Springwood Estates Reacts To Traffic Plan

SPRING HILL - When county commissioners agreed Tuesday to

put a right-turn only in and out of Spring Park Way and

Powell Road, dozens of Springwood Estates residents

gathered for the meeting clapped their approval.

Many of them assembled in the atrium outside

commissioners' chambers to express their pleasure with

the decision.

Two hours earlier, their moods were different as they

sat stolidly in the commission seats wondering if they

would come out of the county commission meeting with

any kind of relief from the traffic they are

experiencing in their community just east of the

Suncoast Parkway.

With the prospects of a major shopping center perched

at their doorstep, that traffic was sure to worsen.

Resident Ray Herrmann helped lead the charge in his

subdivision to involve the people in a potential

traffic solution and get them to the meeting to express

their concerns.

Is he pleased with Tuesday's result?

"Without question," Herrmann said. "I think this is a

tremendous solution."

A huge retail shopping complex located on 53 acres at

the southeast corner of the Suncoast Parkway and Spring

Hill Drive is expected to draw shoppers from as far

away as Citrus and Pasco counties.

Target and Kohls Department Store are expected to

anchor the 397,000-square-foot shopping center to be

built in three phases. Surrounding outparcels - which

could include restaurants, gas stations and convenience

stores - will also be developed.

Springwood Estates residents worry that excess traffic

congestion will endanger young people who catch school

buses along Spring Hill Drive.

And because Spring Park Way is already a major

throughway between Powell Road and Spring Hill Drive,

residents fear their main drag will turn into a drag

way.

Motorists are already using it as a short cut to get

from Powell Road to the Suncoast Parkway interchange

off Spring Hill Drive.

Many residents were pacified with the county's decision

Tuesday to install two traffic circles, or roundabouts,

on Spring Park Way and add a treed 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.

Traffic heading east on Powell Road will only be able

to turn right onto Spring Park Way and those heading

north on Spring Park Way will only be able to turn

right on Powell Road.

Bill McGuckin said he is happy with the "no-through

traffic" signs but only if people obey them and

sheriff's deputies enforce it.

He's hoping the people who disregard the sign will be

few.

"I think if those signs are up it will reduce the

number of cars going through there," he said.

McGuckin also doesn't see the logic of traffic circles

if it's supposed to be a no-through street.

The speed limit on Spring Park Road is 30 mph now. If

the traffic circles slow people down to 25 mph, it

would affect only people who already live in Springwood

Estates, he said.

McGuckin said the county should never have approved the

huge shopping center in their neighborhood in the first

place.

Carol Reventas, one of the directors of Deerfield

Homeowners Association, said she is not entirely

pleased with the right-in, right-out alternative

because motorists will likely then cut through her

subdivision to get to the shopping center and the

Suncoast Parkway.

Deerfield is located about a quarter-mile east of

Springwood Estates.

Reventas said she will ask the county to also place a

no-through traffic sign on Celebration Drive, which

connects Powell Road and Spring Hill Drive.

County Commissioner Chris Kingsley said he believes the

improvements represent a "very good compromise."

The citizens seemed appeased and the engineering

staffers should have a plan that is workable.

"I think it will work," Kingsley said. "I think both

sides were happy when we were through."