GROVELAND — A spokesperson at the Florida Department of Transportation District Five has responded to questions from the Daily Commercial concerning two recent crashes in one week on State Road 50 in Groveland.
“When our staff learned of the two crashes near the curve west of Sloan’s Ridge Road, we initiated a traffic study to determine the need for any improvements. We expect to have draft findings in December,” she said.
On Oct. 27, a Bushnell woman driving a 2002 GMC Sierra, heading westbound on SR 50, died in a crash near Sloans Ridge Road.
It was the second time in one week that a crash had occurred when a driver negotiated a slight curve on that part of SR 50. Both crashes happened at night.
On Oct. 21, a semitractor-trailer crash resulted in the death of a young Clermont man.
FDOT said that it also has a project in the design stages involving the widening of a 4.3-mile section of SR 50 from the Sumter/Lake County line to County Road 33, which includes the area of the recent crashes.
“The purpose of this future project is to increase capacity and improve safety,” the agency’s spokesperson added. “Right-of-way acquisition is underway, but the project is not yet funded for construction.”
The majority of Groveland residents commenting on a Facebook post about the accidents blame motorists for driving too fast on that section of SR 50.
Responded one Groveland Word of Mouth group member, “Sadly, it’s because the drivers pass at very high speeds all hours of the day. Regardless if it’s a double line or not.”
Though the curve is not sharp by a long shot, it’s the first curve after a long stretch of straight road, when drivers typically get comfortable coasting at higher speeds.
The narrow rural highways of Lake and Sumter counties can be particularly dangerous for those not used to them. Combining unfamiliarity with the road’s geometry and limited visibility and careless speeding, you have a potentially deadly mix, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration.
The division of the U.S. Department of Transportation has conducted studies and says it provides extensive guidelines on signage and other countermeasures to enhance safety on curves for all drivers, including those unfamiliar with a road.
According to the FHWA, horizontal curves account for more than 25% of fatal crashes, and the average crash rate for curves is approximately three times higher than for straight sections. Unfamiliarity is a contributing risk factor.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: FDOT begins traffic study and plans for road widening on SR 50 in southwest Lake County
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
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