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County Looks To Improve CR 42 Safety

    Lake County government officials gathered in Paisley on Thursday, April 24 to discuss issues in the rural northeast Lake County community and surrounding areas.  Lake County Commissioner Leslie Campione, whose district includes Paisley, led the meeting held at the First Baptist Church of Paisley and welcomed over 100 members of the community.
    A major topic of the night was the state of travel on CR 42 through the area, where serious, and fatal, crashes have become more common as drivers become more aggressive in the area.
    “A common theme of the night was the number of drivers who are passing on yellow lines on CR 42 and putting everyone else at risk,” Campione said after the event. 
    “Residents expressed strong concern over reckless driving,” said county communications director Levar Cooper.  Cooper said a ‘show of hands’ vote among attendees indicated that over half had been passed on a double yellow line on the road in the past month.
    The situation is not lost on the Lake County Sheriff's Office, which was represented at the meeting by Captain Shawn Vance.  Vance spoke on the office's commitment to keep the roads safe.
    The meeting was also attended by county public safety staff who spoke on fire safety among other other items.
    “I truly appreciate those members of the public who reached out and asked the Board of County Commissioners and the Sheriff to address measures to make CR 42 safer,” Campione said.  “While engineering improvements and law enforcement are key components to making a roadway safer, there is no way to sugarcoat the fact that far too many accidents are the result of drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which requires us to be defensive drivers.”
    Some changes will be coming as a result of the meeting.  Additional safety elements are expected to be installed in the area of CR 42 and Lake Mack Road, and Campione indicated that the coming months will see a full traffic signal installed at the CR 42 and CR 439 intersection, replacing the current caution signal. In addition, digital speed signs and a review of speed limits along the road are expected.
    “Meetings like this are essential,” said Campione of the evening.  “They show that our community cares deeply and that through collaboration, we can build a safer, stronger future.”