[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Ok, my opinion looks like customers will be coming from all directions in central Florida to Costco’s off CR 446 and 301? Probably as far north as Gainesville or beyond?

301 already nightmare with bottle neck from CR42 to Summerfield. CR 42, CR 466, CR 484, and 30l all directions will be impacted. 466 and 301 intersections IMO can’t hardly handle traffic now due to turning lanes too short and not 2 lanes to turn north, south, and east on 301. This backs up traffic pass stop light at railroad tracks by Walmart. Not to mention when trains come? Also good luck getting through intersections in front Costco on side streets?

Also IMO the bottle neck after summerfield south should have been 4 lanes 10 years ago. Looks like they are working on bottleneck ( think they will be done before Costco’s opens?

I’ve been a Sam’s Club member for around thirty years. I don’t see much reason to switch. The sort of things Costco sells that Sam’s Club doesn’t sell are generally things I don’t buy anyway.

Yes, there will be more traffic on 301 and 466, but considering that most of the traffic on 466 keeps going rather than stopping to shop at the many stores, we should not assume that this is going to change. Even if twenty cars per minute on 466 turn to go to Costco, which. Is not likely to happen very often, traffic won’t be affected very much; we can handle it. In general, it will not be “a nightmare.”

What WILL be “a nightmare” is trying to drive there, park there, or shop there in the first week it is open, or perhaps even the first month. Thousands around here will want to come check it out. Why not just wait and let the excitement and the parking and traffic jams die down? Parking close to the building will be the worst, so why not plan to park on the outskirts and just do a little extra walking. (You’ll be walking inside the store anyway, right?) We all know that it will usually be packed on Saturday and Sunday, so why not just stay away on weekends and leave it to the people who work for a living? It will be least crowded Monday through Friday before 11, so why not limit your visits to weekday mornings? I hate crowds, so that’s what I try to do at Sam’s Club.

[Switter]

I think people overestimate the volume of people and traffic that will be going to Costco, thinking it will be some kind of Armageddon. I go to the one in Claremont, usually on a Saturday morning, and it's not bad at all. Plenty of parking and although 50 has a lot of traffic, it's not solely because of Costco. That's just a really busy road in general. If people do end up coming down from Gainesville it's only gonna be a hearty few that will drive over an hour and pay tolls to get here, especially with Sam's Club and BJ's around. I am a die hard Costco shopper and I was hesitating whether renewing my membership when I moved here, just because it takes 50 minutes to get down there and I have to pay tolls.

The other thing is people typically don't go to Costco multiple times a week like they might with Publix or Walmart because you're usually buying bulk product. For me, I go about once every two weeks, even when I only lived 20 minutes away from it up in Minnesota. I'm sure they'll be a noticeable increase in traffic but I think it will be fine.

[Sgt Ed]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Ok, my opinion looks like customers will be coming from all directions in central Florida to Costco’s off CR 446 and 301? Probably as far north as Gainesville or beyond?

301 already nightmare with bottle neck from CR42 to Summerfield. CR 42, CR 466, CR 484, and 30l all directions will be impacted. 466 and 301 intersections IMO can’t hardly handle traffic now due to turning lanes too short and not 2 lanes to turn north, south, and east on 301. This backs up traffic pass stop light at railroad tracks by Walmart. Not to mention when trains come? Also good luck getting through intersections in front Costco on side streets?

Also IMO the bottle neck after summerfield south should have been 4 lanes 10 years ago. Looks like they are working on bottleneck ( think they will be done before Costco’s opens?

U.S. 301 is a federal highway. Federal DOT wants ALL federal highways 4 lane minimum and has plans for that .

[wayneman]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Ok, my opinion looks like customers will be coming from all directions in central Florida to Costco’s off CR 446 and 301? Probably as far north as Gainesville or beyond?

301 already nightmare with bottle neck from CR42 to Summerfield. CR 42, CR 466, CR 484, and 30l all directions will be impacted. 466 and 301 intersections IMO can’t hardly handle traffic now due to turning lanes too short and not 2 lanes to turn north, south, and east on 301. This backs up traffic pass stop light at railroad tracks by Walmart. Not to mention when trains come? Also good luck getting through intersections in front Costco on side streets?

Also IMO the bottle neck after summerfield south should have been 4 lanes 10 years ago. Looks like they are working on bottleneck ( think they will be done before Costco’s opens?

One thing you failed to mention. Super Walmart going in on 44 in southern end, so all that traffic that currently has to go from the south to Walmart on 466 will be gone. Just sayin….

[bragones]

Costco in The Villages will be golf cart accessible, at least it is now as I've driven by in my cart a few times. That will ease the traffic concerns a bit and should be a nice benefit for locals.

[gorillarick]

There are plans for another exit on the Turnpike/75 between Summerfield and Hwy 44.

[Rodneysblue]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Ok, my opinion looks like customers will be coming from all directions in central Florida to Costco’s off CR 446 and 301? Probably as far north as Gainesville or beyond?

301 already nightmare with bottle neck from CR42 to Summerfield. CR 42, CR 466, CR 484, and 30l all directions will be impacted. 466 and 301 intersections IMO can’t hardly handle traffic now due to turning lanes too short and not 2 lanes to turn north, south, and east on 301. This backs up traffic pass stop light at railroad tracks by Walmart. Not to mention when trains come? Also good luck getting through intersections in front Costco on side streets?

Also IMO the bottle neck after summerfield south should have been 4 lanes 10 years ago. Looks like they are working on bottleneck ( think they will be done before Costco’s opens?

We’ll be going by golf cart.

[jarodrig]

Originally Posted by bragones

Costco in The Villages will be golf cart accessible, at least it is now as I've driven by in my cart a few times. That will ease the traffic concerns a bit and should be a nice benefit for locals.

Folks shopping at Costco, Sam’s, etc. , are shopping in bulk .

Where are you going to place the stuff you buy there on a golf cart ??

IMHO, folks doing any serious shopping at Costco will be leaving their golf carts home ….

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by bowlingal

topspinmo....where is 446? did you mean 466? not near 301 either

Yes, type0 with my shaky fingers.

[jarodrig]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Ok, my opinion looks like customers will be coming from all directions in central Florida to Costco’s off CR 446 and 301? Probably as far north as Gainesville or beyond?

301 already nightmare with bottle neck from CR42 to Summerfield. CR 42, CR 466, CR 484, and 30l all directions will be impacted. 466 and 301 intersections IMO can’t hardly handle traffic now due to turning lanes too short and not 2 lanes to turn north, south, and east on 301. This backs up traffic pass stop light at railroad tracks by Walmart. Not to mention when trains come? Also good luck getting through intersections in front Costco on side streets?

Also IMO the bottle neck after summerfield south should have been 4 lanes 10 years ago. Looks like they are working on bottleneck ( think they will be done before Costco’s opens?

OMG !! 😱

The sky is falling, the sky is falling !!! 😳😂😂😂

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by gorillarick

There are plans for another exit on the Turnpike/75 between Summerfield and Hwy 44.

Probably Most of us will be long gone by time that happens.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by jarodrig

OMG !! 😱

The sky is falling, the sky is falling !!! 😳😂😂😂

Glad you feel better now.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by wayneman

One thing you failed to mention. Super Walmart going in on 44 in southern end, so all that traffic that currently has to go from the south to Walmart on 466 will be gone. Just sayin….

Failed to mention plenty Walmarts all around villages.

[airstreamingypsy]

Originally Posted by thelegges

Costco would never build at a site that wouldn’t draw customers from 6am fuel station opening to shoppers at 9-10am. (Depending on site hours and membership status).

No one is arguing that, that's the problem. It's how many customers if will be bringing in to local roads.

[JRcorvette]

Sounds like Costco is going to be giving stuff away… every day will be like a Black Friday event!