The City Council recently approved a series of traffic circles, narrower lanes, signs, landscaping, raised intersections, and crossways for the neighborhoods of Country Club Estates, Plantation Golf Estates, Plantation Park, and in the historic district off Fig Tree Lane. The changes should slow drivers and improve traffic flow, City Engineer Brett Butler said.
The City Council still must approve the cost once estimates are completed.
Council members approved the recommendations, with input from residents who met to discuss the traffic problems.
``It is a very necessary thing, and I hope they work. I have a lot of confidence in Brett Butler,'' resident Betty Cobb said. ``I know he is very competent.''
One of the problems in Plantation Golf Estates, east of University Drive, can be remedied by rerouting some traffic to Broward Boulevard to curb speeders on West Tropical Way. Speeders would be forced to slow down as they encounter narrower lanes on West Tropical Way and altered bridge crossings on East Tropical Way.
Butler plans to eliminate left turns in and out of the community at East Tropical Way. Traffic leaving the neighborhood going west would be permitted to make a U-turn at Northwest 63rd Avenue. The Florida Department of Transportation is widening the turn lanes on Broward Boulevard at 69th Avenue to accommodate U-turns.
Butler also recommended additional stop signs and pavement markings to slow drivers at intersections along Country Club Circle at Southwest 44th and 45th avenues and at Fourth and 11th streets.
Because of the many accidents on Fig Tree Lane, several intersections will be improved, including those at Broward Boulevard and Southwest Second Street.
Lanes will be narrowed along Fig Tree Lane south of Broward Boulevard. There will be a raised intersection at Fig Tree Lane and 61st Terrace.