[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by NJblue

Yes, there probably will be some benefit. However, there will also be potential for some very substantial negatives. First, this not only provides a shortcut for you and me, but it provides a shortcut for everyone including residents of Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Leesburg and Sommerfield who previously may have used 27/441 off the turnpike. It also is a shortcut for the tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles who, instead of using state highways will now opt for the shortcut through The Villages. I expect traffic on Morse to be significantly worse than it is now.

Secondly, it is a well known fact that criminals like to have easy access and especially egress from their crimes. So, if it makes it easy for you and I to get to/from the turnpike, it also makes it easy for the undesirable elements.

Like many, when I first heard of this interchange more than 5 years ago, I thought of only the positives for me as a regular user of the turnpike. However, upon further reflection, I think I'd rather take the extra few minutes it takes to go via the Wildwood exit and keep Morse as a primarily TV resident road.

If you believe that criminals are going to use Morse as a getaway to the Turnpike, I think you are sadly mistaken. These "would-be criminals" would probably be local and have no use for getting to the Turnpike. I assume these "criminals" of which you speak are burglars and not travelling any kind of distance to do their dirty work.

Tractor trailers definately would not be travelling Morse. The round-abouts are too much of a pain in the butt for them. In addition, those who might want to use this new exit/entrance don't want to be bothered with all the round-abouts either. As a matter of fact, I even hate them. All they do is cause problems because most residents don't know how to drive them! Outsiders won't travel Morse; they will go a different route and then cut over by taking 44A or 44 or Powell or whatever, depending upon the direction from which they are coming.

I believe that 90% of this new exit/entrance will be used by Villages residents and people who are specifically coming to The Villages.