County Proposes Reducing Lanes On Natures Way To Make It Safer

VALRICO, FL — Transportation planners think they have a way to reduce crashes and improve safety on Natures Way. They want to put Natures Way on a "road diet."

Residents complain that the loop serving as the main access road for the Bloomingdale East neighborhood has turned into a race track, with drivers frequently ignoring the 30 mph speed limit.

In more than one instance, the road has been used by teens for drag racing with deadly consequences (see related story).

Instead of turning to traffic-calming solutions like speed humps and traffic circles, the county is proposing to remove lanes from the road.

A section of Natures Way between Elba Place and Bell Grande Drive has four lanes. The county wants to spend $1.95 million to narrow this section of Natures Way to two lanes with a median and center left-turn lane, along with bicycle lanes in each direction.

The project also calls for upgrading school zones for Alafia and Cimino elementary schools and installing new signage and sharrow (shared lane) pavement markings on nearby sections of Natures Way, Culbreath Road, Glenhaven Drive, Greenhollow Lane and Springvale Drive.

To find out what Bloomingdale East residents think of the proposal, the county is hosting a public information meeting on Monday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bloomingdale High School cafeteria, 1700 E. Bloomingdale Ave.

Planners believe the "road diet" will slow down traffic and improve safety for drivers, walkers and joggers, and bicyclists who regularly traverse Natures Way, especially the children who walk to Cimino and Alafia elementary schools, which are located on either end of the loop.

Downsizing roads is becoming a popular option among transportation planners to slow traffic and decrease accidents along roads like Natures Way, which has had more than 90 crashes since 2010.

This type of design that reduces road lanes has been nicknamed a "road diet." Studies have shown that eliminating lanes reduces crashes by 29 percent.

See related story: Latest Accident Has Bloomingdale East Residents Demanding Action