Turning onto 4 lane roads can be an issue depending where and what the 4 lane roads are.

For example the intersection of Bailey Trail (CR 472) and Hwy 301 used to be open to a left turn. It is no longer. They have put up flex poles to dis-allow a left turn being made at that location......55 mph speed limit......super busy almost anytime.....significant number of accidents....acknlowedged by the powers that be to put in a traffic light....who in response are currently enamoured with putting in a traffic circle the.:22yikes: Fodder for another thread.

Yes the 4 lane left turn is going to be a challenge for the many seniors who already have a problem negiating safe out and returns on two lane roads.

I go out of my way to work around any 4 lane left turns in or around TV. Too many dynamics for the aging driver population.

In my humble opinion.

I agree with Photo (I know you're shocked:1rotfl:)
I too live off Warnock and it is non-issue 95% of the time. The most I've ever come up behind is 4 cars waiting to turn left on Hillsborough, including carts. Today, however at about 11:45 AM the exit gate at Hillsborough to BV was backed up to the cart path crossing between 1&2 of Egret---does anyone have a clue what was going on???? I came in that gate and there was no accident or disabled vehicle and the gate was working fine. They also had someone directing car traffic entering and cart traffic crossing at the entrance---first I've ever seen that as well

This has got to be a first, GE! I'm glad I was sitting when I read this :)

Another poster indicated it was the Strawberry Festival at Brownwood which caused the unusual traffic backup.

I'm just glad you weren't at the wheel of your car when you read it! A special event might explain it, I had come from Pinellas Plaza on Henly and it took a while to enter the RB due to southbound traffic on BV
If that was it, I'm glad I wasn't going to Brownwood, or Publix Grand Traverse for that matter.

Some people like to plan ahead. Maybe there is less of a problem in some villages than in others. We turn left onto Bailey's Trail from St. Charles all the time, and there is no problem (there is a traffic light).

Agree with Bear. I think you are over thinking the situation. You need to visit during the high season and judge for your self. We are from Northern VA and I have experienced my share of traffic. Good luck!

No, that's never been a big problem.

That is good to hear.

We were looking at a house on Reading Road from where on occasion we would have to turn left onto Anna Maria Ave, which is 4-lane. If you say it is easy to turn left onto Charlotte Court, then it probably is easy to turn left onto Anna Maria.

If we manage to sell our house, we will probably come down to TV in the summer and buy a house, so we will not get to see the high season traffic. That is why your answers are so useful.

Thanks for your good wishes. Actually, traffic here does not bother me. I never have to turn left onto a 4-lane road where there is no stop light.

Is it hard to turn left onto 4-lane roads?
 

I realize that you are calling 2 cart lanes and 2 auto lanes a 4 lane road. But they are not as difficult to turn left onto or get across as you seem to be making it. If they truly were 4 auto lane roads, that might be a different situation.

And on a real 4 lane road you only cross 2 lanes when turning left. So what is your concern?

Tell that to the TVers who say they go out of their way to avoid turning left onto a 4-lane road.

My concern is having to cross two lanes of traffic when turning left onto a 4-lane road.

The TOTV forum is a tiny representation of The Villages population. You have asked many reasonable questions on TOTV, but you also have received so many contradictory answers that you remain indecisive. That is a symptom of analysis paralysis. Even if you kept a score sheet of pros and cons (and I hope you do), you will need some first hand experience to know what is right for you.

I live in that general area and take Anna Maria nearly every day. Along with Charlotte Ct., it is the N-S connector between Pinellas Pl. and Hillsborough Tr. Despite that, there is rarely any significant traffic. Today, at 1:30, during the whole drive on Anna Maria from Pinellas to Hillsborough, there was 1 car and 1 cart going my way, and 2 cars and 3 carts in the opposite direction, and traffic today was heavier due to Strawberry Fest at Brownwood. I wouldn't give it a second thought, it's not like turning left onto 301 from a side street north of TV where traffic is coming at 65+ in both directions, all 4 lanes
As an aside, when making a left I never turn into the car lane if there is a cart travelling in the far cart lane. I have no problem from a technical point of view, but when I'm the cart driver, I have no idea if the car is going to swing wide into my lane, so why make the cart driver nervous?

1. Sure, there are a few who do that. They hardly represent a majority of Villagers.


2. You are still only crossing 2 lanes of traffic. Then you merge. This is not a significant event.

In all seriousness, if this is a major concern impacting your decision about moving to TV, be aware that we continue to grow and I , among many others, am convinced this will continue.

I've lived here 4 years and things have changed dramatically. I believe you will experience the same. So a choice you make today may not represent future traffic patterns.

I hope you make the decision that is the correct choice for you in terms of where to live.

I think you have a very good idea and thanks for mentioning it. Since I have never driven a golf cart on a road where cars are travelling, I never understood how it would be from the cart driver point of view. Since you mentioned it, now I can see how pulling into the car lane next to a golf cart could easily make the cart driver nervous.