Residents of a Lake County community say they are constantly dealing with drivers who ignore a stop sign in their neighborhood.
What You Need To Know
- Some Groveland residents say there are many drivers who don’t obey a stop sign on Maravilla Way
- Chris Feibel says he wants the city to do something to make sure drivers heed the stop sign
- Groveland officials say they are considering adding speed tables to slow down drivers
In this week’s Traffic Inbox, Chris Feibel wrote to Spectrum News about drivers who constantly run the stop sign in front of his Groveland home.
“To call them a rolling stop sign would be generous,” he said.
Feibel, his wife and their two daughters live off Maravilla Way where it intersects with Halsey Drive.
Examining the situation at the scene for about an hour, Spectrum News spotted driver after driver ignoring the stop sign — some drivers don’t even slow down, there and at a couple others on Maravilla Way.
Residents say the issue stems from Maravilla Way being one of only two ways into South Lake High School from County Road 565A.
The other way, on Silver Eagle Road, has speed tables to slow down drivers.
“You’re going to have two choices, either through this straight away, with that stop sign, or you go over the speed tables," Feibel said.
Spectrum News contacted Groveland Transportation and Public Works Director TJ Fish to ask about the situation on Maravilla Way.
Fish said the number of drivers ignoring the stop sign is a problem and he’s looking at several options to fix the issue.
He said it's most likely that Maravilla Way will also get speed tables to encourage drivers to slow down and stop.
In the meantime, he said the Groveland Police Department has been called out to make sure drivers stop at the sign.
It’s an issue that hits close to home for Feibel, and not just because he lives off the street. When he was 5 years old his leg, pelvis and just about every other bone on one side of his body were broken when he was hit by a car.
“I got hit by a car — at a similar neighborhood like this by a driver who was speeding, crossed the yellow line and hit me,” he said.
Now from his home office, he looks out the window at other kids playing near the street, and says he hopes they don’t suffer an injury like his.
“I think it’s only a matter of time before one of these drivers accidentally hits a kid,” he said. “And maybe, is that what it takes for something to happen here?”
Hopefully not, Feibel said.
Spectrum News will keep you posted on the changes proposed by the city.