Re: Oak Forest
It is interesting how this has evolved.
I am amazed that a public road that has been maintained by the County with funds received from gas tax can now be closed to the public and turned into a private road. Does this mean that residents of Oak Forest Drive will now be responsible for maintenance and repair of their private road?
I wonder why similar steps haven't been taken to restrict through traffic from travel on Morse Blvd between the gate at CR 466 and the gate at North Morse near the Circle?
Unlike the rest of Morse Blvd south of CR 466, this road was originally planned and built to just handle traffic into residential villages. Since development was started and completed south of CR 466, it has become a main north-south artery carrying far more traffic than it was built for, not to mention the problem residents have to deal with every year, when Winter residents return. Then folks must wait for extended periods to enter and exit residential streets. The "traffic problem" has been studied and restudied for years and last year the Board of County Commissioners had traffic lights installed at Morse-Rio Grande intersection replacing the three way stop signs that had been there for years. This "solution" has failed to solve the traffic problems during the peak winter months. Little by little, Morse Blvd in this area is breaking apart and with heavy rains resulting in more broken pavement and numerous pot holes.
The County Commissioners did another study and now they are looking at a range of possible solutions and the costs. One Commissioner's "solution" calls for dropping speed limit to 20 MPH and merging all traffic (autos, trucks, golf course mowers, bicycles and golf carts) into a single lane of traffic. The explanation given by this Commissioner, is that this reduced speed limit will discourage folks from driving on this route. Surprised me that this same Commissioner didn't think to allow the road to completely break apart, leave the pot holes unfilled and become a dirt road once again, that would really discourage folks.
Now it seems that all that is necessary, is to post a No Through Traffic Sign at each end of Morse with a smaller fine and points assessed supplemental sign, for violating the traffic device (sign) This would solve the problem in no time at all, at a very small cost.
The fines raised from violators would probably be enough to keep the Sheriff's Dept. funded without any need to reduce expenses.
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