Residents of MacKinley's Mill subdivision in Oviedo want to put up a gate at their entrance off State Road 434 to limit cut-through traffic. That's because a nearby subdivision opposes extending a street in their area to make another connection between S.R. 434 and S.R. 426 to relieve traffic in MacKinley's Mill.
It should surprise no one that NIMBY -- short for "not in my back yard" -- has come out in full force. Subdivisions are built for isolation and -- by golly! -- isolated they shall remain, or so they think.
Suburbia is a main reason traffic is clogged on major roads in Seminole and metro Orlando. Those pretty cul de sacs lead to nowhere, forcing traffic onto a handful of roads. Suburban commuters pay a steep price in bumper-to-bumper jams each day.
Not wanting to jump into this un-neighborly brouhaha, the Oviedo City Council has asked for a traffic study. That's the easy part. The trickier task will be to obtain utility rights of way, allowing MacKinley's Mill to put up a gate.
It's expensive to move utility lines. Somebody has to pick up the tab. It's important Oviedo not spend a dime to help close a subdivision. This would set a bad precedent and would be a questionable use of taxpayers' money.
The cheaper, and more logical, alternative is to extend Pine Avenue through Bentley Woods and Worthington Estates subdivisions, linking S.R. 434 and S.R. 426.
Neighbors may dislike the idea. But Oviedo is a fast-growing city. Residents cannot remain isolated forever.
