'They're just flying through.' Neighbors upset with emergency-access road change in Village of Florida
A group of neighbors in the Village of Florida are upset about an emergency access road that just opened to the public.
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A group of neighbors in the Village of Florida are upset about an emergency access road that just opened to the public.
Heather Ubides and her neighbors say the mayor opened Farries Avenue to daily traffic from Glenview Hills in April.
“He’s abusing his authority," said Ubides.
The group says the road was designed to be emergency-access only when the complex was built more than a decade ago and had a chain stopping regular traffic from getting through for years.
They say there’s too much traffic now for kids to play outside.
“Now, with this road being open, it has become a game for some of the drivers who are actually getting air - like 'Dukes of Hazzard' - off of this bump. They’re just flying through here," said Ubides.
Mayor Daniel Harter says Farries Avenue was opened to improve emergency access and road maintenance.
"With the chain in place, one must travel an additional mile and a half to reach homes located on Kaye Drive," said Harter. "The alternative is to take valuable time to either remove the chain or drive through the chain, causing damage to emergency vehicles."
A public meeting was planned for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the change as well as a new local law prohibiting street parking and prohibiting the use of commercial vehicles on Farries Avenue.
Ubides and her neighbors say the plan will interfere with some homeowners being able to drive their own vehicles and is in retaliation to their traffic complaints.
"While we appreciate that this represents a change, to allege that it was done as a personal vendetta or in retaliation and not for the safety of Village residents is simply without basis," said Harter.
