Colony Blvd..

[NotGolfer]

There was an article in today's Sun (Local section) re: Colony Blvd and how T.V. are looking at options for safety. Today I went by golf-cart down there and Village Watch had someone directing traffic. Good thing too, as it was quite dense (both vehicles and carts)! Just the same, might avoid that area as much as possible---especially after the 1st of the year when renters are here. High Season, don't you know?

[LuckySevens]

I am putting this suggestion in the 2014 survey..........
Please...please....At least put a 4 way stop where carts enter the road by the Colony Rec Center...so dangerous and difficult for carts to get on the road. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE CARTS BACK UP IN THE DOZENS. Better yet, I suggest you re-route the golf cart path. Instead of having the carts come out to the street, you could get rid of some of the trees alongside the road by the golf course and turn that into a golf cart path…then angle it back toward the buildings, and make that entrance into the area where Beef O’Brady’s, etc. a GOLF CART ONLY ENTRANCE AND EXIT (No cars allowed to exit there) Carts wouldn’t even have to compete with cars then.
I hope this suggestion makes sense to everyone.

[e-flyer]

A stop sign makes more sense to me than a traffic light. You idea of a separate path all the way to the strip mall makes sense to me, as long as there is a means to get to the Citizens Bank or Walgreens, lots of folks use their carts for those businesses also.

[patfla06]

I am putting this suggestion in the 2014 survey..........
Please...please....At least put a 4 way stop where carts enter the road by the Colony Rec Center...so dangerous and difficult for carts to get on the road. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE CARTS BACK UP IN THE DOZENS. Better yet, I suggest you re-route the golf cart path. Instead of having the carts come out to the street, you could get rid of some of the trees alongside the road by the golf course and turn that into a golf cart path…then angle it back toward the buildings, and make that entrance into the area where Beef O’Brady’s, etc. a GOLF CART ONLY ENTRANCE AND EXIT (No cars allowed to exit there) Carts wouldn’t even have to compete with cars then.
I hope this suggestion makes sense to everyone.

I totally agree! Your suggestions make a lot of sense to me.
They also should put a 4-way stop down past the Walgreen's.

[justjim]

A tunnel under colony Blvd and extension to he east of the cart path would solve the safety issues, however, this solution would also be the most expensive.

There are other ways to help including stop signs or a traffic signal. You could allow car traffic only to the recreation building---rerouting all other traffic onto 466A. This would solve the carts crossing colony blvd competing against the cars wanting to hurry to Publix. I'm sure the bank and Walgreens wouldn't approve of this solution.

One thing sure---it's a very bad accident or accidents waiting to happen. :boxing2:

[NJblue]

According to the paper, reconfiguring the cart paths was one of the options (along with a tunnel/overpass and a stop light). It was also the most inexpensive of the options. The tunnel would cost a million dollars. This is one area where the normally exellent planning process of TV failed.

Just think how lovely that intersection will be once they complete the eastern portion of the Villages down Morse Ave and also the new 2,000 homes in Fruitland Park.

[pbeinetti]

Below is an email I sent to Janet Tutt today -- my 2 cents!

Hello Janet:

I read David Corder's article in the Daily Sun with interest this morning. My wife and I use the intersection frequently, both in our cart and vehicle. As noted by you in the article, it is VERY dangerous.

I have a concern that if The Villages of Fruitland Park is built, as I suspect it will be, the traffic at the intersection, and around Colony Plaza in general, will increase substantially. Unless another shopping plaza is built to accommodate residents from the Fruitland Park Village, and other villages SE of 466A, they will use Colony Plaza -- either by cart, or vehicle. While a traffic signal at the intersection might be a short term answer, I believe in the longer run either a bridge or tunnel will be required. Perhaps it would be better not to spend the money on a traffic signal now, but rather plan on a tunnel or bridge in the next year or two. In addition, regardless of the solution picked for the intersection, there needs to be some way to separate carts and vehicles traveling from the Colony Cottage area, to Colony Plaza. At the moment, cars and carts are intermingled -- it is very dangerous. When the snowbirds arrive it is like a demolition derby. Either the street needs to be widened, and cart lanes provided, or a separate path built for carts.

I realize that the design of this intersection, and Colony Blvd. itself, was probably a design error from the beginning. My hope is that it can be rectified by good design now, acknowledging that there will likely be an increase in cart and vehicle traffic from Village areas yet to be built.

Thanks for your help in getting this problem resolved.

[golf2140]

Quick fix. Put two stop signs up. That will backp cars on Colony. They will get the message to go to the traffic light at 466A to go shopping. Cost $200.00 I love easy fixes.

[cquick]

I am putting this suggestion in the 2014 survey..........
Please...please....At least put a 4 way stop where carts enter the road by the Colony Rec Center...so dangerous and difficult for carts to get on the road. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE CARTS BACK UP IN THE DOZENS. Better yet, I suggest you re-route the golf cart path. Instead of having the carts come out to the street, you could get rid of some of the trees alongside the road by the golf course and turn that into a golf cart path…then angle it back toward the buildings, and make that entrance into the area where Beef O’Brady’s, etc. a GOLF CART ONLY ENTRANCE AND EXIT (No cars allowed to exit there) Carts wouldn’t even have to compete with cars then.
I hope this suggestion makes sense to everyone.


I agree that the intersection there was very poorly designed. I am so surprised since TV has had lots of experience in traffic control. Somebody really dropped the ball there!

[kittygilchrist]

I learned to avoid turning into colony from 466a near Walgreens..otherwise at the stop sign, the oncoming mix of carts and cars from three directions is impossible to move past the stop safely and without a long wait. I think it needs a four way, and certainly something should be done to give traffic coming in off 466a clearance from 466a, onto which traffic is likely to back up in season.

[AriaGrandparents2013]

It's been my experience that in evaluating corrective options there is always a tendency to advance a less expensive option/alternatives because it's perceived that the ultimate solution is too expensive. Then as years go on and traffic increases, both automobile and golf cart, which with future southerly expansion of The Villages it's certain that traffic will increase significantly........the Planners & Engineers realize that the ultimate corrective safest solution is to physically separate the two modes of traffic. They then realize several years in the future that this solution now with inflation is two to three times the construction cost of their original estimate.

So now is the time to fast track a design and building of a tunnel system in order to save yourself millions of dollars when you realize that with traffic increases that a signal system was not the solution.

[PaPaLarry]

There's some great ideas posted here, and just glad The Villages are looking into this situation, and planning to rectify the situation. I'm sure solutions are being looked at, and the right decision will be made. That's what I like about The Villages, they learn from mistakes, and fix it better in the next area of construction. Keep bringing in ideas, everyone, so they can make a sensible decision!!

[Bogie Shooter]

Looks like the research has been done and a decision has been made:
**************

A traffic signal to help alleviate congestion at the golf cart that crosses Colony Boulevard near Colony Cottage Recreation Center could be installed soon.

The Project Wide Advisory Committee (PWAC) unanimously voted Monday to get the ball rolling on the matter.

Traffic congestion at the point where the golf cart traffic meets automobile traffic has been an unwelcome byproduct of the popular recreation center and shopping plaza.

[travelguy]

while i love the idea of more tunnels it is virtually impossible to retrofit the intersections where additional tunnels would be helpful. case in point is buena vista and466A. there is no tunnel adjacent to that intersection; one must wind thru the turtle mound gold area and cross by sumter place, and then travel down 466A and eventually meet up with buena vista again. and if you want to get to the library and pinellas plaza, well there is no golf cart path along 466A, and so one must ride along pinellas...
this is quite a poor and awkward design. and there is no other tunnel along 466A until you get past morse. a tunnel near canal would be appropriate. there are many design flaws that were created in the original construction plans...and unfortunately crossing 466A to the new sections did not remedy the situation. the same logic has prevailed, and unfortunately we will have to live with it. these infrastructural inadequacies will be too costly to change, especially when each and every one of us would have to utimately bear that cost.

[pbeinetti]

Response from Janet Tutt, below.

Good Morning,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the article and apologize for the delay in responding.

The traffic engineering firm has reviewed alternatives and did, n fact, consider the tunnel. There are cost constraints to the tunnel option and the PWAC felt the traffic signal was the best alternative at this time.

Community Watch spent part of a day at the site this week and we are working on staffing the location beginning sometime next week as soon as we can adjust schedules and develop our safety/operations plan.

The traffic engineers continue to review this site and will be providing a scope of work and further actions will take place at the November meeting.

Please let me know if you need anything further at this time and, again, thank you for contacting me.

Janet

[rsetterlund]

Good idea, the separate cart path, but that would not help people coming from south of RT 466A.

[JBarracks]

Good idea, the separate cart path, but that would not help people coming from south of RT 466A.

Block the intersection of Morse and Colony from automobile traffic. Let cars go to 466a (Miller) to enter the area.

[golf2140]

Engineering firm get a percentage of project cost. Two stop signs $200.00, traffic signal $50.,000.00. Which one would you push !!!!

[doran]

A stop sign makes more sense to me than a traffic light. You idea of a separate path all the way to the strip mall makes sense to me, as long as there is a means to get to the Citizens Bank or Walgreens, lots of folks use their carts for those businesses also.

A four way stop at Sempler and Coloney--I have suggested this in the past and nothing has been done so far--Let's all get on the band wagon and get this done!!!!!!

[ROCKETMAN]

Publix is one of leading contributors to the traffic problem and the opening of sweeybay has not affected sales. Week after they opened new store sales at publix were 892,000. Last week sales were 969,000. Could top a million this week, Those are about 8% increases year-to-date from last year.

[CFrance]

Quick fix. Put two stop signs up. That will backp cars on Colony. They will get the message to go to the traffic light at 466A to go shopping. Cost $200.00 I love easy fixes.

I learned to avoid turning into colony from 466a near Walgreens..otherwise at the stop sign, the oncoming mix of carts and cars from three directions is impossible to move past the stop safely and without a long wait. I think it needs a four way, and certainly something should be done to give traffic coming in off 466a clearance from 466a, onto which traffic is likely to back up in season.

I agree with Kitty. I have stopped using the light at 466A to get into Colony shopping center altogether, because there is no four-way stop there and I think it's dangerous trying to make a turn there with no stop signs. It's a very busy intersection, and people are coming from right and left, across, AND out of Walgreens. Too much to watch out for. Instead, coming from BV to 466A direction, I turn left onto Morse and right onto Colony so I can have a clear shot
into the shopping center.

When exiting the shopping center, I go down to the light at the Shell station. This traffic pattern really needs work!

[Parker]

I avoid the whole mess now and scoot right on down to Sweetbay. It is a very nice store, and though I love Publix, Sweetbay is a much more convenient alternative with lots of light and nice wide aisles. Most importantly, I and my car/cart leave intact.

[CFrance]

I avoid the whole mess now and scoot right on down to Sweetbay. It is a very nice store, and though I love Publix, Sweetbay is a much more convenient alternative with lots of light and nice wide aisles. Most importantly, I and my car/cart leave intact.

I agree with you, Parker, and as soon as the other things go in there (Solar Nails, UPS store, Sakura), we will be doing the same.

[jojo]

When exiting the shopping center, I go down to the light at the Shell station. This traffic pattern really needs work![/QUOTE]

Increased auto traffic exacerbates the problems for the golf carts that have to make a left turn onto Colony. The increased golf cart traffic from the new areas south of 466a create further pressure and back up for those carts coming from the north. NOT GOOD! It would help if auto traffic used 466a.

[CFrance]

When exiting the shopping center, I go down to the light at the Shell station. This traffic pattern really needs work!

Increased auto traffic exacerbates the problems for the golf carts that have to make a left turn onto Colony. The increased golf cart traffic from the new areas south of 466a create further pressure and back up for those carts coming from the north. NOT GOOD! It would help if auto traffic used 466a.[/QUOTE]

All the more reason for a push for a four-way stop at Colony and Sembler. I will not be using that intersection because it is too dangerous. It looks like the golf cart problem will be helped along with a stop sign where they must enter Colony from the path. That should accommodate both cars and carts on that section of road.

[BobnBev]

Just what we need. more STOP signs to be ignored.:doh::$::oops:

[Wiserbud47]

One of the main reasons why the current golf cart crossing on Colony Blvd. is so difficult to use is because all vehicles converge on one crossing. I hope someone will look at creating an additional cart crossing at the west end of Colony Blvd. nearer to Morse Blvd. There is already a pedestrian crossing there and with some work, I believe a safe crossing could be created. This would take a lot of pressure off the current crossing and would solve much of the problem.

[Indydealmaker]

Traffic here can be totally safe...if drivers would simply obey speed limits and traffic signs. In lieu of that "impossible dream" maybe the only safe environment can be achieved by banning golf carts from the streets or by banning cars. The counties can't ban the cars, but they can and will ban golf carts if drivers here don't get themselves under control.

24152

Mandatory golf cart classes need to be instituted and golf carts driven among cars need to be modified to be safer (better suspension, seat belts, better brakes, etc.). This may make a ton of people mad, but try asking the families of the ten dead villager golf cart drivers how they would feel about these changes.

I feel better now! Not safer, just better.

[Shimpy]

In the golf cart when travelling east on 466A and after going thru the tunnel heading north towards Coloney Blvd you should turn left into the parking lot of the rec center by the pool. From the parking lot go to Coloney Blvd then right. You'd go thru that bad intersection with the right-of-way and without waiting on anyone if you want to go straight towards Publix or Walgreens. If you want to turn left to go north then nobody would be stopping you after waiting for west bound traffic. I did this last year at the height of snow bird traffic and had no problems or waits.

[Indydealmaker]

In the golf cart when travelling east on 466A and after going thru the tunnel heading north towards Coloney Blvd you should turn left into the parking lot of the rec center by the pool. From the parking lot go to Coloney Blvd then right. You'd go thru that bad intersection with the right-of-way and without waiting on anyone if you want to go straight towards Publix or Walgreens. If you want to turn left to go north then nobody would be stopping you after waiting for west bound traffic. I did this last year at the height of snow bird traffic and had no problems or waits.

I love strategic thinking!

[Wiserbud47]

In the golf cart when travelling east on 466A and after going thru the tunnel heading north towards Coloney Blvd you should turn left into the parking lot of the rec center by the pool. From the parking lot go to Coloney Blvd then right. You'd go thru that bad intersection with the right-of-way and without waiting on anyone if you want to go straight towards Publix or Walgreens. If you want to turn left to go north then nobody would be stopping you after waiting for west bound traffic. I did this last year at the height of snow bird traffic and had no problems or waits.

This doesn't help the carts traveling south from the path along Morse Blvd. and the golf course.

[Shimpy]

This doesn't help the carts traveling south from the path along Morse Blvd. and the golf course.
You're right, but I rarely go that way and that's where the longest waits and backups are. If if did then I'd probably turn right,then turn into the rec center parking lot, make a u-turn then out again to Coloney. Now I have the right-a-way for the intersection and no wait to go to Publix or Walgreens. Being a type-A personality, I'd rather keep moving then wait.