Residents along dangerous stretch of Northlake Blvd. ask for a traffic light
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (CBS12) — Ask almost anyone who drives on Northlake Boulevard during rush hour and they’ll tell you the same thing – it’s a nightmare. Especially in and out of the Acreage and Loxahatchee area.
There’s roughly a two mile stretch of road without a traffic light. One community effected in that area is Bay Hill estates.
People in this community say cars speed past here. It’s difficult to exit the community and for some, it’s downright dangerous.
Weeks ago, Bay Hill resident Rich Hoffman was involved in a crash right in front of his neighborhood on Northlake Boulevard. Earlier that day, a deadly crash shut down the same road for hours.
“I’m just curious if somebody else has to perish before they get it in their heads it has to get done,” Hoffman said.
Another Bay Hill resident, Curt McCollough, says there are certain times of the day he won’t his recently licensed daughter leave the neighborhood.
“You’re basically pulling out from a neighborhood onto a freeway, 55 MPH or plus, when those people do obey the speed limit,” McCollough said.
A records check revealed there has been a total of 44 crashes along the four-mile stretch of Northlake Blvd. between Beeline Highway and Bay Hill Estates. Two of those were deadly.
Fed up, residents took it upon themselves to put up a sign, telling drivers leaving the community not to make a left turn during rush hour.
One thing residents say is helping is a traffic enforcement operation.
Palm beach gardens police got jurisdiction on Northlake Boulevard in January. Since then they’ve increased the number of units patrolling the area during rush hour and placed speed trailers in the road.
“Until Gardens most recently started patrolling it more frequently, it was pretty much out of control,” McCollough said.
The Mayor of Palm Beach Gardens says the city has the money to fund the light in front of Bay Hill, but the county conducted a traffic survey last week and says the traffic does not warrant a signal.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay is holding a meeting Monday at 6pm to address the traffic concerns in the area. It will be in the Seminole Ridge High School auditorium and the public is invited.
