[srswans]

The Meggison crossing in question is just inside a set of gates that have yet to be installed as noted above. This will make that crossing safer (but not as safe as a tunnel).

[TerriS]

I have been riding my bike in most of the Villages down here (Citrus Grove, St Catherine's, Branford, Hawkins and Chitty Chatty). I appears to me that INSIDE of villages they do not have GC paths they have a GC lane on the main road. Citrus Grove is the same once you pass the gate that is not in operation yet. It does feel different since Meggison will eventually run all the way to 470 but it is not really different than other villages I have seen.

[nick demis]

I could understand it if Meggison ended with Citrus Grove but not with it continuing to 470. It WILL be a dangerous road. Maybe they will put a gate after Hillside and go back to a MMP for the balance.

[JeepsterGlenn]

You can bypass the mmp merge at Sawgrass by taking St. Catherine Cir at the roundabout before getting to Sawgrass. It’s actually a half circle and ends back at Meggison near Homestead Rec area!

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by srswans

The Meggison crossing in question is just inside a set of gates that have yet to be installed as noted above. This will make that crossing safer (but not as safe as a tunnel).

That is true. But the question was why do they have an MMP from Brownwood to Southern Oaks - and then put the carts on Meggison with vehicular traffice. There is a walking path adjacent to Meggison that goes most of the way to Homestead. Not sure why this wasn't designated an MMP.

[Ptmckiou]

Many parts of the villages has carts on streets. Not usually a problem. Fenny seems to cope just fine. Traffic is suppose to be 20 mph and police are starting to ticket people.

As far as the crossing of Meggison to get to the new Bexley Bridge, there are gates at the crossing, but currently not being used because of all the construction traffic. Once that bridge opens, I’m sure the gates will be operational and that does slow traffic down immensely. However, a tunnel would have been more efficient, since that will be a main route to Eastport square.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

There is a walking path adjacent to Meggison that goes most of the way to Homestead.

Actually, it goes all the way to Homestead and will probably be continued.

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Not sure why this wasn't designated an MMP.

Because The Villages wanted to give walkers and bikers a path to enjoy without the fear of being run over by golf carts.

North of Route 44, there are no walking/biking paths where golf carts are forbidden.

[Rainger99]

Because The Villages wanted to give walkers and bikers a path to enjoy without the fear of being run over by golf carts.

North of Route 44, there are no walking/biking paths where golf carts are forbidden.[/QUOTE]

If the reason is to give walkers and bikers a path to enjoy without the fear of being run over by golf carts, why aren’t carts required to use Meggison from Brownwood to Homestead?
Pedestrians would have 7 miles of hiking trails and the cars, trucks, and golf carts could share Meggison. It makes no sense to keep carts off Meggison for the first 7 miles and then force them on the highway for the last mile.

I have heard of several deadly accidents where cars and carts were sharing the road.
I have not heard of any deaths involving carts and pedestrians or bikers on the MMPs.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

why aren’t carts required to use Meggison from Brownwood to Homestead?

Because there a beautiful MMP from Brownwood to Sawgrass.

After that, the carts have to share Meggison with cars and trucks, just like they do along Hillsborough, Moyer, and Pinellas.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

I have not heard of any deaths involving carts and pedestrians or bikers on the MMPs.

Since I never venture onto an MMP (except to cross one on foot at Turtle Mound), I don't really care what happens on them, but I have read many other posts about walkers and bikers having harrowing experiences dealing with golf carts.

[Aacosner]

Originally Posted by TerriS

I have been riding my bike in most of the Villages down here (Citrus Grove, St Catherine's, Branford, Hawkins and Chitty Chatty). I appears to me that INSIDE of villages they do not have GC paths they have a GC lane on the main road. Citrus Grove is the same once you pass the gate that is not in operation yet. It does feel different since Meggison will eventually run all the way to 470 but it is not really different than other villages I have seen.

I'll speculate that the plan may be to discourage Meggison from being a sought after through road from the turnpike at 470 up to points north. Maybe they'll structure the road network south of the Bexley bridge to make it an obviously more attractive route from the turnpike exit/entrance than via Meggison. Or, maybe there's an understanding that the turnpike doesn't really cause that much traffic to/from The Villages -- maybe most of the traffic not heading for Citrus Grove village will be heading for the Bexley bridge to go down to where the bulk of the retail and amenity development will be.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Aacosner

I'll speculate that the plan may be to discourage Meggison from being a sought after through road from the turnpike at 470 up to points north. Maybe they'll structure the road network south of the Bexley bridge to make it an obviously more attractive route from the turnpike exit/entrance than via Meggison. Or, maybe there's an understanding that the turnpike doesn't really cause that much traffic to/from The Villages -- maybe most of the traffic not heading for Citrus Grove village will be heading for the Bexley bridge to go down to where the bulk of the retail and amenity development will be.

That is a very intelligent and well thought-out post.

Do you belong in this forum?

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Does anyone know why they have the safe MMP for the first 7 or 8 miles and then they force golf carts on to the roads with cars for the last mile?

Did you call the county??

(traffic flow numbers)

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by MorTech

I suspect a lot of accidents at the MMP crossing at Sawgrass/Citrus Grove are going to be devastating..
That crossing is really stupid and there are no gates to slow down car traffic.
There will be even more MMP crossing traffic there when the new Bexley Bridge over the turnpike opens.

And if you look at where the diamond lane merges with car traffic before the MMP, there are no white hash lines forcing diamond lane traffic into car traffic to make a single lane at the MMP crossing (Northbound). Imagine getting t-boned on a golf cart by a car at 35 MPH because you did not see the car coming beside the golf cart that was turning right onto the MMP.

That crossing is really bad.

which is why we need to pay attention on the road & be aware of carts the same way we do motorcycles. these posts from cart drivers let me know where to be cautious, the last thing i want to do is hit one of you

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Did you call the county??

(traffic flow numbers)

would be a good place to start, yes