Last week, in Villages-News.com, I read an article about the proposed cost for one stop sign in CDD9, Haciendas of Mission Hills, where an estimated study cost is $5,000 yes, $5,000 for one stop sign – let that sink in.
This is thanks to all the Florida State Regulations that apply even within a state approved and regulated over 55 community. All of our residents must be 55 and many are in their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s. Many moved here to be safe from the outside world. Even though we cannot control who comes through the gate, there are things we can do to make our community safer – if the state of Florida will allow it?
This has been an ongoing issue for me since 2013 when I first approached Kris Kollgaard, then Town Manager of Lady Lake requesting stop signs at the El Cortez Gate intersection of Avenida Central and Rio Grande Avenue and also at Chula Vista Recreation Center on Rio Grande Avenue. Both of these intersections are dangerous to pedestrians (no sidewalks anywhere), bikers, scooters, golf cars and automobiles. There needs to be some common sense to relieve the pressure that has accumulated on our local roads.
The Villages is a 55 and over, state approved and regulated community just like many others. However, it is unique in that it has public roads throughout many of which have become super highways. Therefore, local authorities are bound by arcane state regulations as if we were outside the enclosed boundaries of a 55 community. It makes no sense. We are unique and therefore local officials should be able to exercise discretion, for safety reasons, to place stop signs or other traffic control device as needed to protect the public.
Let’s examine what is going on. The Villages applies for and gets approval for an over 55 community with all of its restrictions and limitations. Later, they reach an agreement to turn over the gated community roads to the local community making them public roads subject to all of the state and local regulations and enforcement.
All approved 55 and over communities are regulated by the State of Florida. But not all, or even many, have public roads. Most are gated and control entry and exit – they actually screen who gets into their communities. Although The Villages has gates and monitors egress and access via license plate photos, that is the only contact most visitors have.
Over the last 10 years, I have written several opinions on this matter. I have met with State Representatives and Sen. Baxley about this issue. In fact, I phoned and emailed two current state representatives and did not even get the courtesy of a response. Responses from all that I met with were fairly simple, changing the law could create unintended consequences!
Let’s examine the situation. We have U.S. Hwy. 441 on the east side of The Villages going north and south, Morse Boulevard and Buena Vista Ave. are the only other north/south roads all the way to U.S. 301 on the west side of The Villages. I do not count Rolling Acres Road as the traffic is so bad and it is outside The Villages. So, all the new growth within The Villages, anyone traveling north or south to avoid Rolling Acres Road, which is a mess, have now created super highways running through our, state approved and regulated 55 and over community. Wonderful just wonderful! What comes with it is even worse – speeding and reckless driving.
Ironically, even our neighbors drive way too fast within our villages. I have witnessed drivers who “floor it” going one block in El Cortez Village and La Reynalda. Why anyone want wants to do that is beyond imagination – then they wave as they go by! Are you kidding me?
If you want to have some fun, drive the speed limit on your way through The Villages. You will get horns blowing at you, fingers stuck in the air and verbal attacks from the interlopers using The Villages as a pass through to avoid the mess outside our gates.
Our roads are used by residents to shop, bike, walk, ride in chair scooters and drive golf cars on the same super highways. North of CR466 we do not have sidewalks or adequate golf cart paths so it is even worse. We deserve these small protections for our safety.
By the way, Buena Vista Avenue is four lanes and Morse Boulevard north of CR466 is only two lanes which makes it more challenging. Consider the fact that all traffic from Morse Boulevard to SR 441 uses Rio Grande Ave. or Avenida Central as an alternate route to get to SR441. We are overwhelmed in season but it still isn’t great during the summer months.
What can be done? It really is very simple.
First, treat 55 and over communities like we treat construction zones. Clearly mark them and then levy DOUBLE THE FINES for all traffic violations occurring within the boundaries of the community (inside the gates). If that doesn’t get violators attention nothing will. This requires state legislation. To this point no representative or senator has even offered to introduce legislation – too much effort required for them.
Second, pass a state law allowing local officials to institute traffic control devices as needed for safety without incurring ridiculous expensive studies. It is local officials who hear all the complaints about speeding and reckless driving not our distant state representatives or senators, yet they control the rules! Once again, it would take effort to address this issue and since effort is lacking so is our predicament.
How about letting local officials solve the problems that are local problems. Keep the state out of our jurisdictions. The state has enough to deal with so why not give local officials the authority to deal with local issues.
If nothing changes, it will be a matter of time until we are all saying, “why didn’t anyone do anything to prevent an accident when they had the chance.” That will happen as soon as someone is seriously hurt or killed on these super highways we call local roads.
An election is coming. We have new candidates for State Representative and State Senate. Please speak out to our State Representatives and Senators. Call and write to them demanding a law allowing local officials to oversee local roads “Within approved and regulated 55 and over communities.”
The latest article about a $5,000 study for one stop sign should be a warning to all of us that something needs to be done now, not after a fatality. We choose to live here because it is safe for us. We cannot limit access to our community, but we can control traffic flow by enforcement and with a little help from our state officials. Is that too much to ask? Give local officials the right to control local roads within 55 and over state approved communities. Not everywhere – just here where we live and play. Help!
Robert Nyce is a resident of The Villages.