Demand for school crossing safety and speed cameras fuel debate at Lake commission meeting

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners heard comments and concerns related to pedestrian and road safety at its Sept. 12 meeting.

In the public comments portion of the meeting, Leigh Boreske brought up concerns related to what she described as a dangerous road crossing at Orange Avenue and the County Road 44 bypass in Eustis. Middle and high schoolers cross busy roads such as Bay Street (State Road 19) en route to Eustis High School-Curtright Center and Eustis Middle School.

“It’s been a concern for years,” Boreske said. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and it has been exacerbated now by the fact that they have put in a new community on the south side of Orange Avenue (Brookshire). It is about 80 homes. And the other day I was asked by one of my neighbors to please take him to school because he had almost gotten hit the day before trying to come home from practice. I thought, don’t wanna have a child hit before something gets done. There’s absolutely no crosswalk. There’s never a time when all of the lights are solid red.”

Boreske initially took her complaint to the city of Eustis. Officials there told her that it was not their road. She also went to the school board meeting the night before.

“They said that they do see it as a problem,” she said of the feedback she received at the Lake County schools meeting, “but again, I have to come here. Something has to get done. I should not be having to take my neighbors to practice.”

County Commissioner Leslie Campione said that the city of Eustis and the county should be able to come together and find a solution to the problem, but brought up concerns about parts of the route that offered no sidewalks for children to use.

“A few years back, we improved the intersection of Bates (Avenue) and the bypass, and that’s helped a lot,” Campione said. “We coordinated the flashers and we’ve got the speed limit signs there.”

Boreske also brought up feedback she received from Eustis High football players. “They sat there for an hour trying to get across safely before they finally ran in front of traffic to get across it. It’s unacceptable. They have to walk there every single day. … They’re walking over there at 7 o’clock in the morning for practice. It’s a very busy road, and they’re coming back at 6:30, 7 o’clock at night … this cannot just keep getting tossed around.”

Commission Chairman Kirby Smith said that he and personnel from the engineering department would investigate the area further.

“We’ll take a ride out there and look at it, see what we can do with the city of Eustis,” Smith said.

The commission also discussed installing a proposed speed-detecting device at crosswalks in front of Eustis public schools, proposed by City Manager Tom Carrino. The cameras would be among the first ones featured in the entire state. The commission is tabling this matter until Sept. 26 so it has time to investigate their efficacy and gauge public response.

Smith voiced strong reservations about the devices at the meeting. He repeated that the citations from the devices do not often correctly identify the driver. Carrino responded that an affidavit would be available to provide the identity of the correct driver if someone is borrowing a car.

A driver has to be driving at least 10 mph over the limit, Carrino added. “The goal is not to cite people and use it as a revenue source. The goal is to raise awareness and improve safety in school zones.”

More: Traffic cameras raise Big Brotheresque fears

Earlier this year, the Leesburg Public Works Department decommissioned two traffic signals in downtown Leesburg at the intersections of West Main Street and North Third Street and West Main Street and North Sixth Street.  On March 29, the intersections became four-way stops, marked with flashing red signal lights and all-way stop signs.

“These changes were made to address public safety and reduce vehicle speed on Main Street,” a city government press release said.

“I love downtown Leesburg,” writes city resident Gary Blanchard on Nextdoor.com. “The challenge at some of the intersections is the landscape that was planted. The picture you show is a good example. Stop, look to your right, and the palm tree trunks are blocking your line of sight. With the three-quarter-way stops you must have visual contact with the other driver because not everyone understands you yield to the car on the right. The trees block your vision. I love trees and landscapes! Maybe there could have been better planning with the driver in mind.”

Other traffic control devices such as permanent flashing red signals, repainted pedestrian crossings and decorative stop signs were added in April.

Lake County population growth is among the highest in the state, and relatively smaller towns will be affected by more people on roads.

Four things to know about the construction on US Highway 27/441 in Leesburg

Florida is the nation’s fastest-growing state for the first time since 1957, according to the U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. A Tampa Bay Times report ranks Florida city and county population growth rates between 2021 and 2022 and pegs Lake County at No. 10 with 106,414 newer residents and adjacent Orange County ranked No. 1 in Florida with 250,228 newer residents.

The biggest population surges in the state included Wildwood with 24,681/265.1% more residents, Groveland with 21,633/254. 2% more and Fruitland Park with 8,615/107.7% more residents.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Talk of speed cameras, dangerous crossings stir up commission meeting