Lady Lake commissioners split 3-2 on Wawa’s site plan amid concerns over left turns from U.S. Hwy. 27/441.
Wawa plans to build a massive fuel operation, store and deli at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 27/441 and County Road 466.
In considering Wawa’s proposed site plan Monday night, Commissioner Paul Hannan pointed to an Oct. 25 Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization letter as cause for concern.
The letter said the Wawa will generate 1,451 net new trips each day.
“There is a safety and operational concern for the northbound left turns. The project will generate significant U-Turns for patrons wanting to access the Wawa. At present there is a single left turn lane with an approximate storage length of 260 feet. This turn lane has been observed to overflow into the NB through lane under current conditions. This restricts the flow of traffic in the NB through lane until the left turn lane has cleared,” Brian Hutt of Lake-Sumter MPO wrote in the letter to the town.
Hannan called the traffic situation “horrendous.”
A 78-year-old Villager died last year as a result of a chain-reaction collision at the intersection.
You can read the MPO letter at these links:
Michael Leeds, representing Wawa, told commissioners he has met with the Florida Department of Transportation.
“Unfortunately it is what it is,” Leeds said.
Hannan was joined in his dissent by Commissioner Tony Holden. Mayor Jim Richards and Commissioners Ruth Kussard and Dan Vincent put the Wawa site plan over the top.
