[Parker]

When crossing the Morse Ave bridge in my golfcart, I must say I hold my breath until getting past it. The posted speed limit for the crossing is 10mph, but few adhere to that limit, and the room for two carts passing each other is minimal at best.

I'd love to see a separate bridge for golfcarts, going across the water. For safety, it could have a birdcage type enclosure over it. I know, I know, it would be expensive! But wouldn't it be fun and beautiful, and a really unique Villages feature?

[asianthree]

my husband wanted to buy in the new village but that means crossing the bridge two or three times a day in a cart and i hate going over every once in awhile so we didn't buy

[ajbrown]

I am not aware of any major accidents there, but I sure feel vulnerable when crossing.

IMO it is the worst designed cart path in TV. It is the only place I feel like even if I drive defenselessly I am at the mercy of the cart coming from the other direction. There is no bailout. Some of these carts are pedal to the medal, completely unaware how easily and sharply a cart can veer when it hits a curb.

The solution to me would have been to not have a RAISED sidewalk, but since I am not a bridge designer, that may not have been an option....

Go slow and hope the folks coming at you are headed TO happy hour, not the FROM

PS. Two years ago I was passed while on that bridge. As the man went by between me and the sidewalk at 14 MPH, I simply yelled in YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!! He never looked over. When we got off the bridge his cart went 17-18 MPH tops. If this was a movie, I would have had my wife take the wheel as he passed, boarded his cart, slapped him around and then got back in my cart and zoom away at 19.6

[jane032657]

We live in Haciendas of Mission Hills. We go over it all the time. You need to go slow and watch for others, it is tight in a few places when two golf carts are passing but it really is not hard to navigate once you have done it a few times. Just like any other golfcart driving, beware of all others!

[DonH57]

I have never seen that bridge speed limit enforced for cars or carts. I know I'm not there 24/7 either. I've been passed not always safely by many other carts on that bridge and some with very rude gestures and vulgarity.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

I am not aware of any major accidents there, but I sure feel vulnerable when crossing.

IMO it is the worst designed cart path in TV. It is the only place I feel like even if I drive defenselessly I am at the mercy of the cart coming from the other direction. There is no bailout. Some of these carts are pedal to the medal, completely unaware how easily and sharply a cart can veer when it hits a curb.

The solution to me would have been to not have a RAISED sidewalk, but since I am not a bridge designer, that may not have been an option....

Go slow and hope the folks coming at you are headed TO happy hour, not the FROM

PS. Two years ago I was passed while on that bridge. As the man went by between me and the sidewalk at 14 MPH, I simply yelled in YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!! He never looked over. When we got off the bridge his cart went 17-18 MPH tops. If this was a movie, I would have had my wife take the wheel as he passed, boarded his cart, slapped him around and then got back in my cart and zoom away at 19.6

Wow...AJ...I was going to post that I agree with every word of your post and then I read the last paragraph.

AND...after thinking about it some more.

I still agree with every word of your post.

It is posted ten miles an hour and if you drive it at that speed you are fairly safe. It is too narrow, Mr. Gary Morse. And I am a HUGE fan.

[skip0358]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

I am not aware of any major accidents there, but I sure feel vulnerable when crossing.

IMO it is the worst designed cart path in TV. It is the only place I feel like even if I drive defenselessly I am at the mercy of the cart coming from the other direction. There is no bailout. Some of these carts are pedal to the medal, completely unaware how easily and sharply a cart can veer when it hits a curb.

The solution to me would have been to not have a RAISED sidewalk, but since I am not a bridge designer, that may not have been an option....

Go slow and hope the folks coming at you are headed TO happy hour, not the FROM

PS. Two years ago I was passed while on that bridge. As the man went by between me and the sidewalk at 14 MPH, I simply yelled in YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MIND!! He never looked over. When we got off the bridge his cart went 17-18 MPH tops. If this was a movie, I would have had my wife take the wheel as he passed, boarded his cart, slapped him around and then got back in my cart and zoom away at 19.6

It's my understanding that the sidewalk was added at the request of the county after the bridge construction for pedestrian access. That's what I heard.

[Carla B]

Maybe they could eliminate the sidewalk, thereby widening the golf cart lane, then build a footbridge for pedestrians to cross outside the existing structure.

[angiefox10]

Actually... I cross it fast.... until another cart is coming and I all but slow way down to let them pass me.... then I go very fast again until another cart comes and slow again.... It's my passive aggressive way of getting across the bridge alive! I notice others driving the bridge the same way.... gets us across faster while slowing down for passing traffic.

I also have curtis cab doors that I close before I cross on the drivers side as they stick out!

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by Parker

When crossing the Morse Ave bridge in my golfcart, I must say I hold my breath until getting past it. The posted speed limit for the crossing is 10mph, but few adhere to that limit, and the room for two carts passing each other is minimal at best.

I'd love to see a separate bridge for golfcarts, going across the water. For safety, it could have a birdcage type enclosure over it. I know, I know, it would be expensive! But wouldn't it be fun and beautiful, and a really unique Villages feature?

As a Civil Engineer, it is my opinion that the design of the sidewalk and golf cart lanes across this particular structure is very poor . I am unsure about any minimum width that might be required for the sidewalk, but if so, the bridge should have been designed wider. If there is no minimum width requirment, then the sidewalk should have been less in width, this would provide a greater width for the golf cart lanes. Now that the bridge is already completed and I agree a bit dangerous, the only simple solution is to slow the golf carts by placing speed bumps alont the entire length. Yes, I also hate those speed bumps, but they do slow traffic.

[ugotme]

Sorry, but as a not-yet-there homeowner, where exactly is this bridge?

[dsned]

No birdcage! It would spoil the view!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

As a Civil Engineer, it is my opinion that the design of the sidewalk and golf cart lanes across this particular structure is very poor . I am unsure about any minimum width that might be required for the sidewalk, but if so, the bridge should have been designed wider. If there is no minimum width requirment, then the sidewalk should have been less in width, this would provide a greater width for the golf cart lanes. Now that the bridge is already completed and I agree a bit dangerous, the only simple solution is to slow the golf carts by placing speed bumps alont the entire length. Yes, I also hate those speed bumps, but they do slow traffic.

Of all the words of tongue and pen

the Saddest are...it should have been.

[Parker]

Ugotme, the bridge is just north of Lake Sumter Landing along Morse Avenue. It crosses Lake Sumter and for a short distance the golfcart lanes run right alongside the car lanes with only a small curb between the two areas. The cart lanes are a two-way setup with very little room for error. In a community of elders, with all their depth-perception issues, and sometimes other coordination issues, the crossing can sometimes be a white-knuckle affair.

And Dsned, Yes, a birdcage would indeed spoil the view!

Last week while driving home from work @ 2 a.m. I was unable to cross the bridge. There was a pickup truck that jumped the curb & broke his axle.The truck was blocking the golf cart path so I had to go all the way around to Laurel manor to get home to Gilchrist.Although it added 20 minutes to my ride home I'm just happy I wasn't on that bridge 5 minutes earlier or I might not have made it home at all.