Alachua County begins design phase to help widen Archer Road to four lanes
Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County is beginning the preliminary design to widen a 3.84-mile section of Archer Road (State Road 24) west of Tower Road, a long-sought project aimed at easing traffic congestion and supporting economic growth in and around the City of Archer.
The County Commission has advocated for the state to convert this corridor into a four-lane highway for several years to improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and support development in southwest Alachua County.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently awarded the county a $2.25 million reimbursable grant to complete the initial design work.
Public Works will oversee the design of the segment stretching from Southwest 75th Street (Tower Road) to Southwest 122nd Street (Parker Road), while the state will be responsible for reviewing and approving the plans. This portion of the project will be administered through FDOT’s Local Agency Program (LAP), which allows local governments to manage state- and federally-funded transportation improvements.
“State projects of this magnitude usually are years in the making. Our first steps will be to use our in-house survey crew and partner with George F. Young, Engineering & Surveying Consultants, to survey the existing rights of way,” said Stuart Cullen, civil engineer and leader of the County’s capital projects team. “We are excited to assist FDOT in moving this important project forward.”
Should have four-laned Tower Road when you had the chance.
LOL…they wanted to do that to SW 91st St from SW 24th to Newberry Rd, but thanks to my late mother and a few other busybodies, that stretch of SW 91st St became a “scenic road” in 1987
So if I understand correctly, they want to ease congestion and increase development in and around Archer by widening Archer Rd. If that’s the case, shouldn’t they work towards the east from Archer?
Isn’t that a paradox of some sorts? The reason for the congestion is the growth west of I-75, both commercial and residential. Now they’re widening a section to increase growth that can’t contain what they have already. All this time I thought the County wanted to curb urban sprawl to the western areas of the county.
a lot of it is the people who live outside of Alachua County and commute to Gainesville for work and such.
We affectionately call them The Levatites as many come from Levy to staff our hospitals, serve our food, staff our stores,etc. They are willing to commute to work and the “SR24” is a win-win for everyone.
This may work, MTPO policy during the 90s and oughts was to not encourage further srawl by adding lanes out to future bedroom communities like Newberry and Archer. 441 already went to Alachua, so they went down that boosterism road first. I lost track of how widening Newberry Road was approved, but the results are clear. Archer is next. At some point the Comprehensive Plan, which meant to keep development limited and organized was thrown out – I think it still exists – and it appears anything goes. Part of it is probably due to the state legislature which ended what was called Developments of Regional Impact – or some such name – and which required state and regional review by various agencies and also limited the power of local governments to control developement. Think of it as the Citizens United of the Florida environment.
“In 2015 and 2016, Florida significantly changed its Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process, primarily by eliminating the DRI review for new developments exceeding the established thresholds. Further changes in 2018 eliminated DRI review for proposed changes to existing DRIs, shifting the responsibility for review and approval of such changes to the local government. …”
“The changes were intended to simplify the development process and reduce the burden on developers and state agencies.”
Google AI review.
Sorry to p**s on everyone’s Cheerios so early in the morning but this is a positive move. We have lived almost directly in the middle of that stretch for 25 yrs and getting in and out onto Archer Rd (especially 0630-0800 and 1600-1700)is a real challenge. The congestion is frustrating with so many jockying for a position to gain one minute it seems. Hats off to Alachua County and the governor’s grant to get this finally moving forward (PS: I remember 8-10? years ago when everyone got their panties in a twist when that pedestrian and bike walkway was installed on Archer Rd – it goes almost all the way to Archer. Lots of lives were probably saved so let’s not get too emotional over this new project. After all – its a highway and it is being improved!.). The sun will continue to rise despite this improvement – trust me.
They’ll use it as an excuse to build even more out near us, but I still hear you
We want less single-wide mobile home trailers out here and more higher end properties so if the expansion of SR24 facilitates that end I’m okay with it👍
I agree! Definitely sorely needed widening. I also live on that stretch of Archer road (30+ yrs) and when school is in, it’s maddening trying to get out of my subdivision onto Archer road. I don’t turn to go toward Gainesville, I have to cross that traffic to turn left toward Archer to get to work. People are so inconsiderate and will block the entrance, instead of stopping further back so we can’t get out.
You are “this may work”?
I am surprised the city is not considering narrowing Archer road in Gainesville to two lanes and adding in bike lanes. LOLOL>
I was thinking the same thing; It now takes 2 or 3 light cycles to get through Main and University intersection during peak hours.