[Whatever]

The best suggestion I have seen, was to extend the existing golf cart path to the Citizens Bank on both sides of the road. Then, put a four way stop at the corner of Colony and Morse Blvd. so as to allow the flow of traffic (a la Old Camp Rd. and Canal, next to Too Jays.) We are talking about concrete, black top, and two additional stop signs. Cost, a lot less.

[downeaster]

Item in Villages News.com states
"Developer won’t help pay for Colony Blvd. golf cart bridge". It also mentions alternative solutions he would support financially.

The article is worth reading. I would link it but the link doesn't work so I suggest typing it in.

[PaPaLarry]

How about a fund raiser for the bridge????? Or, how about every household donate $10.00? Then we all get our moneys worth. Oh well!! I tried.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by lightworker888

I still don't see how a roundabout would work in this configuration when you have the golf cart paths and the roadway intersecting. There is no merging safely or easily into the roundabout at that crossing as I see it. If there is one lane, then are the carts and cars behind each other? Maybe it could work if there was an adjacent cart lane and the one car lane. Perhaps that is what you were thinking of. Just pondering........

LW 888

The carts and the cars would use the roundabout together. Carts would be coming off the cart paths into the roundabout, and cars would be coming off Colony into the roundabout. It would work just like any other roundabout in TV, except it's a smaller (private?) road, so carts can be on the road and in the roundabout legally. If you drive on Colony, you are already sharing that road with carts, just like roads in neighborhoods that don't have diamond lanes. So no need for a different lane for carts.

Basically, the roundabout would work like a four-way stop sign except that it keeps traffic moving faster and in all one direction.

It's not the cheapest solution, but cheaper than a bridge or tunnel. I would also be in favor of a traffic signal if its timing were right so as not to back traffic up.

[Suzi]

It is true I am not intimately familiar with all the facts and figures since I have not lived here very long, but I have made some observations: the area of Colony is very busy most of the time. Being a cart driver or car driver can be very nerve wracking when driving the area. However, I think the area is used by default by many people who live just north of 466A. Many of those people would shop or do business at the new Pinellas shopping area, but because there is NO easy way to cross 466A except near Colony, people use colony because it ends up being closer. If there was a tunnel or bridge under or over 466A near BuenaVista, I believe a great deal of people would choose to use the establishments at Pinellas and that would considerably reduce the traffic problem at colony

[LndLocked]

Question:

Who was it that was responsible for; engineering, designing and building this problem?

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by Suzi

It is true I am not intimately familiar with all the facts and figures since I have not lived here very long, but I have made some observations: the area of Colony is very busy most of the time. Being a cart driver or car driver can be very nerve wracking when driving the area. However, I think the area is used by default by many people who live just north of 466A. Many of those people would shop or do business at the new Pinellas shopping area, but because there is NO easy way to cross 466A except near Colony, people use colony because it ends up being closer. If there was a tunnel or bridge under or over 466A near BuenaVista, I believe a great deal of people would choose to use the establishments at Pinellas and that would considerably reduce the traffic problem at colony

Best idea to date.

[obxgal]

Originally Posted by Suzi

It is true I am not intimately familiar with all the facts and figures since I have not lived here very long, but I have made some observations: the area of Colony is very busy most of the time. Being a cart driver or car driver can be very nerve wracking when driving the area. However, I think the area is used by default by many people who live just north of 466A. Many of those people would shop or do business at the new Pinellas shopping area, but because there is NO easy way to cross 466A except near Colony, people use colony because it ends up being closer. If there was a tunnel or bridge under or over 466A near BuenaVista, I believe a great deal of people would choose to use the establishments at Pinellas and that would considerably reduce the traffic problem at colony

There is a tunnel that goes under 466A at Buena Vista. It's been there since they widened 466A from 2 lanes to 4. The golf cart lane goes down past Turtle Mound golf course, then under 466A.

[Suzi]

Originally Posted by obxgal

There is a tunnel that goes under 466A at Buena Vista. It's been there since they widened 466A from 2 lanes to 4. The golf cart lane goes down past Turtle Mound golf course, then under 466A.

Yes, that is true. But do you realize how far south of BuenaVista that tunnel is? Its almost to the new building for the memory center. If you have gone that far south, it makes more sense to continue on to Colony. If you wanted to go to Pinellas Plaza, you would have to go thru the tunnel and cross 466A and backtrack all the way back to BuenaVista and then on to the new Pinellas shopping center. And then repeat the same thing on the return home.
There is absolutely NO WAY to cross under or over 466A very near or north of BuenaVista. I believe it is another reason that Brownwood is not utilized more because it is so difficult to get to by golf cart. I'm new around here, but I believe more people would use the new Sweetbay and the new stores more in the Pinellas Plaza if there was easier golf cart access across or under 466A north of BuenaVista thus relieving the heavy traffic at Colony.

[Nlnicholson]

Not a real fan of Sweetbay. So I'll just brave the traffic to get to Publix

[Ooper]

I get confused when you talk about a tunnel or crossing north or south of Buena Vista because BV runs north and south. But the tunnel under 466A is only about 30 seconds east of Buena Vista. If you can't afford a half minute, you probably should drive your car.

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by Suzi

It is true I am not intimately familiar with all the facts and figures since I have not lived here very long, but I have made some observations: the area of Colony is very busy most of the time. Being a cart driver or car driver can be very nerve wracking when driving the area. However, I think the area is used by default by many people who live just north of 466A. Many of those people would shop or do business at the new Pinellas shopping area, but because there is NO easy way to cross 466A except near Colony, people use colony because it ends up being closer. If there was a tunnel or bridge under or over 466A near BuenaVista, I believe a great deal of people would choose to use the establishments at Pinellas and that would considerably reduce the traffic problem at colony

To the contrary, it's very easy for me to get to Pinellas shopping, closer in fact. But sometimes I CHOOSE to go to Publix, or Bealls, in which case I will be adding to the traffic. I keep hearing how the "NEW" people south of 466A should go to the new shopping. I think it's a little forward that anyone could even think to tell me where to shop. Remember, I'm dealing with the traffic also.

[PaPaLarry]

I think many people choose to go to Colony, because of their choices!!! Many people like the Publix there, or restaurants, Hair Dressers, Banks, and of course the gas station for both carts and vehicles. and or going to Colony Rec Center. I also don't think business owners in Colony, like the idea of suggesting, people to go to Pinella's Shopping Plaza, instead of Colony. I hope we come to a happy conclusion to this situation!

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by PaPaLarry

I think many people choose to go to Colony, because of their choices!!! Many people like the Publix there, or restaurants, Hair Dressers, Banks, and of course the gas station for both carts and vehicles. and or going to Colony Rec Center. I also don't think business owners in Colony, like the idea of suggesting, people to go to Pinella's Shopping Plaza, instead of Colony. I hope we come to a happy conclusion to this situation!

Yeah...I was actually sitting in Cal's one day and this woman was loudly complaining that all the NEW people should be shopping at Pinellas. I so wanted to apologize for not having reached retirement age as quickly as she did and tell her how ashamed I was to be a NEW person clogging up their stores...NOT.

[George Bieniaszek]

I am still trying to wrap my mind around how a bridge or tunnel would help ease traffic at that location. The main safety issue as I see it are southbound carts trying to merge into traffic by making a left turn to go into the shopping plaza. The other issue are westbound carts on Colony leaving the shopping plaza making a left turn to get under 466A.

Yes, there are southbound carts that need to cross Colony and cross 466A, or vice versa, and a bridge or tunnel would solve that issue.

Just wondering if a one-way, east-bound cart path running parallel to the north side of Colony starting at the cart crossing and ending at the shopping plaza would be a viable option.