[Bogie Shooter]

Developer’s financial help sought at Colony

November 4, 2013 By Meta Minton Leave a Comment


The developer ‘s financial assistance is being requested as both short-term and long-range solutions are sought to the traffic crunch on Colony Boulevard.

District Manager Janet Tutt presented this morning to the Project Wide Advisory Committee a letter she has written to Mark Morse inviting participation in “the solution to the safety-related issues that have developed along Colony Boulevard due to traffic volume and configuration of the roadway and path which causes safety problems for golf caret and vehicle interaction.”

It looks like Community Watch will continue directing traffic for the foreseeable future at the much-discussed location where the multi-modal path traffic meets automobile traffic on Colony Boulevard near the Colony Cottage Recreation Center. The daily cost of having Community Watch staff that site is roughly $200 per day or $1,400 per week.

PWAC members also agreed to have Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. engineering firm move ahead with preparation of a scope of work on a traffic signal for that location. It is estimated that the traffic signal could be in place by March or April and cost in the neighborhood of $200,000.

The traffic signal would arrive just in time as Tutt said she would not want Community Watch personnel out directing traffic in the warm months of the year.

“It becomes a Workmen’s Compensation issue,” she said.

It was acknowledged that even a traffic signal may not be a long-term solution.

“I think we are treading on new snow,” said PWAC Chairman Peter Moeller. “There is no place on the planet that has the type of traffic interaction we have between cars and golf carts.”

PWAC members also pointed out that with 2,000 more Villages homes to be built along County Road 466A in Fruitland Park, the traffic on Colony Boulevard will only increase.

Members agreed that a tunnel or bridge at the location may be a necessity in the future.

With some estimates for a tunnel costing in the $1 million ballpark, PWAC members said they would like to see how much financial assistance the developer might provide before committing to such a plan.

“It is a design flaw,” said PWAC member Ron Ruggeri. “The residents shouldn’t have to pick up the tab for all of this.”

The next PWAC meeting is set of Dec. 12.

[bestmickey]

Thanks for sharing this.

[spk7951]

Glad to see that this approach is being taken and I agree with it. I just hope that the developer steps up and accepts some responsibility for this problem.

[justjim]

Well, the issue has been discussed and options given and it appears from OP''S post a decision has been made on a traffic signal at that location. Now, someone needs to come up with $200,000. No problem, Developer can easily write a check for that amount!