I am writing to commend the residents of Loxahatchee Groves for recently taking control of their road, Okeechobee Blvd., by lowering its speed limit to 30 mph. The county engineer expressed his dismay because he is dying to get his hands on Okeechobee Blvd. in your town to widen it to four lanes and then six lanes, for all the Minto, G.L. Homes and Iota Carol development traffic. The county has approved 9,600 new homes so far with Minto 4,600 of those. Minto originally requested 6,500 homes. Now that it has incorporated, they can build that many homes, or the 10,000 homes that Callery-Judge requested.
Minto also received approval to build 2 million square feet of commercial. Please note that the Mall at Wellington Green is 1 million square feet. Imagine all the tractor trailer trucks that will be required daily to keep those businesses stocked, as well as all of the construction supply trucks that will use Okeechobee Blvd., unless you take full control of the roadway, and maintain the 30 mph speed limit.
This lower speed limit, coupled with the existing red lights at 162nd Street and at the Royal Palm Beach Elementary School near Folsom Road, will be enough to meter traffic flow and allow residents from the letter roads to get onto Okeechobee Blvd. Whereas now, it is very difficult to do so because of the high rate of traffic speed.
Many residents in The Acreage do not appreciate the lower speed limit because it will add two minutes to each trip to and from the east. Yet many Acreage residents support your decision to keep your town a true tranquil, equestrian, rural community. But it matters not what Acreage residents want either way. It is up to the residents of Loxahatchee Groves to decide what they want, and not the county engineer.
The county engineer, the county commissioners and the developers want to make Loxahatchee Groves a “door mat” for the developers! Please note that by lowering the speed limit, you will, and are, forcing people to use Southern Blvd. to get in and out of The Acreage, thus taking traffic off of Okeechobee Blvd.
Please note that Dave DeMarois last week stated that he opposes the lower speed limit for safety reasons. How ironic! He is saying that driving slow is dangerous? A mind-boggling statement! I would recommend that the town paint two solid yellow lines down the center of Okeechobee Blvd., thus eliminating all passing lanes. Please take your road back and the future of your town!
Please do not allow the county commissioners and developers to convert Okeechobee Blvd. into a speedway through the heart of your town for the total benefit of non-Loxahatchee Groves residents! Please maintain the character of your town for the next 100 years, and for future generations to enjoy!
Edward Zakrzewski, The Acreage
I hear you Ed, but you are missing something larger. By reducing speed limits on Okee, where will that drive traffic by development approved. You might think Southern and Northlake, but you are failing to consider Orange, RPB Boulevard, Coconut, and every other access point.
Let’s just develop everyone and worry about the traffic latter, as it destroys our own community, right?
I completely agree! Thank you for bringing much needed common sense to the situation!