SR 64 roundabout is fatally foolish idea

I’m simply amazed at the Department of Transportation’s response to the idiotic choice of a “roundabout” at State Road 64 and Rye Road. The farmers are spot on with their feelings! This project is a “crash” looking for a place to happen. I went to the DOT’s (Tony Had A Pony) Forum, a few months back, at their new facility at SR 64. What a taxpayers’ joke.

There were several diagrams on display easels they had set up. No Q&A, just a comment sheet to fill out on your thoughts of which development should be constructed at this location, and to leave contact information for them to get back with you. A joke in itself, as I was never contacted.

I did overhear the vast majority of the attending residents voicing their dislike for a roundabout. With the hundreds of fruit trucks using that roadway daily, along with all the fully loaded dirt trucks leaving the new dirt pit from SMR property, by the DeSoto speedway. Just how many crash fatalities will have to be logged before DOT owns up to this being a total disaster?

In my 34 years of law enforcement, and with hundreds of traffic crashes log... I’m telling you this isn’t a roundabout... it’s a cluster-a-bout.

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 11:43 AM with the headline "SR 64 roundabout is fatally foolish idea."