County Resolves Springwood Estates Traffic Concerns

BROOKSVILLE - Dozens of Springwood Estates residents packed county commission chambers Tuesday asking for relief from the traffic inside their community once a planned 397,000-square-foot shopping center is built near there.

Target and Kohl's have expressed interest in anchoring the center, to be located at the southeast corner of the Suncoast Parkway and Spring Hill Drive.

After 90 minutes of debate, county commissioners voted 5-0 to heed the advice of their county engineer to install two traffic circles (sometimes called "roundabouts") on Spring Park Way and add a tree buffer along Spring Hill Drive at a cost of $350,000.

In addition, commissioners required the developer to:

Place traffic signs along Spring Park Way stating it is a no-through street and that only local traffic is allowed.

Install a right-in, right-out exit at Powell Road.

Consider the possibility of a slower speed limit along Spring Park Way.

In granting Tampa-based Regency Centers the necessary rezoning to proceed with the project, county commissioners in August asked the developer to identify traffic-calming techniques for nearby Spring Park Way.

A liaison from Springwood Estates worked with the developer and the county to explore traffic options and the community voted on closing Spring Park Way at Powell Road.

The county engineer was not in favor of that option because, among other things, he believed it would hinder the ability of emergency vehicles to access the subdivision from Powell Road and affect other traffic patterns in the area.

Many in Springwood Estates believed the county was trying to turn a residential street into a "feeder" street, adding more cars and adding to the congestion problem.