Manatee County is looking to raise the speed limit on a Palm Aire roadway, and the community has mixed feelings about it.
Some residents living off of Whitfield Avenue are not happy about the potential increase.
Bob Bennett lives in the Palm Aire community off of Whitfield Avenue. Bennett, like most residents in the neighborhood, takes his golf cart when he needs to go somewhere. Especially when he needs to get to the golf course.
“Every time I play, which is three times a week - and if I have a committee meeting there - I use it to go back and forth instead of using my car,” Bennett said.
Bennett says a higher speed limit could make driving his golf cart on Whitfield Avenue dangerous. County commissioners are looking at raising the speed limit by 10 mph to 40 mph.
“As it is now, it is a 30 mph speed limit, but people go 40. If they make it 40, they will go 50. And I am not only concerned for myself, but for the community in general.”
Many area residents share Bennett’s fears. However, for drivers like Kimberly Pacuraw, who takes Whitfield by car to get to work, she says the slow speed limit is a pain.
“It’s horrible because you really have to watch your speed, and 30 even coasting is really, really low,” Pacuraw said.
Pacuraw says if the speed limit gets bumped up to 40, it will make her daily commute a lot easier.
“Cause I could plan on at least a set speed that I know I can get to work on time,” Pacuraw said.
Manatee County Commissioners will be having a public meeting to discuss the increased speed in August.