{"id":81396,"date":"2026-05-15T14:14:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T18:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winterhavendaily.com\/?p=81396"},"modified":"2026-05-15T14:14:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T18:14:17","slug":"traditions-residents-raise-concerns-about-pedestrian-safety-along-thompon-nursery-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winterhavendaily.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/15\/traditions-residents-raise-concerns-about-pedestrian-safety-along-thompon-nursery-road\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditions Residents Raise Concerns about Pedestrian Safety Along Thompon Nursery Road"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Traditions Residents Raise Concerns about Pedestrian Safety Along Thompon Nursery Road
by James Coulter<\/em>
 
Can hashmarks be placed on both sides of a non-signalized intersection? That is the question the City of Winter Haven wishes to ask the county concerning development and pedestrian safety along Thompson Nursery Road.
 
At their meeting in April, Winter Haven city commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution accepting improvements to Lake Ruby Drive West.
 
To facilitate the proposed residential development south of Lake Ruby Drive and north of Lake Hart, approximately 1,300 feet of roadway improvements were required to be constructed along Eloise Loop Road and Thompson Nursery Road.
 
Also required is the construction of a 2,400-foot-long, 8-foot-wide multi-purpose trail from the terminus of the improved roadway westward to County Road 653, across from Chain of Lakes Elementary School.
 
These required improvements were completed by the developer earlier this year and later inspected by Winter Haven city staff, who determined that these improvements were “ready for formal acceptance by the City,” the city agenda item stated.
 
However, many residents spoke during public comments to raise concerns about pedestrian safety within that area, even with the improvements made.
 
Linda Pfeifer, vice president of the Traditions HOA Board, told commissioners that the community is split by Thompson Nursery Road, forcing residents to cross a busy intersection with no traffic signal or safe crossing point.
 
She said residents routinely struggle to get from one side to the other and have “battled” with the county over safety concerns, especially as officials have advised against golf carts being used on sidewalks.
 
Pfeifer said she contacted Polk County Transportation Director Jay Jarvis about adding hash marks to the right side of the road, but he declined, noting that markings already exist and that the county cannot “put two hash marks on a non\u2011signalized intersection.”
 
She added that Jarvis also suggested golf carts use the sidewalk and pedestrian gates before entering the road\u2014contradicting the county\u2019s own stance against carts on sidewalks.
 
“We are looking for a meaningful, safe solution for the residents,” Pfeifer said. “Somebody had to be killed at the intersection of Traditions and Thompson Nursery Road to consider a signal. Please do not use a human life as payment for a preventable solution.”
 
Charlene Anchor, another concerned resident, mentioned how cumbersome and dangerous traveling across the road can be. Doing so can often take as long as five to seven minutes, with a likely chance of being struck by passing vehicles, many of which often surpass the 40 MPH speed limit.
 
“If a cop sat there for one hour, he would make his quota for the day,” she said. “People go down there 60 to 70 MPH. I do not want to be the one to get hit\u2026I have yet to see one person slow down because you are sitting there to wait.”
 
City Manager T. Michael Stavres said he was unsure of the county\u2019s protocol for using hash\u2011mark crossings at non\u2011signalized intersections.
 
Commissioner Nathaniel Birdsong recommended that city staff contact Polk County for clarification on the rules governing such markings at unique intersections.
 
\u201cOnce we have that, then we can determine a letter of support or what direction to reply to the county,\u201d he said.
 
Stavres said staff would follow up with County Manager Bill Beasley to obtain the guidance needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Traditions Residents Raise Concerns about Pedestrian Safety Along Thompon Nursery Roadby James Coulter Can hashmarks be placed on both sides of a non-signalized intersection? That is the question the City of Winter Haven wishes to ask the county concerning development and pedestrian safety along Thompson Nursery Road. At their meeting in April, Winter Haven city commissioners voted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":81395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1496],"tags":[48,55,54,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-81396","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-localgovernment","8":"tag-city-commission","9":"tag-city-commission-meeting","10":"tag-meeting","11":"tag-winter-haven"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winterhavendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/img_2854-1.jpg?fit=1290%2C1662&ssl=1","aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t