Alachua County to begin roadway improvements in Orange Heights
Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County Public Works will begin roadway improvements in the Orange Heights neighborhood next week as part of the County’s pavement management program.
Crews will mill and resurface Northeast 168th Terrace to restore pavement and improve ride quality.
In addition, a 1-inch asphalt overlay will also be applied to the following roads:
- Northeast 72nd Place
- Northeast 71st Place
- Northeast 70th Avenue
- Northeast 172nd Terrace
Work is scheduled to begin on Feb. 23, 2026, weather permitting.
These improvements are designed to extend the life of the existing pavement, enhance safety, and provide a smoother driving surface for residents and visitors throughout the community.
Residents may experience temporary lane closures and minor traffic delays during construction. Access to homes will be maintained, though brief delays may occur while crews work near driveways.
For details on other ongoing and planned projects, visit the County’s Roads Projects page.
Why did they only pave 3 miles of CR 234 and leave the rest of CR 234 still full of potholes. They PROMISED to fix the whole road. All the road money is being poured into roads leading to the s-called non-profit Wildflowers Music Park fiasco. And now they are pouring even more money into more roads that lead to it. It is disgusting that the Alachua County Commission pretended to be fair and to listen the locals that did not want Wildflowers. And, they said that the residents on Quail Street in Melrose that their dirt road street would not be used as a way to get into Wildflowers. They just put 2 big road signs at the corner of SR 26 and Quail Street. One says Quail Street and the other one says NE 255th St (which fronts the Wildflower’s Music Park property). There was never a sign for NE 255th St there before. Of course most of the festival goers are going to use Quail Street to get to the Festival, because they are directing them to go that way. I have lived in several states and countries in my life, but never one as corrupt as Alachua County Florida!!
This is what was in the Wildflowers FAQs “Will Quail Street be impacted?
Quail Street in Melrose is a narrow limerock neighborhood road (a few hundred feet of which was recently paved). Quail Street makes the connection from SR 26 in Melrose to NE
255th Street (which fronts the Wildflower’s Music Park property). Quail Street is not suitable as an access to WildFlowers Music Park during festival events.
Wildflowers Music Park will coordinate with Alachua County Public Works and neighbors to minimize festival-related vehicle traffic on Quail Street. Among the traffic reduction and
diversion strategies will be:
1) Signage along approach highways that direct festival goers to the entrance off CR-219A, and away from Quail Street.
2) Publicity and documents provided to attendees that show the preferred route which avoids Quail Street, and diverts traffic from SR 26. This might include a specific website URL just for directions and maps.
3) Online navigation companies will be notified of temporary road closures and will be provided with directions to the site via the CR 219A and NE 35th Avenue approach.
4) If agreed to by neighbors and the County, to provide a gate adjacent to WildFlowers’ property that would limit access from the park to Quail Street during events. The gate would either be operated by an individual stationed there or with a remote that could be operated by emergency responders, or even by neighbors who are given an access code.
The goal is to both ensure that traffic on Quail Street does not impede any emergency response from the north, to reduce the impact of traffic on neighbors, and to encourage festival-goers to walk or bicycle to Melrose businesses.”
Sure wish they would work on 75 st in Hawthorne.