An official is suggesting adding more traffic lights on Morse Boulevard north of County Road 466 to slow down traffic.
Supervisor Rocky Hyder brought up the idea at Friday’s meeting of the Community Development District 1 board.
When Hyder was appointed to the board last year, he said that safety on Morse Boulevard was a primary concern. Prior to retirement, Hyder worked as a county emergency services director in Henderson County, North Carolina. Before that he was a firefighter and a fire marshal.
He has been on a fact-finding mission with Sumter County, owner of the roadway. However, the indication is that there is not enough room or money to expand the roadway.
CDD 1 Supervisor Ellen Cora suggested there is also a lack of political will.
She suggested that CDD 1 might have greater hope for seeing change after the November election. Sumter County Commissioner Doug Gilpin is seeking re-election and Commissioner Garry Breeden’s term will be up.
“Mr. Breeden and Mr. Gilpin have always taken the position that is the same as the Developer – that it is better to spend the money at the southern end of The Villages,” Cora said.
Hyder introduced the idea that signal lights be introduced at the Morse Boulevard intersections at Guido Avenue and at Soledad Way.
“It basically spaces out four traffic lights along that corridor,” Hyder said.
He received the board’s blessing to pursue an informal meeting to discuss the idea with Sumter County Commission Chairman Craig Estep, a resident of CDD 1.
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