Traffic signs and reckless driving leading to concerns in Port Charlotte neighborhood

Detours are confusing residents in a small Port Charlotte neighborhood, and neighbors say the fix is pretty simple.

The Atwater and Hillsborough Water Main Project has turned the community into a messy maze of obstacles, sending people into an unnecessary loop.

Meanwhile, people living there said they’re seeing reckless driving and speeding on the streets. Neighbors said more signs would help ease the confusion.

There is a lot of finger-pointing going on at the construction company, at Port Charlotte and even drivers who are not following the signs that are already up.

Speeding isn’t new to the neighborhood.

“They do not go the speed. I always have, right by my mailbox, a slow children sign to tell the drivers in the area to go slow, meaning I have kids in my house,” said Bryn Gjedrem, who lives in the neighborhood.

However, the Peace River Water Supply Construction Project is stirring more problems than expected.

“The thing is, I get it. It’s the drivers, like you said, could be more aware of signs up, and the only sign I seen is this one and I don’t remember that being up the first time,” said Raelene Cleveland, a concerned neighbor.

WINK News spoke with the supervisor of Woodruff and Sons, who is working on the water line project. He told WINK News that people are ignoring the detour signs, which causes more traffic and frustration.

“The issue is we have tons of wildlife, a tortoise already died squished on the ground, but I don’t want kids to get hit or residents to get hit,” said Cleveland.

The supervisor also said people are moving the road closure signs and driving through the dirt. That said, neighbors want to see more signs put up.

“I drive at night time with my kids that’s not safe, so if somebody were to move something and we weren’t able to see it and we didn’t move it and anyone else driving on
the road,” said Gjedrem. “I don’t think that’s very safe at all, and I would not like that to happen in this area.”

Mark said it is a three-year-long project and this is only the first part. Some neighbors are asking what the rest of the construction will look like.

“There is a lot of people who dont listen to the signs, but with the construction, I constantly see speeding down these roads, especially over to my right by Yorkshire,” said Gjedrem.

When speaking with the Woodruff and Sons supervisor, he said the company wanted to wrap up the first part of the project on Tuesday. However, with the weather coming to Southwest Florida, it needs to get pushed out until at least Wednesday.