Talk of The Villages Florida
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Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)
-   The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)
-   -   Do you find the Morse Ave bridge crossing dangerous? (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/do-you-find-morse-ave-bridge-crossing-dangerous-80619/)

Parker 06-22-2013 07:11 AM
Do you find the Morse Ave bridge crossing dangerous?
 
When crossing the Morse Ave bridge in my golfcart, I must say I hold my breath until getting past it. The posted speed limit for the crossing is 10mph, but few adhere to that limit, and the room for two carts passing each other is minimal at best.

I'd love to see a separate bridge for golfcarts, going across the water. For safety, it could have a birdcage type enclosure over it. I know, I know, it would be expensive! But wouldn't it be fun and beautiful, and a really unique Villages feature?

asianthree 06-22-2013 07:34 AM
my husband wanted to buy in the new village but that means crossing the bridge two or three times a day in a cart and i hate going over every once in awhile so we didn't buy

ajbrown 06-22-2013 07:35 AM
I am certainly uncomfortable when crossing
 
I am not aware of any major accidents there, but I sure feel vulnerable when crossing.

IMO it is the worst designed cart path in TV. It is the only place I feel like even if I drive defenselessly I am at the mercy of the cart coming from the other direction. There is no bailout. Some of these carts are pedal to the medal, completely unaware how easily and sharply a cart can veer when it hits a curb.

The solution to me would have been to not have a RAISED sidewalk, but since I am not a bridge designer, that may not have been an option....

Go slow and hope the folks coming at you are headed TO happy hour, not the FROM :beer3:

PS. Two years ago I was passed while on that bridge. As the man went by between me and the sidewalk at 14 MPH, I simply yelled in YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!! He never looked over. When we got off the bridge his cart went 17-18 MPH tops. If this was a movie, I would have had my wife take the wheel as he passed, boarded his cart, slapped him around and then got back in my cart and zoom away at 19.6 :evil6:

jane032657 06-22-2013 07:36 AM
We live in Haciendas of Mission Hills. We go over it all the time. You need to go slow and watch for others, it is tight in a few places when two golf carts are passing but it really is not hard to navigate once you have done it a few times. Just like any other golfcart driving, beware of all others!

DonH57 06-22-2013 07:55 AM
I have never seen that bridge speed limit enforced for cars or carts. I know I'm not there 24/7 either. I've been passed not always safely by many other carts on that bridge and some with very rude gestures and vulgarity.

graciegirl 06-22-2013 08:09 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajbrown (Post 695912)
I am not aware of any major accidents there, but I sure feel vulnerable when crossing.

IMO it is the worst designed cart path in TV. It is the only place I feel like even if I drive defenselessly I am at the mercy of the cart coming from the other direction. There is no bailout. Some of these carts are pedal to the medal, completely unaware how easily and sharply a cart can veer when it hits a curb.

The solution to me would have been to not have a RAISED sidewalk, but since I am not a bridge designer, that may not have been an option....

Go slow and hope the folks coming at you are headed TO happy hour, not the FROM :beer3:

PS. Two years ago I was passed while on that bridge. As the man went by between me and the sidewalk at 14 MPH, I simply yelled in YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!! He never looked over. When we got off the bridge his cart went 17-18 MPH tops. If this was a movie, I would have had my wife take the wheel as he passed, boarded his cart, slapped him around and then got back in my cart and zoom away at 19.6 :evil6:
Wow...AJ...I was going to post that I agree with every word of your post and then I read the last paragraph.

AND...after thinking about it some more.

I still agree with every word of your post.

It is posted ten miles an hour and if you drive it at that speed you are fairly safe. It is too narrow, Mr. Gary Morse. And I am a HUGE fan.

skip0358 06-22-2013 08:11 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajbrown (Post 695912)
I am not aware of any major accidents there, but I sure feel vulnerable when crossing.

IMO it is the worst designed cart path in TV. It is the only place I feel like even if I drive defenselessly I am at the mercy of the cart coming from the other direction. There is no bailout. Some of these carts are pedal to the medal, completely unaware how easily and sharply a cart can veer when it hits a curb.

The solution to me would have been to not have a RAISED sidewalk, but since I am not a bridge designer, that may not have been an option....

Go slow and hope the folks coming at you are headed TO happy hour, not the FROM :beer3:

PS. Two years ago I was passed while on that bridge. As the man went by between me and the sidewalk at 14 MPH, I simply yelled in YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!! He never looked over. When we got off the bridge his cart went 17-18 MPH tops. If this was a movie, I would have had my wife take the wheel as he passed, boarded his cart, slapped him around and then got back in my cart and zoom away at 19.6 :evil6:
It's my understanding that the sidewalk was added at the request of the county after the bridge construction for pedestrian access. That's what I heard.

Carla B 06-22-2013 08:21 AM
Maybe they could eliminate the sidewalk, thereby widening the golf cart lane, then build a footbridge for pedestrians to cross outside the existing structure.

angiefox10 06-22-2013 08:22 AM
Crossing the Bridge....
 
Actually... I cross it fast.... until another cart is coming and I all but slow way down to let them pass me.... then I go very fast again until another cart comes and slow again.... It's my passive aggressive way of getting across the bridge alive! I notice others driving the bridge the same way.... gets us across faster while slowing down for passing traffic.

I also have curtis cab doors that I close before I cross on the drivers side as they stick out!

Warren Kiefer 06-22-2013 08:28 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parker (Post 695902)
When crossing the Morse Ave bridge in my golfcart, I must say I hold my breath until getting past it. The posted speed limit for the crossing is 10mph, but few adhere to that limit, and the room for two carts passing each other is minimal at best.

I'd love to see a separate bridge for golfcarts, going across the water. For safety, it could have a birdcage type enclosure over it. I know, I know, it would be expensive! But wouldn't it be fun and beautiful, and a really unique Villages feature?
As a Civil Engineer, it is my opinion that the design of the sidewalk and golf cart lanes across this particular structure is very poor . I am unsure about any minimum width that might be required for the sidewalk, but if so, the bridge should have been designed wider. If there is no minimum width requirment, then the sidewalk should have been less in width, this would provide a greater width for the golf cart lanes. Now that the bridge is already completed and I agree a bit dangerous, the only simple solution is to slow the golf carts by placing speed bumps alont the entire length. Yes, I also hate those speed bumps, but they do slow traffic.

ugotme 06-22-2013 08:49 AM
Sorry, but as a not-yet-there homeowner, where exactly is this bridge?

dsned 06-22-2013 09:04 AM
No birdcage! It would spoil the view!

graciegirl 06-22-2013 09:26 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer (Post 695934)
As a Civil Engineer, it is my opinion that the design of the sidewalk and golf cart lanes across this particular structure is very poor . I am unsure about any minimum width that might be required for the sidewalk, but if so, the bridge should have been designed wider. If there is no minimum width requirment, then the sidewalk should have been less in width, this would provide a greater width for the golf cart lanes. Now that the bridge is already completed and I agree a bit dangerous, the only simple solution is to slow the golf carts by placing speed bumps alont the entire length. Yes, I also hate those speed bumps, but they do slow traffic.

Of all the words of tongue and pen

the Saddest are...it should have been.

Parker 06-22-2013 09:42 AM
Ugotme, the bridge is just north of Lake Sumter Landing along Morse Avenue. It crosses Lake Sumter and for a short distance the golfcart lanes run right alongside the car lanes with only a small curb between the two areas. The cart lanes are a two-way setup with very little room for error. In a community of elders, with all their depth-perception issues, and sometimes other coordination issues, the crossing can sometimes be a white-knuckle affair.

And Dsned, Yes, a birdcage would indeed spoil the view!

Bosoxfan 06-22-2013 09:57 AM
Last week while driving home from work @ 2 a.m. I was unable to cross the bridge. There was a pickup truck that jumped the curb & broke his axle.The truck was blocking the golf cart path so I had to go all the way around to Laurel manor to get home to Gilchrist.Although it added 20 minutes to my ride home I'm just happy I wasn't on that bridge 5 minutes earlier or I might not have made it home at all.

Serenoa 06-22-2013 10:15 AM
When we were there on our LSV we felt way more vulnerable by the cars & trucks in the adjacent vehicle lanes than we did by approaching golf carts, even as narrow as the golf cart lanes are. I'm surprised there hasn't been a terrible accident from a vehicle jumping the curb & hitting golf carts. Sadly, that's probably what it will take before any changes are made. Speed bumps in the cart lanes are a terrible idea, as they could easily cause a driver to lose control if they mistakenly hit them going too fast. As someone else said there's very little room for error.

ilovetv 06-22-2013 11:01 AM
I think safety demands that a separate lane for northbound carts needs to be added onto the right side of this bridge, and the current 2-lane cart path....I mean TRAP...be made into a single southbound lane.

Narrowly missing a crash every time by brushing wheels with an oncoming cart in the current two-way path on the bridge is HARROWING. Even if everyone is obeying the 10mph speed limit, a crash of two oncoming carts is going to mean they also FLIP and dump their drivers' and passengers' heads onto the curbing or car roadway to be then run over.

PennBF 06-22-2013 11:06 AM
Sad Part
 
The sad part is if you raise the concern to The Villages Management you will get a copout that it is the responsibility of the Lady Lake highway dept. If The Villages wanted to fix it I am sure they could with the power they have with the number of residents. Of course they could take a couple of feet off of the sidewalk as you hardly ever see anyone on it and widen the cart path.
This along with the need to cross Morse Blvd at the gate with the gate person having been told to disregard the Golf Cart traffic and let them line up into traffic in the winter and only pay attention to cars going north are two of the more outrages arrogance being fostered on the residents when it comes to traffic. :rant-rave:

gatherer47 06-22-2013 11:34 AM
I always wondered why the gate person at Morse and Rt 466 payed no attention to the golf carts trying to get across to the path.Now I know.

justjim 06-22-2013 11:35 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by PennBF (Post 695971)
The sad part is if you raise the concern to The Villages Management you will get a copout that it is the responsibility of the Lady Lake highway dept. If The Villages wanted to fix it I am sure they could with the power they have with the number of residents. Of course they could take a couple of feet off of the sidewalk as you hardly ever see anyone on it and widen the cart path.
This along with the need to cross Morse Blvd at the gate with the gate person having been told to disregard the Golf Cart traffic and let them line up into traffic in the winter and only pay attention to cars going north are two of the more outrages arrogance being fostered on the residents when it comes to traffic. :rant-rave:
I believe this bridge is now the responsibility of Sumter County. The bridge was built to specs. At the time it was built but I'm pretty sure there were no specs., At the time, for bridges that included golf cart paths. A couple of more signs posting the 10mph speed limit might help-----a little. What would help the most would be to lower the speed to 5 mph on a couple areas of the bridge and put up some guard rail or raise the level of curbing to keep the cars/trucks from accidently getting over into the cart path.

zcaveman 06-22-2013 01:15 PM
I have never had a problem. I just slow down when there is oncoming traffic.

However it would better if it was wider!

Z

janmcn 06-22-2013 01:30 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by PennBF (Post 695971)
The sad part is if you raise the concern to The Villages Management you will get a copout that it is the responsibility of the Lady Lake highway dept. If The Villages wanted to fix it I am sure they could with the power they have with the number of residents. Of course they could take a couple of feet off of the sidewalk as you hardly ever see anyone on it and widen the cart path.
This along with the need to cross Morse Blvd at the gate with the gate person having been told to disregard the Golf Cart traffic and let them line up into traffic in the winter and only pay attention to cars going north are two of the more outrages arrogance being fostered on the residents when it comes to traffic. :rant-rave:

The width of the sidewalk is probably determined by The Americans With Disabilities Act. I would think that it would have to be wide enough to allow a wheelchair or motorized mobility vehicle. For the planners to add a sidewalk as an afterthought, falls under the category of 'what were they thinking'?

Lady Lake has nothing to do with this bridge. It is wholly within the confines of Sumter County.

PennBF 06-22-2013 01:50 PM
Your Right
 
Your right, I mis spoke..The bridge is Sumter County responsibility.

rubicon 06-22-2013 02:03 PM
To quote a great mind "At this point what difference does it make.":D

Regor 06-22-2013 02:16 PM
Whine, whine. Go across that thing several times a day. No problems. Stay in your lane. I you all are scared, take your car.

justjim 06-22-2013 03:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Regor (Post 696060)
Whine, whine. Go across that thing several times a day. No problems. Stay in your lane. I you all are scared, take your car.
Perhaps unlike some posts OP has some legitimate safety concerns regarding LS bridge. There maybe some things that could be done to make the bridge a bit safer.

msendo 06-22-2013 04:33 PM
During our last visit to TV, we attempted to walk to The Village of Hacienda/ Mission Hills. We gave up and turned around when we reached the tunnel after crossing Morse Bridge. How do you actually walk to this village from LSL? Also, we are not familiar with the rules and regulations of who or what can travel through these tunnels. Would someone please enlighten us. Thanks in advance!

Mikeod 06-22-2013 05:12 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by msendo (Post 696150)
During our last visit to TV, we attempted to walk to The Village of Hacienda/ Mission Hills. We gave up and turned around when we reached the tunnel after crossing Morse Bridge. How do you actually walk to this village from LSL? Also, we are not familiar with the rules and regulations of who or what can travel through these tunnels. Would someone please enlighten us. Thanks in advance!
The tunnels are part of the multi-modal paths. They are for use by carts, bicycles, pedestrians, motorized chairs, or whatever. Unfortunately some feel that they are cart paths only and anyone using another form of transportation should be run off the path, yelled at or some other form of bullying. You were completely within the right to continue your walk to Mission Hills.

Shimpy 06-22-2013 05:12 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Regor (Post 696060)
Whine, whine. Go across that thing several times a day. No problems. Stay in your lane. I you all are scared, take your car.
I stay in my lane but can't control the cart coming at me taking up a foot of my lane.
I go full speed across hoping to get over without coming up to an approaching cart until I come to another cart then slow down to a walking speed. Before the bridge I fold in my side view mirror so to give me a little more clearance especially if I come up to a cart who's mirror is the same height as mine.

buggyone 06-22-2013 06:51 PM
I agree there is too much whining on this subject. Slow down from full throttle, stay in your lane and you will have no problem.

I remember similar thread from last year about the wooden bridge by Hope Lutheran Church leading to Morse. Lots of whiners saying it was too narrow because some drunken teen had taken a plunge over the side with their grandpa's golf cart. Nothing has been done with that wooden bridge - I use it every week - it is plenty wide for 2 carts to pass - unless there is a drunk teen in a cart.

Can't fix stupid!

Bucco 06-22-2013 07:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by buggyone (Post 696197)
I agree there is too much whining on this subject. Slow down from full throttle, stay in your lane and you will have no problem.

I remember similar thread from last year about the wooden bridge by Hope Lutheran Church leading to Morse. Lots of whiners saying it was too narrow because some drunken teen had taken a plunge over the side with their grandpa's golf cart. Nothing has been done with that wooden bridge - I use it every week - it is plenty wide for 2 carts to pass - unless there is a drunk teen in a cart.

Can't fix stupid!
I really really hate to agree with BUGGY, however, quietly I will.

All these threads, if you read carefully, have to do with inconsiderate PEOPLE.....all the whining about the developer did this or the law on whatevver........PEOPLE are what makes somethings just plain miserable.

Next time you read a complaint, just ask ...what if the folks who were here acted like responsible adults ? In most cases that is the answer.

People either have no respect for others or just choose not to show it because they feel entitled to do just whatever they please !!

Virtual Geezer 06-22-2013 07:58 PM
The one thing I ALWAYS look at when crossing that bridge is where the left side wheels of oncoming carts are with relation to the center line. I have almost come to a stop at times when oncoming carts would not pull over into their lane and SLOW down.

Now if no traffic is approaching I will speed things up a bit to just get over the bridge. Wardrobe malfunctions, denture and filling adjustments can be taken care of on the other side. That path has to be the bumpiest path I have ever been on. They must have hired an Ohio construction and engineering crew for that job.

VG

Warren Kiefer 06-22-2013 08:03 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by justjim (Post 696137)
Perhaps unlike some posts OP has some legitimate safety concerns regarding LS bridge. There maybe some things that could be done to make the bridge a bit safer.
I agree with you Jim, this is directed at the same OP as your comments were. .Every timd there is a posting, someone attacks the poster. Why do you do this. I did not detect anyone whine, whine. What I felt was someone wanting a legimate discussion of a very serious matter.

Warren Kiefer 06-22-2013 08:08 PM
Not true
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by buggyone (Post 696197)
I agree there is too much whining on this subject. Slow down from full throttle, stay in your lane and you will have no problem.

I remember similar thread from last year about the wooden bridge by Hope Lutheran Church leading to Morse. Lots of whiners saying it was too narrow because some drunken teen had taken a plunge over the side with their grandpa's golf cart. Nothing has been done with that wooden bridge - I use it every week - it is plenty wide for 2 carts to pass - unless there is a drunk teen in a cart.



Can't fix stupid!

You are not correct about nothing being done to the wooden bridge. Everyone who travels across that bridge knows the height of the side rails was increased.

Barefoot 06-22-2013 09:08 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by asianthree (Post 695910)
my husband wanted to buy in the new village but that means crossing the bridge two or three times a day in a cart and i hate going over every once in awhile so we didn't buy
We considered buying a villa in a community just north of the bridge, but decided against it, same reason.

queasy27 06-23-2013 06:52 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bucco (Post 696205)
People either have no respect for others or just choose not to show it because they feel entitled to do just whatever they please!!
Is there perhaps another option? That some people may not be fully aware of how their actions affect others? And that comments here may, as we used to say, raise their consciousness?

rubicon 06-23-2013 07:05 AM
I am going on 7 years here and never once had to cross the Morse Street Bridge by golf cart. Apparently that means I am missing some important people and important things here. Hmmmmmmmmmmm

kittygilchrist 06-23-2013 07:30 AM
rented in Mission Hills...yep, that two lane is a squeaker.

skip0358 06-23-2013 08:55 AM
If EVERYONE would reduce their speed when going over any of our bridges there wouldn't be a problem. But when both carts are a full speed it's kind of scary and I've seen some mirror busting.

Patty55 06-23-2013 09:43 AM
I think it's especially dangerous to men who always have their knee sticking out to air out the boys.


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