DAVIE, Fla. – A traffic nightmare is getting worse as gas prices rise and drivers line up for discounted gas. In the town of Davie, the line for Costco gas is so long, that it often backs up onto busy State Road 84, which causes traffic tie-ups, major confusion, and dangerous road conditions on one of the busiest roadways in South Florida.
Many drivers and residents are asking where’s the law enforcement?
Everyone agrees something has to be done but no one has an immediate solution.
Town of Davie officials told Local 10 News that they will not send officers out clear the road or to write any tickets.
Sandy Segure was caught in her car in the traffic. It isn’t the first time.
“Does Costco own 84? Are they paying the town of Davie for the use of it? It’s a bottleneck and it’s horrible,” she said. “It is a two-lane road and now Costco owns the right lane?”
It isn’t an isolated incident. It’s every day. The long lines for discounted gas stretch off Costco property and out onto State Road 84. That standstill blocks an entire lane of the busy roadway just east of University Drive
We asked drivers if they have seen any police trying to help ease the bottleneck.
“Not at all,” they told us.
The problem is when Costco gas lines are open: That’s 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The manager of Tire Plus next door couldn’t talk to Local 10 News on camera but says he’s had clients that sit in the gas line to make the right turn to get to his business for up to a half-hour.
We noticed a slow down on the one lane of 84 that was flowing, as drivers went around the vehicles stopped to make a right turn onto 75th avenue.
We looked at a map. Why not reroute gas customers off of State Road 84 and have them line up behind the Costco on 75th Avenue?
We contacted the Davie Police Department and according to their legal advisor Gregg Rossman there is no immediate solution.
Rossman said the town doesn’t want to ticket drivers stopping or standing on State Road 84 and says rerouting traffic off SR 84 to 75th Avenue would just create problems on that street.
Rossman said the town did present a traffic plan to Costco and it’s “being studied by the company.”
A manager at the store told Local 10 News by phone that “this is a horrendous problem.”
He said Costco corporate has given them the go-ahead to re-construct the area, but that won’t happen anytime soon.
Segure called Costco’s corporate office to voice her concerns.
“I told them one day you are going to have a violent incident here or a terrible accident from 84,” she said.
We called the Florida Highway Patrol, too. An FHP lieutenant said that even though it is a state road, it is within Davie’s town limits and it’s Davie’s jurisdiction. So, it won’t be FHP making drivers move who are stopped on State Road 84.
It is a big mess that seems likely to continue for some time. Here’s hoping no one gets hurt.