The Project Wide Advisory Committee has agreed to experiment with round-the-clock lighting of a tunnel in The Villages.
The idea was recently introduced by Community Development District 6 Supervisor Tom Griffith. He recounted an incident in which his golf cart nearly collided with a pedestrian walking in a dark tunnel.
Griffith has had numerous conversations with Villagers who have also described their own near misses in the tunnels that connect the multi-modal path throughout The Villages.
District Manager Richard Baier suggested the experiment would include a number of steps, including pressure washing the tunnel and installing LED lighting.
He noted that the aged population in Sumter County could be considered as a reason for examining the possibility of upgrading the lighting in the 33 tunnels within the Project Wide Advisory Committee’s jurisdiction. However, he warned that the costs could quickly add up.
Steve Brown, Community Development District 9’s representative on PWAC, favored moving ahead with the experiment.
“Whatever you can see benefits you. I am all for at least trying it out,” he said.
However, CDD 10 Chairman Don Wiley warned of unintended consequences.
He cautioned that the tunnels could potentially become too bright and could surprise a Villager traveling in a golf cart.
“The brightness could provide its own challenge,” Wiley warned.
