Cyclists take a stand for the Miccosukee Greenway
Jane Fletcher | Published on 9/5/2024
Members of Capitol City Cyclists and other groups showed up in force to object to the dangerous Dempsey Mayo Road extension through the Miccosukee Greenway. Responding to a request from Friends of the Miccosukee Greenway to establish new protections along the canopy road, the Leon County Commission voted to make the Dempsey Mayo Road extension a bit safer by:
Reducing the speed limit to 25 miles per hour
Narrowing the lane widths from 11 to 10 feet (narrow lanes make drivers more cautious)
And putting a Greenway user-activated red light similar to the one on Meridian at Forest Meadows
While opposition to the four road extensions across the park is widespread, Commissioners accepted county staff’s explanation that the Dempsey Mary extension was promised to the developer long ago and cannot be stopped now. The road will be built in 2025, however it appears that the redesign to accommodate the Commission’s decision may slow things. Cheers to Commissioner David O’Keefe for getting the issue on the commission agenda. Commissioner Brian Welch made the motion for the safety improvements.
A shared use path along Dempsey Mayo to benefit residents of the Canopy development and Westminster Oaks also creates great risks for Greenway users. The Greenway Trail would get a series of poorly planned right angle turns just east of the proposed road. CCC advised the County and the developer that the design is dangerous and suggested an alternative trail intersection.
Many people also have serious concerns with a proposed roundabout at Miccosukee and Dempsey Mayo. As designed, pedestrians will not be able to rely on a red traffic light to stop traffic. County staff say a roundabout is safer for cars, it is not clear how well the retirees and others who cross Miccosukee to access the Greenway will scurry across the road in face of vehicles zipping into the roundabout.