Chitty Chatty Bridge, What Were They Thinking?
 

Watching the latest of Don's videos, I am surprised (or maybe not surprised) at the lack of foretought in the design of the Chitty Chatty bridge.

Unlike the bridge crossing Lake Sumter, where there is a dedicated walking and biking lane, the Chitty Chatty bridge features(?) a single walking / biking lane on the Rohan side of the bridge which abruptly ends at the top.

While a good idea (developer liability), won't this cause more problems than it attempts to alleviate?

As a walker / runner / cyclist, with many years sharing space with carts and cars, here is my take.

On a flat roadway / sidewalk

1. Walkers travel at 2 to 5 mph.
2. Runners travel at 6 to 10 mph
3. Cyclists travel at 8 to 18 mph
4. Carts travel at 20+ mph

So what happens at the top of the grade when the four groups merge together to travel across the bridge?

Answer, the walkers walk at 5 mph, the runners run at 8 mph, the cyclists cycle at 14 mph and all the carts line up behind them, even though the cart drivers are used to traveling 20 mph.

Hopefully, all the cart drivers will be abundantly patient and slow to 5 mph. The carts will not attempt to pass the walkers / runners / cyclists. Yeah right!

Can you say Morgan and Morgan?

does anyone know the width of the 2 lanes on the bridge?

Actually it is worse as the average walker is more like 2-3 mph.

Anything to save a few bucks. You are correct. How shortsighted, and dangerous.

I was told by my barbers gardener, that the walkway to the top was for skiers to use when it snows here in the winter!:icon_wink:

Wow we are new and thought we could never use our skis here.

Now to find someone to wax our skis.

Turnpike Bridge
 

Is the Fl Turnpike bridge the same design?

Guess you can stay off the bridge, problem solved!

A sidewalk at ground level to a new crosswalk or the light at Morse/44 would aleviate the risk.

A crosswalk the a recently added at Everglades to allow walkers to bypass two tunnels.

Well, we will see for ourselves as we drive the Chitty Chatty bridge in a few days. Its rather spectacular to see from a distance and drive under on State Route 44.

I doubt that there will be many people walking on that bridge, maybe at the beginning but it will quickly fade. I also don't see it having heavy bike and golf car traffic, it will be used by both but doubtful there will be any "traffic jams" as there will be plenty of space for the cars to pass the bikes. For the next few months only those living in Chitty Chatty and Bradford will have easy access to the bridge, even walkers from west of the Turnpike will have to find a place to park their cars before starting their journey. As far as those living north, after they find there is really nothing much to see or do over there at this time they won't come back until the golf courses are open or at such time that they can cross the turnpike.

solution? Drive you’re car to the other side of the golf cart bridge, then park and start walking, or remove you bike from car and start riding. I don’t know how much that bridge costs? But you can bet it not cheap. Be glad got golf cart bridge connection the lower section.

Few hundred thousand bucks?

or even more

Try modifying speed to match traffic and road conditions. Tried the bridge. No big deal.