By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

            Levy County Commissioner John Meeks on Tuesday told a state traffic engineer changes need to be made to the left turn lane of U.S 27A in front of the new Marathon station in Bronson or accidents are going to happen.

            “People are stopping short of the stoplight,” Meeks said. “If they are following too close, we’re going to have a calamity there.”

            Meeks said motorists are accustomed to vehicles continuing in the left turn lane to the traffic light and then stopping at U.S. 27 and State Road 24, but he said now that the Marathon station is open, vehicles are stopping in the left turn lane to access the store entrance and “near misses” have occurred.

            “I think they need to extend the turn lane so that people are aware. It’s nothing illegal. I want to see if they will extend that turn lane,” Meeks said.

            DOT hasn’t redesigned the turn lane since the Marathon station opened about a month ago.

            Traffic Engineer Ryan Asmus, who attended the board meeting to invite commissioners to a public meeting in Chiefland later the same day, said he would look into Meeks’ concerns.

            Meeks said he brought the matter to Asmus’ attention because he believes the DOT has a safety issue that should be corrected before there’s a bad wreck in front of the Marathon station. He said it was not his intent to criticize Marathon station owner Stoney Smith.

            Meeks owns Bronson Ace Hardware at the traffic light.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting March 22, 2022; Posted March 23, 2022

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