GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – In a couple of years, Gainesville’s Northeast 9th Street is going to look a lot different and the city wants your input on the redesign.
The city is hosting a public workshop to gather community input about roadway safety options for a section of Northeast 9th Street.
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 23 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Howard Bishop Middle School located at 1901 NE 9th St.
The city says the project includes repairing the pavement along the 1.5 mile strip from East University Avenue to Northeast 23rd Avenue.
Courtesy: City of Gainesville
“Modifications along this section also could include wider sidewalks, additional crosswalks, eliminating on-street parking, creating curbside stops for buses and widening bike lanes or creating bike lanes physically separated from traffic,” said the city in a news release.
According to the city, the project is expected to take up to three years to complete and cost between $3.2 and 6.2 million. The price tag depends on the exact changes the Gainesville City Commission approves.
The city says the community input will become part of a report which be presented to the Gainesville City Commission later this year.
“For the Northeast 9th street project, after the public involvement phase is complete, the design phase will take about a year, the procurement phase will take about six months, and the construction phase will take about another year,” said Brian Singleton, Gainesville Public Works Director.
If you can’t make the meeting, you can still provide input through an online survey.
The online survey presents four different options and the price tag for each.
The project will be funded by a half-cent surtax.
“In November 2022, Alachua County residents voted in favor of a one-cent sales tax levied for the next 10 years, expected to generate $17.4 million per year to the City of Gainesville,” said the city in a release. “Fifty percent of surtax proceeds are dedicated to Wild Spaces Public Places projects. The remaining half is dedicated to road repair, public-safety buildings and land for affordable housing.”