To the Editor:
This is in response to a letter to the editor from Mr Kinnear.
First of all, you may very well drive 150 miles a day “in Marion County,” but we aren’t talking about Marion County only.
We “complainers,” that according to you, “complain for the sake of complaining,” are talking about the congestion in Ocala.
I live in southwest Ocala and you are right about one thing. I am approximately two miles east of State Road 200. I was born and raised in Ocala and moved out of state at age 21. When my husband and I retired, we moved back and over the last 20 plus years, I have watched the addition of thousands of homes, each with the probability of having at least 1 vehicle, possibly most having 2.
When traffic is backed up on Southwest 66th Street at 7 a.m. for over 2 miles trying to get to Southwest 27th or SR 200, and the same for Southwest 60th Ave trying to get to SR 200; and when it takes me 45 minutes to go four miles to an 8 a.m. appointment, I think that we have a right to complain.
It seems that Ocala and Marion County care more about collecting property taxes and gave no thought to any infrastructure to accommodate all those additional vehicles.
I understand that growth is normal no matter where you live. Growth is not the issue, the lack of infrastructure is.
So maybe next time Mr Kinnear wants to accuse anyone of “complaining for the sake of complaining,” he should stop during his 150-mile daily route and actually talk to the citizens that live in this area and fight this traffic battle every day.
Judy West
Ocala