Community Development District 4 appears ready to move ahead with hiring an independent engineer to look at markings for the multi-modal path in its borders.
Kimley-Horn & Associates Inc., the District’s engineer, has staunchly come out against striping the paths down the center.
CDD 4 famously went “rogue” and striped its multi-modal paths despite the engineer’s recommendation.
On Friday afternoon, CDD 4 will consider a “scope of services” to hire an independent engineer.
“The District 4 Board is seeking an independent engineering firm with experience or education in designing, constructing and establishing guidelines for pavement markings on a Multi-Modal Path System that is used by bicyclists, pedestrians, runners, skaters, golf carts, street legal golf carts and low speed vehicles, where there is a 20 mph speed limit on the paths (which is currently not enforceable) and night time usage is permitted,” read a document in the packet for Friday’s meeting.
The scope of work would include collecting data on traffic behavior on striped vs. non-striped paths within The Villages.
For instance, CDD 4 supervisors would like to know the following:
• Are pedestrians being squeezed on the multi-modal system due to centerline markings?
• Is the speed of golf carts dramatically different due to centerline markings?
• Does centerline striping confuse users as regards the ability to safely pass on the broken yellow lines portion of the multi-modal path?
The CDD 4 board meets at 2 p.m. Friday at Savannah Center.
Kimley-Horn is currently conducting a study on markings on the multi-modal paths for the District. The costs of that approximately $6,500 study will be shared among CDDs across The Villages.
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