New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I hope this post gives residents and nonresidents fair warning that new traffic control signs have been posted on Oak Forest Drive in the Villages of Glenbrook and Polo Ridge As almost everybody knows, Oak Forest has developed into the speedway of the Villages and has become an alternative to using the cart path along Buena Vista. Unfortunately, the road was not built to handle so much traffic and has become a dangerous road to travel on and to reside on. Recently, new traffic control signs have been posted indicating that only local traffic should be using the street. That means only residents of Oak Forest and it's side roads should be traveling on it. It is not a shortcut between Talley Ridge and Southern Trace at the Polo Ridge Village entrance. Be advised that it is anticipated that the Sumter County Sheriff is expected to set up stop points where Deputies can check on the addresses of people using the street. Warnings will probably be issued for the first offense. Thereafter the fine for nonresidents using the street will be $123.50 plus points assigned to the driver's license. Automobile drivers, truck drivers, and golf cart drivers, by now should know that the speed limit on Oak Forest Drive is 25mph. If the local residents restriction does not produce results, it is anticipated that Sumter will be lowering the speed limit on Oak Forest to 15mph. Other possibilities will be considered if the restriction to local traffic and lowering of the speed limit do not produce the desired results. Realizing that drivers in The Villages absolutely disregard any traffic signal, it is anticipated that ultimately Oak Forest will become a one way street or a berm will be built across the street separating Glenbrook and Polo Ridge. Have a nice day.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

OK.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Where exactly are you talking about? I need specifics.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Oak Forest Drive is a road which runs between Talley Ridge Dr and Southern Trace (in the Villages of Glenbrook and Polo Ridge) running parallel with Buena Vista Blvd. Refer to your Villages map. It is located within CDD3.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Cliff - Thanks for the warning that you posted. I did not see it before posting mine.
I don't like it and others may or may not. We have been warned.. Thank you.
May I ask, where in general you live here in The Villages? Not the exact address.

brightspot01 - What can I say? If I wasn't sooooo busy trying to get to 1210 myself,
I would come and take you by the hand and show you Oak Forest Drive.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Bright, See my post under the other Oak Forest Dr topic. 8)

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Bombero

What does 1210 have to do with my honest question?

King of sarcasm? Why?

Thanks for being so considerate.

Sam...you have more posts than I do...so what is Bombero's point?

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

If this is a resident only street and we would be ticketed due to not residing on this street.......it is really a 'private' street which should be gated and we should not be taxed nor subject to its repairs in the future.
How, we might ask, do we visit our friends that reside along that street???

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

You know it is obvious that you are mad and probably have good reason to be, but saying that "drivers in The Villages absolutely disregard any traffic signal" is not going to get you any help here at all. Have a nice day isn't very nice either.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I can understand stopping people for speeding, but I can't how they can possibly enforce stopping people who are not residents of Glenbrook from using the streets. That's just silly, sorry.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Thank you very much, Cliff, because I honestly did not know where Oak Forest Drive was. Now I do...thank you again.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

You've got me , Bright. I'm clueless.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

If I visit someone that lives off of Oak Forest do I need a note from him to prove I did not try to use Oak Forest as a bypass?

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I posted this topic to give fair warning to people about the new traffic control signs on Oak Forest Drive which were erected in an attempt by Sumter County to cut down on the "shortcut" traffic which uses Oak Forest instead of the cart path along Buena Vista. It is idiotic to assume that the restrictions will prevent anyone from visiting someone on Oak Forest or any of it's sidestreets. And, to think that it is not true that residents in The Villages disregard almost all traffic control signs, sit at some stop sign any hour of the day and take note of how many people do not stop at the sign. Sit on Oak Forest for any given amount of time and note how many people disregard the 25 mph signs clearly posted on the street. As I mentioned in my first post, this is just the beginning of the steps that Sumter County intends to use in order to control the Oak Forest problem. This first step is being taken just to see if people will pay any attention to a couple of signs. If they do not, the next step will be put in place. All this because of some inconsiderate people who refuse to obey speed signs and use the golf cart path specially constructed for the purpose of bypassing this neighborhood.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

We attended a Golf Cart safety meeting yesterday at the Savannah CTR and a Sumter Cty police officer warned everyone there that they would be stepping up patrols of this area very soon and are trying to get the word out to everyone. As mentioned previously, seems like many people are bypassing Buena Vista so they can go faster on Oak Forest Drive. Be very careful because the fines are now going to be over $200! I would stay off of Oak Forest Drive if I had no reason to be there. BTW, the safety meeting was excellent; they had reps from Allstate Insurance, a golf cart co rep, two police officers (one from Marian Cty; the other from Sumter Cty, and the HOA rep who conducted the mtg). They showed a 20' video and took a lot of questions afterwards.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I use this street once in awhile (In my golf cart) not to go faster but it is much smoother then the golf cart path along Buena Vista. I will continue to use it but go no more then the 19 mph I was going before. I feel bad for the people who live there but it is not a private street unless they decide to pay all the upkeep.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

joanne,

did the Sumter deputy specifically mention the new signs? If so, did he inform whether the 'no thru traffic' applies to golf carts as well as cars?

Stepped up enforcement for excessive speed (cars and golf carts) I can see. Still baffles me that these signs were erected with no official prior notice.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I've never had occasion to drive this street, nor do I expect to in the near future. However, it suggests a troubling precedent if applied more broadly. On the south side of TV many residents are not pleased with drivers who use Belvedere as a shortcut from Buena Vista to 466. Couldn't residents of that area justifiably (based on the Oak Forest precedent) demand the same restrictions. Other areas may have streets that they believe warrant restrictions, too. :'(

Of course, speed limits and street signs should be enforced and violators held accountable.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I drove by the post office on Oak Forest Drive just to see what Cliff and others are talking about. They do have this "No Through Traffic" very plainly marked.

Doubt if this sign will stand any legal challenge though. That's my first time in three + years even on Oak Forest Drive so I see no reason to use it in the future though.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

:cop: :dontknow:I have been fortunate enough to receive a copy of the Oak Forest Traffic Study today. I have found that I was mistaken when I stated that the second step in correcting the Oak Forest traffic problem was to reduce the speed limit to 15mph if the signage does not work to reduce the cut-through traffic. The second step as outlined in the traffic study is to turn Oak Forest into a one way street. That will put an end to at least one half of the traffic on the street, both auto and golf cart traffic. Unfortunately, this is a tough bullet to take for the residents of the Oak Forest area. Going for our mail will turn into up to a couple of miles of travel for some of us. My snowbird next door neighbor, after hearing the news, has informed me that he will be putting his house up for sale if the one way street solution is put into affect. So, dear readers, you can do all of us a favor and cease using Oak Forest as a shortcut or cut-through. You would get a big "Thank You" from those of us residents of Oak Forest.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I agree that this is a troubling precedent [restricting the right of the public to travel on a public street].

As Villages07 noted in a different thread on this topic, it appears that the decision to post the ""NO THROUGH TRAFFIC" signs was made by the Sumter County Commission after consideration of the issue at its 6-24-08 and 7-8-08 meetings. Presumably this issue came to the Sumter County Commission as a result of complaints from residents on Oak Forest.

I would like to know details of the issue and the legal basis for the approach chosen to deal with the issue so I am contacting the commissioners and requesting an explanation of their decision. I would encourage others concerned about the action and/or the precedent set to do the same. The commissioners can be contacted via the Sumter County Board of County Commissioners home page (http://sumtercountyfl.gov/bocc/index.htm).

John

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Cliff,

Question for you as a resident of this street....

What to you is/are the biggest problems?

Speeding cars? Volume of extra car traffic???

or Volume of golf cart traffic? We can assume that the vast majority of golf carts are going less than 25 mph speed limit, so, their speed should not be that much of an issue?

I have to admit, we use Oak Forest to get up to Glenview....because it is a smoother ride and quite frankly, prettier to look at all the nicely landscaped homes than riding along Buena Vista trail. In my own experience on this road, the car volume presents the bigger challenge for residents trying to get in and out of their driveways.

JohnM....just read your post while writing this one; kudos to you for proactively calling the County for an explanation. Please share with us what you find out.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Villages07. The problem is a combination of all the items you mentioned. We have lots of golf carts traveling in both directions on Oak Forest, and, some EXCEED 35mph. We have a lot of cars and trucks traveling in both directions and some do even faster than 35mph. Oak Forest is not a wide street and there is no golf cart lane on the street because it was not designed to handle the volume of traffic it is now having to handle. Yes, getting out of one's driveway is a major problem for the residents and 95 % of the homes on Oak Forest have their driveway entrances on Oak Forest. At 5 in the morning you can hear gas golf carts riding by the houses with the operators shouting to each other in order to be heard over the noise of the gas cart. For those people who have not been aware of the Oak Forest problem, it has been going on for years. Residents have complained and complained but the buck was always passed on to another department. Finally, after numerous appearances and appeals to CDDs and the Sumter Commissioners, something is being done to solve the problem. It certainly has not happened overnight. A lot of people have spent a lot of time and effort in getting this thing to this stage. Sorry if some readers feel we are trying to get away with something here on Oak Forest. Everything that is happening is being done in accordance with Florida law and after much investigation.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Who in their right mind,would have put those No Through Traffic signs up?
Do they think that all us people who live here are some kind of idiots.If the people on that street and side streets do not want through traffic,a barricade should be installed some where in the middle of the block and let all that live in that area go around also.

Apparently they figure if they can scare some of us off that street,that would be good for the home owners on Oak Forest and all the side streets.
Police would have to be at one end of the street and radio the police on the other end with the license number of all vehicles entering the street and see if they come out the other end, and that would also have to happen in both directions,what a waste of police time.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Autoshow. For the reasoning you present, we, the residents on Oak Forest, hold out no hope at all that the signs will solve our problems. Sumter County also realizes that. But, in order to justify something like making the road a one way road or to build a berm across the street halting traffic from both directions, they had to start off with the sign idea. When enough idiots ignore the signs (not necessarily including you among the idiots) then they can go on to more drastic measures. This is all well thought out and much of the stuff being posted on this blog is fully anticipated. One of the things that we would least expect would be for the idiots to reverse their reasoning and start to use the Buena Vista Blvd and cart path trail. You would not do something like that would you? Hell, if you did, this blog would have no purpose.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Public roads are public roads regardless of signs...dare me!

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I dare you, I dare you, I D double dare you. :-* ;D

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Pfffft.... ;)

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

This appears to be a great example of being careful for what you ask. I can understand the frustration of residents there, and evidently a number of them demanded a solution. Unfortunately, this solution seems to fall a bit short. There are alternatives, several of which have been cited here. Again, though, each of these seems to be a bit lacking.

One way traffic would undoubtedly cut traffic, but how would you like to drive an extra mile or so whenever you left or returned home. You have a 50 yard cart ride to the postal station/pool, but to return home you have to go out to Buena Vista, drive up to Talley Ridge and drive all the way back down Oak Forest. Not good.

A barricade was suggested. If Polo Ridge ended about 1/2 way down Oak Forest, say at Melville Loop, and the Village of Glenbrook started, that could be a solution. Probably would not make many people happy in that it would inconvenience the residents there, the very people who have the problem anyway, but it would retain the villages' integrity.

Another solution would be to limit parking on Oak Forest -- not on my street. Same with speed bumps. Maybe some other types of traffic dampers? Eh, not so much.

So the issue seems to come down to a public thoroughfare, by definition open to the public. For a variety of reasons, it seems to be preferred over Buena Vista by some people. If I'm going between Talley Ridge and Southern Trace, Oak Forest seems a logical alternative. Same if I am going from the cart path north of Talley Ridge to Southern Trace. Otherwise, Oak Forest seems to offer no benefit to the non-resident.

I figure there is no logical or legal way of reducing traffic short of really ticking off residents of that area. Any solution will be far worse than the problem. The only viable solution could address only the other aspect of the problem -- speed. Convince the Sumter Co Sheriff that Oak Forrest is an untapped financial resource via speeding tickets. Especially nail a few speeding golf carts and hit them hard. They don't have to to do it daily, just enough to build a reputation.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

The commissioners on the Sumter County Board of Commissioners (there are 5 of them) at their 7-8-08 meeting.

See earlier posts.

John

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

One of the five commissioners has responded thus far. Commissioner Gilpin supports stricter enforcement of existing laws and not restricting the use of the street. He encourages all with an opinion on this issue to attend the next Board of County Commissioners meeting (Tuesday, July 22d, 5 PM, Colony Cottage Rec Center).

FYI...

John

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

OK people whats next if this flies.Local use only of swimming pools,Golf courses,Rec centers?C'mon folks get real,this is a golf cart community.Limit the speeding,YES,but I can't drive on your road'I don't think so.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

i may be in the minority but until crossing gates by golf cart is made safer i'll continue to find and use residential streets to get me where i'm going.
so if i can't use oak forest i'll use the streets of summerhill to get to southern trace, and buffalo ridge shopping and doctors.
will all residential streets eventually become no thru traffic streets?

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

:agree: Exactly my point in my earlier post. In lieu of making each village a private enclave, I agree with the other posters who suggested stricter enforcing of speed limits and/or, perhaps lowering them.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

When they designed the roads in TV, only certain streets get you from one area of TV to the others. In the case of Tally Ho, Oak Forest is the only through street to Summer Trace to get you to the Polo Grounds or to Summer Trace shopping district without going out to Buena Vista. I do not think that they ever thought that Oak Forest would be restricted to local traffic.

The only other way is for golf carts to take Addison and cut over to Davenport to get to Summer trace. That is going to get pretty crowded fast.

It makes me wonder if these commissioners think before they act.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

That would be interesting background information and a good question to ask at Tuesday's commissioner's meeting...

John

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

how about the county buy all the houses using eminent domain then tear the houses down and build a 6 lane Highway (toll of course). This will then allow the developer the opportunity to build houses on the less traveled Buena Vista.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Correction: Incorrect: Summer Trace; should be Southern Trace.

No criticism intended; merely helpful clarification.....b

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

I too feel this is setting an awful precedent which many other areas in The Villages could also justify needing. I am sorry but Oak Forest Drive is part of The Villages and as such is open to all residents. We do use Oak Forest occasionally when driving our electric golf cart and we do not speed.

I have already e-mailed Mike Francis and Janett Tutt and encouraged them to reconsider this decision. I also received an e-mail tonight from friends that live in Allahambra and they told me there is a movement in their village to have all their residents to contact their district commissioner to protest too.

I can sympathize with vehicles speeding because we have that on our street too. I just wish their were more law enforcement available to do something about it.

Re: New traffic regs on Oak Forest Drive
 

Sorry for the misinformation and thanks. I get the streets and shopping areas mixed up all the time.