Oh
my…what an
unholy alliance this will be: cyclists and “all
trucks”! Perhaps a
call for a bike lane might have been the better
plea…
Walt
Barry
-----Original
Message-----
From: T.
DeLene Beeland [mailto:delenebe@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007
8:00
AM
To:
GCCmail@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject:
GCCMail: Wacahoota Road
This
guest opinion appeared in the GVille Sun, on Wacahoota Road…
including bike
safety. –DeLene
http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070212/EDITORIALS0101/70212020/-1/editorials
“Not
enough road to share”
By
JUDYTH COREY DAWSON and WILLIAM W. DAWSON
February 12.
2007
When is
Alachua County going to do something about Wacahoota Road? It surely
has to
be the most dangerous road in Alachua County at this
point!
Historically, Wacahoota Road was a small horse and wagon
path
that began off Williston Road. When U.S. 441 was constructed, Wacahoota
then
became a curvy, hilly, narrow six-mile road with the east end
terminating at
441, and the west end terminating at Williston Road. It is, reportedly,
the
first paved road in Alachua county, with paving being done on the west
end
approximately 75 years ago.
When this original paving was done,
the
road bed was not prepared as road beds are today. It was merely graded
and
paved. There is apparently no stabilizing substrate beneath the
pavement. It
has been patched and filled many, many times, as areas rise and sink
due to
the unstable land beneath. It is incredibly bumpy.
Today,
Wacahoota
Road supports a great deal of traffic. It is also a designated Florida
Scenic Highway, which encourages traffic. Large trucks use it as a
short cut
between Williston Road and 441. Several school busses make their daily
runs,
transporting students who live along the road. There is construction
going
on in the area, and heavy trucks come and go throughout the day. Big
log-carrying trucks are frequently encountered. There are several
residential neighborhoods on Wacahoota Road, and the locals use the
road in
their daily comings and goings. More neighborhoods are being built, and
traffic is increasing.
The problem is that Wacahoota Road is
still a
little narrow wagon path. A school bus will take up its lane and
approximately 20 percent of the opposing lane. The same with a large
tow
truck, garbage truck, or construction truck. If one is driving and
approaching an on-coming truck, both vehicles must carefully run off
the
road, in order to avoid collision. This gets quite tricky, as there is
a
very soft, narrow shoulder, with drainage ditches on either side of the
road. Two automobiles, or small trucks have difficulty meeting and
passing
on the road. It is truly that narrow.
Now, add to the equation
the
fact that large groups of avid bicyclists routinely use this road in
their
daily rides. There are signs along Wacahoota Road, advising motorists
to
"share the road" with bicyclists. There is absolutely no road to
"share!"
Many times, I have rounded a curve, or come up over a hill on Wacahoota
Road, and encountered a group of bicyclists equidistant between me and
an
on-coming school bus.
It is sheer terror when this happens. The
only
choice one has is to run off the road - rapidly! Our vehicles have the
most
frequent rate of front-end realignment in the state, I'm
sure.
There
will be a disaster on that road some day. The road is too narrow, with
hills
and curves blocking the view. Some driver is not going to anticipate
the
possibility of bicyclists and will plow into a group of them.
If
the
county can not find the money to properly adjust the size and pave
Wacahoota
Road in accordance with current roadway codes, two steps should be
taken to
ensure safety of people who have to use the road on a regular basis. 1.
All
trucks using the road to cut over between Williston Road and U.S. Hwy.
441
should be banned. 2. Bicyclists should be banned.
This is not a
matter of bicyclists' "rights," it is a matter of common sense and
safety.
Again, there is not enough road to share. It is dangerous.
We
residents of the area are sincerely hoping that the county can find the
funds to improve this road before a disaster happens. It is only a
matter of
time.