Sidewalks along Hwy 441
 

I notice, along the road construction on Highway 441 the state/county is putting in miles of sidewalks.
I don't know how often those sidewalks get used, but don't you feel the land would be better
suited for a golf car path that would benefit the retail stores out there from TV and
other subdivisions?

Your opinion please

The sidewalks I’m told are required by a State/federal law. Disclaimer: I have not researched the statute’s for this information. I figured waste of time and would not change anything,

The sidewalks are most likely required by the Federal ADA (Americans with Disabilities) law. A lot of taxpayer money is spent on sidewalks that are not often used because there is no requirement to do a benefit-to-cost analysis, like most other projects. If meets the ADA criteria, you need to build it.

Don't know about required, but I did hear the state does this because the money
is available to spend.
Another example is up on SE 92nd Loop, (bypass Bellview) there's miles of sidewalks.

TV isn't going to build MMPs (golf cart paths) allowing access to properties they do not own...

They don't get used at all yet, they aren't open for use yet. On the other side of the road some of the sidewalks nearer to Chipotle are open for use. I use them. I park my golf cart at Walgreen's and walk from there (since you aren't allowed to cross Rolling Acres with a golf cart).

It's SO much safer than trying to walk in the middle of the parking lots, and much more convenient than walking the sidewalk of the shopping plaza, then leaving that sidewalk to cross through the parking lot, and to the side road of the plaza area, and then around the Chipotle building to get in.

I can also definitely see me riding my bicycle on the sidewalk on my side of 441, to get to Walmart, or maybe have a hotdog at Sonic. Much safer than riding on 441 or even on the back road behind the strip-malls, where you have to fight with traffic just to take a left - anywhere at all.

They’re also adding sidewalks along SR 44. As stated earlier in this thread, the only explanation must be that they’re now required by federal law.

I've heard some new legislation was passed that forces them to build sidewalks.

The best part of the new sidewalk along Rte 44 is that the sidewalk stops 5-10 feet from the edge of any road or driveway. Not sure how this helps any ADA compliance.

The ADA law is more than 30 years old. Passed in 1990. It is why a lot of sidewalks are included in Federally funded construction projects.

I came from a sidewalk challenged city so I don't care how they got there, but I support them being there. There were may places in the last city I lived where my wife and I would have loved to walk to, but were unable to because of the lack of sidewalks. Walking facing traffic on a two or three lane road just isn't safe.

I see people walking along the side of 441 every time I drive up to Ocala and wonder why there were no sidewalks when there were obviously so many people without cars needing them. Many of these people I see are carrying backpacks.

People should take advantage of what is a golf cart free, safer than MMP's area, and use them for walking.

I have personally arranged the construction of ramps from the street to a sidewalk only one little problem, 20 years later there are no sidewalks installed. Lonely little ramps all over with no destination. When I asked my superiors why they said it wasn’t our business as to why, just build baby build. Taxes in N.J. are easily four times what they are here. Same waste going on.

I'd use them for biking, even if bikes should use the shoulder/bike lane.