[grayesun]

OK, some say the 3rd time's a charm...well not always. We've had 3 near misses coming out of the golf cart tunnel in FRONT of Savannah. Yes we came to a complete stop, looked both ways twice before pulling out to turn LEFT (East on El Camino). All clear, until we moved out about 2 feet to see an imminent broad-side hit coming...a fast-moving Westbound cart.

I managed to just clear the oncoming cart by pulling out at full-speed - I'm sure he must have slowed down; but this was the 3rd time for us at this exact spot. I travel El Camino all the time so know this path well and also know many carts travel this route way over my top speed. No envy implied.

A serious accident is definitely going to happen right here, at this exact spot where we've had 3 "close encounters".

My suggestion is simple - put a couple speed bumps on the cart path to slow down westbound traffic before it reaches the tunnel exit. Go ahead and speed along the whole length El Camino, you racers...but this particular spot is SCREAMING for a "slow down".

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by grayesun

OK, some say the 3rd time's a charm...well not always. We've had 3 near misses coming out of the golf cart tunnel in FRONT of Savannah. Yes we came to a complete stop, looked both ways twice before pulling out to turn LEFT (East on El Camino). All clear, until we moved out about 2 feet to see an imminent broad-side hit coming...a fast-moving Westbound cart.

I managed to just clear the oncoming cart by pulling out at full-speed - I'm sure he must have slowed down; but this was the 3rd time for us at this exact spot. I travel El Camino all the time so know this path well and also know many carts travel this route way over my top speed. No envy implied.

A serious accident is definitely going to happen right here, at this exact spot where we've had 3 "close encounters".

My suggestion is simple - put a couple speed bumps on the cart path to slow down westbound traffic before it reaches the tunnel exit. Go ahead and speed along the whole length El Camino, you racers...but this particular spot is SCREAMING for a "slow down".

You have a good suggestion. But, posting on here is blowing smoke rings...they don't accomplish much.
Give Sam a call.........


Sam Wartinbee, Director
sam.wartinbee@districtgov.org


Contact Us


Main Office
1071 Canal Street
The Villages, FL 32162

Phone: 352-753-4022
Fax: 352-753-4296

[Mleeja]

I travel this section of the El Camino MMP as well and know the intersection/tunnel you are referring. It is hard to take this bend around the tunnel at a "fast moving" speed what every that may be. I could support some signage or possibly a mirror to help carts exiting the tunnel see westbound traffic. But speed bumps, no way. Trip hazards for walkers, obstacles for bikers, and if a cart would hit a speed bump at speed they could very easily lose control and crash into the brick walls on either side of this intersection.

If you're concerned about exiting this tunnel, take the path around to the tunnel under Buena Vista or cross El Camino at the Enrique Drive stoplight.

[grayesun]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

You have a good suggestion. But, posting on here is blowing smoke rings...they don't accomplish much.
Give Sam a call.........


Sam Wartinbee, Director
sam.wartinbee@districtgov.org


Contact Us


Main Office
1071 Canal Street
The Villages, FL 32162



Phone: 352-753-4022
Fax: 352-753-4296

Thanks for feedback info, that's really all I was after - where to contact or who to follow up with. Will definitely pursue this situation - speed bumps may not be the only/entire answer. And by the way, I don't smoke...never have...never will.

[TomW]

The design of many tunnel-to-trail intersections seems driven more by aesthetics than safety. The standard design is the tunnel exiting into a concaved trail --) or at best a right angle obscured by shrubbery. Neither design allows the driver exiting the tunnel to see oncoming traffic. I wonder why they didn't consider a design that allows L/R vision like --( . Oh well they are already built and will not be redesigned.

[Sandtrap328]

I go on that multimodal trail frequently. In my opinion, if the person coming out of the tunnel and turning left onto the El Camino trail would just edge out, look both ways, and proceed only when the coast is clear, there would be no problem.

It is not as though the cart traffic is so heavy that waiting a minute or so would not be hard to do.

No to speed bumps anywhere on the multimodal trails!!!

[grayesun]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

I go on that multimodal trail frequently. In my opinion, if the person coming out of the tunnel and turning left onto the El Camino trail would just edge out, look both ways, and proceed only when the coast is clear, there would be no problem.

It is not as though the cart traffic is so heavy that waiting a minute or so would not be hard to do.

No to speed bumps anywhere on the multimodal trails!!!

Guess you didn't read my post, after stopping completely, looking both ways twice before pulling out...we were nearly broad-sided as we entered E; Camino cart path, by a cart going fast enough to appear instantaneously, bearing down on me. This has happened to us a few times at this particular spot, no other tunnel exits seem nearly as treacherous and "blind" to oncoming traffic. If haven't been in the position of a potential broadsided impact in your golf cart, where you have absolutely no protection...it's a real "shocking wake-up" moment. Put about five exclamation points right there, to counter your measly 3 above.

I'm absolutely not an advocate of "speed bumps" either, but some objections to them are ludicrous and blown out of proportion; walking, biking impediments, sure just like a branch fallen from a tree, you see it - you deal with it, you move on.

A mirror may be a more palatable solution than speed bumps, so no one has to be inconvenienced with the safety nuisance of slowing down for a few seconds; till then, whenever we use this tunnel exit, I'll be getting out of my cart, walking up to the El Camino path and checking for oncoming westbound traffic. Then I'll feel safe flagging my co-pilot to taxi the cart out safely into the El Camino speedway.

[Mleeja]

Originally Posted by grayesun

Guess you didn't read my post, after stopping completely, looking both ways twice before pulling out...we were nearly broad-sided as we entered E; Camino cart path, by a cart going fast enough to appear instantaneously, bearing down on me. This has happened to us a few times at this particular spot, no other tunnel exits seem nearly as treacherous and "blind" to oncoming traffic. If haven't been in the position of a potential broadsided impact in your golf cart, where you have absolutely no protection...it's a real "shocking wake-up" moment. Put about five exclamation points right there, to counter your measly 3 above.

I'm absolutely not an advocate of "speed bumps" either, but some objections to them are ludicrous and blown out of proportion; walking, biking impediments, sure just like a branch fallen from a tree, you see it - you deal with it, you move on.

A mirror may be a more palatable solution than speed bumps, so no one has to be inconvenienced with the safety nuisance of slowing down for a few seconds; till then, whenever we use this tunnel exit, I'll be getting out of my cart, walking up to the El Camino path and checking for oncoming westbound traffic. Then I'll feel safe flagging my co-pilot to taxi the cart out safely into the El Camino speedway.

Please review some of the comments in regard to side striping if you think spend bumps are not hazards for walkers or bikers. Speed bumps are much more of a hazard on the MMPs for all users....

Maybe when you get out and walk up the path, you can carry a slow down or stop sign.

It takes just a little bit of effort, but a driver exiting this tunnel can get to a 90 degree angle to the intersection and can see fine to the west for on coming traffic.

[rdhdleo]

There are speed bumps by the Harmeswood Tunnel, never heard of an issue with them. If people need to be slowed down sometimes that's the only way.

[rubicon]

The safest tunnels here are those divided as one way only; otherwise drivers risk peril every time they enter an exit a tunnel

[Bogie Shooter]

Peril yes, but how many tunnel accidents have there been?

[rubicon]

Peril, yes but how many........ Now we are getting into the balliwick of those actuaries that predict accidents beginning with the application of the Law of Large Numbers and then when that perfect storm comes together:boom

[Mleeja]

Originally Posted by rdhdleo

There are speed bumps by the Harmeswood Tunnel, never heard of an issue with them. If people need to be slowed down sometimes that's the only way.

These speed bumps are at the beginning of the tunnel. They serve a purpose to slow you down before entering to tunnel. This is common for a lot of the tunnels on the north side.