Three people were injured Sunday morning in a crash in a busy intersection in The Villages where a major construction project is taking place.
The crash occurred at 10:25 a.m. at the intersection of County Road 466 and Morse Boulevard. One of the injured people was transported by ambulance to Ocala Regional Medical Center. The other two injured individuals were transported to the Ocala Health Summerfield ER, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Two vehicles were primarily involved in the accident while another was struck by debris.
There is a major construction project taking place at that intersection and involves partial lane closures and heavy machinery. The project is due to be completed in early September.
An $863,604 contract was awarded in January to CW Roberts Contracting Inc. of Wildwood to add a second turn lane to westbound traffic turning south from County Road 466 and a right turn lane for drivers turning north on Morse Boulevard. However, leaders from Hope Lutheran Church and Fairway Christian Church argued that this would create Sunday-morning bottlenecks when the large congregations enter and leave the parking lots on the north side of County Road 466. The Sumter County Commission later amended its plan due to complaints from the churches.
The County Road 466-Morse Boulevard intersection has long been a familiar scene of backups and accidents. The project is aimed at alleviating some of the congestion.
