Cart Access to the Doctor Complex on Buenos Aires
 

According to an article in the 1/26 Daily Sun (page A3), Sumter county has removed access for the Buenos Aires cart crossing.

In October, the board approved the crossing so that you could cross at the light at Camino Real and Buenos Aires and go down Buenos Aires to get to the medical complex on the left hand side. They even installed signs to indicate that process.

Prior to that, I was under the impression that you could take the tunnel under Camino Real and go behind the shopping center to cross Buenos Aires to the doctor complex. Maybe that was wrong. I am not sure but there were always carts in the parking lot.

I sent a note to the editor of this article to find out if we could still do that and she said that we could no longer cross over Buenos Aires to get to the medical complex.

This was her answer: "Per the commission's vote, there is now no golf cart access on Buenos Aires period, including crossing. As for getting to the medical offices by golf cart, again I would contact the Sumter County administrator's office or speak with your doctor about his location and golf cart access."

So for us that use our carts to get to that medical complex, we are back to cars.

Z

Just got back from a Dr.'s appt there and there was someone taking down signs on the cart path on El Camino Real and Buenos Aires.

I don't understand why you can not just use the tunnel that goes under El Camino? I've been doing that with no problem.

That is the way I go. But how do you cross Buenos Aires to get to the medical complex on the other side now that thy have banned it?

After spending a few thousand dollars for signs the Sumter County Commisioners decided it was too dangerous for folks to cross this road in their golf carts and heaven forbid, put a crossing lane at the light at Buenos Aires and El Camino. Instead they decided to spend a few more bucks to remove the signs and now they can what, be recycled? Without golf cart access to these Medical Offices, you can still drive your golf carts to parking lot in rear of Publix or Walgreen's and walk across the road. Maybe they believe that will be safer, or go across on your bicycle or motorized scooter or wheelchair, but not in your golf cart. Does this make any sense?

With gas prices rising, they should be encouraging more use by golf carts and access to places by golf carts.

These same folks came up with a way for golf carts to cross multiple lanes of traffic inside the South Morse Gate north of CR 466, why not use similar lane markings and road painting for crossing on El Camino and Buenos Aires? Ditto for Lady Lake and Lake County to permit crossing Rolling Acres Rd from Target parking lot to shopping center on south side of Rolling Acres to enable golf cart access to Best Buy, Kohl's etc?

I would determine who made those decisions, how they are put in those positions, trace it to an elected position, then remind the elected official that they represent the people. Then maybe they will rethink these issues. If not work to vote in someone who will.

I'm confused. The way I read it, you now can't cross El Camino Real at the Buenos Aires/El Camino intersection from the cart path. Doesn't say you can't cross Boenos Aires further down the way where most of us cross to go to the doctor. Also doesn't say you can't drive your cart on Buenos Aires which is a dumb this to do anyway (street legal or not).
Seems the article doesn't give the whole story.

I've been involved in these types of decisions for a long time. They are not made lightly. They don't do it for fun. Usually the decision is based on the number of accidents that occur at a given location. Sometimes, serious near accidents are considered. Police will make observations and report their findings to authorities too.
(have you ever seen those "caution deer crossing next XX miles signs? They're erected based on a high number of deer killed by cars in that section)

My guess, the initial decision to allow the crossing was difficult to make and was done on a trial basis. Something happened to cause the reversal

Please consider that the commissioners have lengthy agendas and they don't say, "...hey lets think of something we can do to mess with the people up in the villages." That is a busy road and busy intersection. I can see why the authorities would be hesitant to allow golf carts to bollix up the flow.

Thank You
 

:BigApplause:TH, for your voice of reason. There is another thread posted out here today titled "Beware Out There" that addresses some issues that probably factored into the decision to restrict the access. As you say, these decisions are not without thought and research. The same holds true for our privilege (yes, it is a privilege and not a right) of golf cart transportation and should not be taken lightly by cart or car drivers. Unless we are careful, the privilege of being on any of the roads with our carts could be rescinded.

Please slow down whether in a car or cart. Simple solution: Just leave earlier. Driving is a privilege in both car and cart and should be treated as such.

That means to me - no crossing Buenos Aires from behind the shopping center either - which is the way I always went.

You can call

I just spoke to SCSO and the gal (Lt Wolfe's asst) said that according communication they received from the Board of County Commissioners the rules regarding that area reverted to what they were before 2007, which means (I think) no crossing of Buenos Aires on a cart.

But she wouldn't commit to that because the Daily Sun article was confusing to them (SCSO) as well. She advised to contact Lt Wolfe, which I will do next week.

At it's Jan. 25 meeting, the Sumter County Board of Commissioners, an elected body, considered a number of options, including more signage, and ultimately voted 4-1 for the option to not allow golf cart traffic.

I found this by going to the Sumter County Website, looking at the Jan. 25 agenda, and reviewing the documents attached to this particular agenda item; and by reviewing the minutes.

This document shows the alternatives considered, with pros and cons of each.

According to the Sumter County Administrator's office (352-689-4400) numerous traffic studies were done to develop the alternatives. These were done under the direction of the Public Works Dept. (793-0240) from which copies of the traffic studies are available.

BTW, I bring all this up not because I favor or oppose the decision made, but just as a reminder that we as citizens do have access to our county governments-- and it is never wrong to ask for it.

I agree with you T-H... but I think if there were some accidents or near misses, the language of the signage may have contributed. The signage was very confusing, IMHO. Suppose you were traveling east on Buenos Aires and wanted to take a right into the rear access to the shopping center. There were 2 signs directing "All Carts Merge Left" into the center lane... not where I want to be if turning right. Another sign stopped east-bound carts before they could enter normally near the Subway restaurant. If they can't use the correct language on the signs, best bet is to use the tunnel.

It’s interesting to note that according to the meeting notes that PT provided a link to, in the 3 ½ year period from July 2007 - November 2010 that allowed golf carts to cross Buenos Aires at three locations, there were no reported golf cart crashes on Buenos Aires.

So they broke something that was working in order to try to fix it.

Yep! Our tax dollars at work!!