a provision stating that when the traffic signal at the intersection of De Navarra Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard was warranted that the Commercial Center at Entrada and Entrada would construct said traffic signal and that the city would not participate in funding for those improvements.

Those types of inclusions in contracts are common for those developments, said Melissa Mickey, city spokesperson.

Now, the signal is warranted and the Entrada Community Association has approved the design for a traffic signal. However, while the group has a contractor to construct the traffic signal, it does not have the full funding (around $120,000) to contract for the work due to holdouts on payments and has asked the city for help move the project forward as it pursues collections.

The organization would reimburse the city within two years from the agreement and post a bond.

Over the last two city council meetings, especially at the Jan. 11 meeting, residents nearby have lodged their complaints about the speeding on Del Prado, how the intersections on de Navarra and Averill have become more dangerous and how the need to make a U-turn going into Entrada on Del Prado has further backed up traffic.

Residents have also sent in e-comments about the issue and even signed petitions about the issue.

“The De Navarra traffic solution has caused significant congestion at the Village of Entrada Entrance on Del Prado. The residents are very concerned about the dangerous traffic flow. Please consider that numerous elementary, middle and high school buses use this entrance as a bus stop on Del Prado,” said Mary Anna Chevalier in an email.

“I would encourage all of you to take a drive over to that area at 6:50 a.m. on a school day to see the chaos for yourselves. Please don’t think that this issue is resolved while we wait for the signal. People are going to die,” wrote Sara Wood.

Mickey said in an e-mail that city staff has been working closely with the parties that are required to fund and install the signal.

“We anticipate the signal at this intersection to be operational in the next 12-18 months provided funding is secured,” Mickey said. “There are no plans to install a traffic light at Del Prado and Averrill that I’m aware of,” Mickey said.

In the meantime, the city’s Public Works department has implemented a split left diversion, meaning no left turns from De Navarra Parkway onto Del Prado North and no throughway across Del Prado North on De Navarra Parkway.

This will remain in place until a signal is installed.