441/27 golf cart bridge
 

Hi, I was wondering. I live on the historic side and a friend knows one of the civil engineers affiliated with the Villages. Anyhow, they were golfing and he said that eventually (10 years or so) that the golf cart bridge is going to need maintenance / repair. It's concrete with reinforcement bars embedded in the concrete. Over time with the weather, concrete does degrade and it's going to need some serious maintenance in the order of millions of dollars. The historic part is not in one of the districts as we were transferred to Lady Lake years ago. When that time comes, I was wondering how something like that will be funded? I can't believe the developer is going to provide anything. With districts 1-4 now being autonomous, I don't know if there would be any provision of funding from them or not. As you move farther south in the Villages, one could not foresee districts 9,10,11 contributing anything as they are too far away. Anyhow I was wondering if anyone had any insight on this.

I think in ten years you're looking at a toll bridge probably very similar to the Sunshine Skyway on 275.

At this stage in my life, I'm not worried about something that may be 10 or more years away. Just enjoying life. :D

In the almost 15 years that I have lived in TV, I have always been told by various sources that the developer built, owns, and maintains that bridge. A better question would be how long will these repairs take and what would be the detour?

This bridge ownership issue came up in 2013 when the Paradise gate was replaced by the 'wall'.

hopefully, they will see fit to allow another golf-cart crossing of 27/441 at Spanish Springs, now that a precedent has been set further north, so maybe the bridge will just be removed at the end of its useful life?

I heard the same thing. Not only will there be a toll, but the bottom will be used as commercial space. But they will spin it as a sprucing up.

The bridge was paid for by bonds that were paid by the businesses on the West side of 441 so that the residents of the East side could get to their businesses. Just google it, it was in the Orlando News.

Frankly, I see no reason why golf carts shouldn't be allowed to cross 27/441 without the bridge at a signal light.

Cart wash at the end so you don't come into town with a dirty cart

That would be worth repeating at various locations throughout TV.

I agree..
 

I don't understand why there is a separate rule for golf carts, but bicycles, walkers, and handicap scooters (going 10 mph max) is OK... While golf carts that are street legal (because they have a ROLL BAR,(I'm sure when a Mac-Truck hits them will make little or no difference)....On other crossings on 441/27 it is allowed....Rule needs to change.

I have lived in TV since 2011. I have never crossed 441 on that overpass. I am too afraid to even try. The bridge seems narrow and dangerous.

I've never found it to be bad actually. Plenty of room. The only people who would have a hard time are those with bad depth perception or have been consuming huge quantities of alcohol.:22yikes:

I cross the bridge all the time. It's no problem. Like almost all of the cart paths here it is too narrow so like when driving on all of the other cart paths, you need to be paying attention.

I agree that golf carts should be allowed to cross at the lights like they do further north.

I live almost directly across from the CVS at Avenida Central. I go to that CVS and Target quite frequently. In order to go to CVS which is less than a half mile from my house, I have to drive my cart a bit over a mile to get to the bridge and then a mile back to get to the CVS. It's absurd that something can't be constructed that enables us to cross at Griffin Road. We can drive to the Circle K but cannot go out onto Griffin. We'd only need a short, (less than 50 yds) access from the Circle K to the crosswalk to be able to cross like, as has been noted, pedestrians, bicycles and handicap carts.

I have no doubt that the developer will pay for any repairs or upkeep of the bridge. It is a major landmark and advertising tool for them. I doubt that they would ever want to see it go away. Although a tunnel, or multiple tunnels would make a lot more sense.

Some work was done to the bridge recently. It was painted and I think that there was some repair done to the road bed. I would think whoever paid for that work will be the same ones that will pay for a major overhaul.

Whoever it is will be doing it in their own best interest. If it's the businesses then they will not want to see the business from the historic district go away. If it's the developer, they will not want to see that happen either. In any event, it is in their interest to see that those of us on this side have a way to get to the other side by golf cart. That's the way most good things happen. Just follow the money.

The bridge is wider than it appears. Two carts with Curtis cabs and doors wide open passing each other is a site to see. A little entertainment - men have a tendency to sit with their knees outward. I've lost count how many times I've heard an oncoming cart driver yell put your knee in. I'm old and keep forgetting to do so. 99% time it is usually a person white knuckling the wheel. If they weren't in such a panic they would realize we would smack mirrors long before a knee gets wacked. However better safe than sorry. I must have thousands of crossings under my belt. Just once I did I get smacked. Someone left their canvass not snapped and flying in the breeze. Somehow caught me on my lip - hurt. The most dangerous situation I see is walkers on the bridge. We are taught to walk facing traffic. If you walk facing traffic as you reach the peak the oncoming cart is blind coming over the hill - very dangerous. In my opinion it would be safer to walk with traffic until you reach the peak then switch over to against traffic on the way down. I usually offer anyone a lift if I see them walking over the bridge. Back on the subject - the bridge topside appears to be in very good shape - no idea what is underneath.