No need for 12-foot wide sidewalks; 8 feet plenty for golf carts

OK, who is asking for the sidewalks along U.S. 301 to be widened to 12 feet? Not the people who are asking to ride along the small stretch of U.S. 301 between 60th and Eerie. Twelve-foot-wide sidewalks are ridiculous!

The sidewalks are already 8 feet wide, designed and made for use of golf carts in the area. All these people are asking for is to use the existing sidewalks the way they were intended -- just like other communities like these.

Nobody I know wants 12-foot sidewalks. Everyone thinks this is silly, wasteful, and maybe just an excuse not to OK the use of the existing sidewalks for some reason.

By using common sense, obeying traffic rules, and yielding to bikes and pedestrians as they do now, everyone should be satisfied without spending a dime.

There is no problem with the way it is, and by letting them use their carts would eliminate a whole lot of additional traffic and help a lot of people who don't drive and who depend on their carts to get them around to shopping, doctors, and all the other businesses in that little stretch.

Jack Bronik

Ellenton

This story was originally published May 14, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "No need for 12-foot wide sidewalks; 8 feet plenty for golf carts ."