Flooding was reported in at least three golf-cart tunnels Monday morning as the toll from days of continuous rain began to show itself in The Villages.
Crews were busy pumping water out of the tunnel at Mariposa Way and Morse Boulevard – an area that is no stranger to flooding issues.
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Villagers also reported floodwaters in the tunnel near Hope Lutheran Church that crosses under County Road 466 and in the passageway under Buena Vista Boulevard near the Saddlebrook Recreation Center.
Crews also tackled standing water on the multimodal path that crosses the bridge at Lake Sumter. While that path remained open, golf cart drivers and cyclists were urged to use caution because of the large puddles and slippery patches of mud that remained.
As of 10 a.m. Monday morning, the Saddlebrook tunnel remained closed. Most of the standing water had been pumped out, but large patches of gunk and puddles could be seen throughout the tunnel, which clearly could cause issues for those trying to use the passageway.
With no set timetable in place for the re-opening of the tunnel, several frustrated golf cart drivers could be seen crossing Buena Vista Boulevard at the stoplight near the recreation center and softball complex.
The tunnels at Mariposa Way and Hope Lutheran remained open Monday morning, though again, golf cart drivers were urged to use extreme caution because of the dangers of driving through mud and standing water.
Monday isn’t the first time golf cart tunnels in The Villages have experienced issues – especially the one at Mariposa Way and Morse Boulevard. Heavy rains from Hurricane Irma plagued that tunnel last September, when some golf cart drivers were seen attempting to navigate the treacherous path as their tires were submerged in the water.
During that time, some golf cart drivers opted to use the roundabout at Mariposa Way and Morse Boulevard, even though they weren’t operating street-legal vehicles.
Irma also caused flooding in at least eight other golf cart tunnels throughout the area – an issue that remains fresh on the minds of Villagers as more rounds of showers and thunderstorms are forecast for the area in the coming days.