[Normal]

The other paper has an article called “Meggison Safety Issues”. In it residents express their displeasure of traffic safety issues now and the thought of the Bexley Bridge opening soon (opens this summer). The logistical nightmare has set in with the popularity of Sawgrass Grove and the necessity for crossing of golf carts etc at the Citrus Grove gate where no one seems to stop. It’s a crap shoot at best to make it across at times with a bicycle or golf cart because, well frankly no one slows down or stops!

Why didn’t the “Developer” foresee this calamity? Obviously at this point, the best thing to do would be to put in a gate shack like they did in Pinellas or Belle Meade. I wonder if the dollar has taken precedence over any concern whatsoever to the sustainability of the community?

https://www.**************.com/

[Altavia]

I have to agree, hard to understand what they were thinking with the design of that gates.

They also appear to have discontinued having sidewalks to connect pedestrians to the MMP's. You have to walk in the street near several gates in the new areas to get to a MMP.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Altavia

I have to agree, hard to understand what they were thinking with the design of that gates.

They also appear to have discontinued having sidewalks to connect pedestrians to the MMP's. You have to walk in the street near several gates in the new areas to get to a MMP.

Yep…

If you further examine the issue, all golf cart traffic from the Lake Denham, Newell, Citrus Grove and St. Catherine etc must use the intersection at the Citrus Grove gates to cross Meggison (the location of the entire village of Cason Hammock necessitated this).

The absence of separate golf cart lanes and the fact that golf cart lanes are located only on the main road starting at the gate mandate this. People have to use this intersection to access the Cason Hammock tunnel which is the main traffic artery for access to the bridge.

It’s a mess because the transition from roadway golf cart lanes to actual paths happens exactly at that point near the foot of Bexley Trail…

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Altavia

They also appear to have discontinued having sidewalks to connect pedestrians to the MMP's. You have to walk in the street near several gates in the new areas to get to a MMP.

Why do pedestrians want to get on an MMP, where they can get run down by a golf cart? Pedestrians can use the walking/biking paths where golf carts are forbidden.

[Bill14564]

Once the gates are actually in place things should improve. Southbound cars will be paced by the gates and northbound cars will back up waiting for the get to open. As it is now, cars don't slow down in either direction making it difficult to find a gap between them to cross.

Not the best design for a golf cart crossing of the only route into and out of all that area. The current design is something similar to an at-grade crossing of Buena Vista or Morse near 466. An at-grade crossing would be a bad idea on Buena Vista and it is a bad idea in that section of Meggison.

Let's hope they get the gates installed before we read about a car hitting a golf cart there.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Normal

the necessity for crossing of golf carts etc at the Citrus Grove gate where no one seems to stop.

What is "the Citrus Grove gate"?

To my knowledge, there is no Citrus Grove gate. There are two roads, Kaolin and St. Catherine Circle, that people can use to leave Citrus Grove and pull onto Meggison.

It is the same situation for people who live in the several villages along Pinellas and Hillsborough. Since it works well for those villages, I guess the Developer thought it would work well for Citrus Grove, Newell, Lake Denham, etc.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by VApeople

What is "the Citrus Grove gate"?

To my knowledge, there is no Citrus Grove gate. There are two roads, Kaolin and St. Catherine Circle, that people can use to leave Citrus Grove and pull onto Meggison.

It is the same situation for people who live in the several villages along Pinellas and Hillsborough. Since it works well for those villages, I guess the Developer thought it would work well for Citrus Grove, Newell, Lake Denham, etc.

It’s located on Meggison just after the circle at Sawgrass traveling South East. It says Citrus Grove on the entrance where gates used to be. I believe someone thought the gates would slow cars down, but it does nothing because 2 lanes go in and two lanes exit. One of the lanes is a merge into the other at that gate at exactly the point where golf carts etc cross. It’s a mess. They have removed the gates and all that is there now are two stop signs and the Citrus Grove display. When the gates were in, traffic stopped and stacked into the circle in front of Sawgrass.

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Why do pedestrians want to get on an MMP, where they can get run down by a golf cart? Pedestrians can use the walking/biking paths where golf carts are forbidden.

Believe it or not, but some people walk to shops, rec centers, pools etc. and unless you fancy walking on the roads, MMP's are your best chance of survival.

[BigSteph]

South of 44, there are a few ommissions that would have made life easier;

A tunnel under Meggison somewhere near Saw Grass.

A round-about in front of the entrance to the Village of Bradford.

And another round-about in front of the entrance to the Village of Chitty Chatty.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Why do pedestrians want to get on an MMP, where they can get run down by a golf cart? Pedestrians can use the walking/biking paths where golf carts are forbidden.

I'm not familiar with the part of the Villages you're all talking about, so please help me understand:

Are the walking/biking paths serving the same function as the MMPs, for pedestrians and bicycle riders? In other words - can you get to the walking path from the same spot as you can get to the MMP, and will that walking path then lead the walker to the same destination(s) as the MMP?

I often walk to the postal station, and ride my bicycle all over the east side of the Villages. We have a very small MMP running from the golf cart bridge, right through Paradise Park, and out to the public side road that leads to a few doctors' offices and one of the Villages gates. Other than that, we have no MMPs at all. We do have walking trails, but I'd have to walk from my house, around a mile down the road, to get to it. If I'm walking to Walmart, that's WAY out of my way, and it won't connect me with Walmart at all.

If the situation with your side of the Villages means the walking paths are just for exercise/getting fresh air within a confined location - and the MMPs are the connections from one village to another, or from a village area to a commercial area, or connecting two commercial areas - then no. You can't just use the walking path instead of the MMP. The MMP exists to accommodate walkers, bicycle riders, and golf carts. The walking/bike paths would be more for recreation, rather than transportation.

On my side of the Villages, we just do everything on the streets - we don't even have sidewalks other than the short stretch from the Fire department to the Rec center driveway.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Altavia

I have to agree, hard to understand what they were thinking with the design of that gates.

They also appear to have discontinued having sidewalks to connect pedestrians to the MMP's. You have to walk in the street near several gates in the new areas to get to a MMP.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I'm not familiar with the part of the Villages you're all talking about, so please help me understand:

Are the walking/biking paths serving the same function as the MMPs, for pedestrians and bicycle riders? In other words - can you get to the walking path from the same spot as you can get to the MMP, and will that walking path then lead the walker to the same destination(s) as the MMP?

I often walk to the postal station, and ride my bicycle all over the east side of the Villages. We have a very small MMP running from the golf cart bridge, right through Paradise Park, and out to the public side road that leads to a few doctors' offices and one of the Villages gates. Other than that, we have no MMPs at all. We do have walking trails, but I'd have to walk from my house, around a mile down the road, to get to it. If I'm walking to Walmart, that's WAY out of my way, and it won't connect me with Walmart at all.

If the situation with your side of the Villages means the walking paths are just for exercise/getting fresh air within a confined location - and the MMPs are the connections from one village to another, or from a village area to a commercial area, or connecting two commercial areas - then no. You can't just use the walking path instead of the MMP. The MMP exists to accommodate walkers, bicycle riders, and golf carts. The walking/bike paths would be more for recreation, rather than transportation.

On my side of the Villages, we just do everything on the streets - we don't even have sidewalks other than the short stretch from the Fire department to the Rec center driveway.

Between 466 and 44 there are many more MMPs. These are paved paths that run alongside many of the higher-speed roads particularly 466, 466A, Buena Vista, and Morse. The MMPs provide separation between automotive traffic and golf carts, bicycles, and pedestrians.

South of 44, many of the paved paths have been restricted to bicycles and pedestrians only with the golf carts put into the separate lanes on the side of the roads (think Morse above 466).

While walking paths north of 44 are relatively short paths for experiencing nature, south of 44 there are many miles of walking/biking paths. In some areas south of 44, the paved paths that run parallel to the road look exactly like the MMPs north of 44 except they are actually restricted walking/biking paths.

To the point of this thread, the MMP that passes Sawgrass going south becomes a restricted walking/biking path immediately after the Citrus Grove gate. The path continues south and looks exactly the same but north of the gate it is a traditional MMP while south of the gate it is restricted. It is at this point that southbound carts need to cross Meggison to continue on the roadway.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I'm not familiar with the part of the Villages you're all talking about, so please help me understand.

If you are not familiar with the roads and paths south of 44, I doubt I can give an explanation that will make sense to you. It would be better for you to drive down there and see how wonderful it is.

There are plenty of walking/biking paths alongside the roads and I can't understand why anyone would ever consider walking on an MMP.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Believe it or not, but some people walk to shops, rec centers, pools etc. and unless you fancy walking on the roads, MMP's are your best chance of survival.

In the Southern area, there are nice walking/biking paths, so there is no need to walk in the roads or the dreaded MMPs.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by VApeople

If you are not familiar with the roads and paths south of 44, I doubt I can give an explanation that will make sense to you. It would be better for you to drive down there and see how wonderful it is.

There are plenty of walking/biking paths alongside the roads and I can't understand why anyone would ever consider walking on an MMP.

Because where there is an MMP there is rarely a walking path. The choice is usually between walking on the MMP with golf carts going 29mph or walking on the road with cars and trucks going 40mph.

[Aloha1]

another lack of thinking was reducing Meggison from 4 to 2 lanes near Mickey Lee Pitch and Putt. Did they not have a clue that traffic would migrate to Meggison to get to the Turnpike at 470? Unintended consequences of having the State not put in the planned Turnpike entrance where Everglades Rec Center is so that could be built. Very short sighted.