> Subject: GCC WEBMail: SW 13th Street Bike Pedestrian Bridge
> and Bike Path
>
> The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is
> planning to reconstruct the SW 13th ST Overpass and Depot
> Avenue bike trail east of the overpass starting on Monday,
> March 12th.  We are reaching out to provide information about
> the closure of these facilities during construction. The
> construction will add a pedestrian plaza to connect SW 13th
> Street to the bike trail. The Overpass and the bike trail up
> to SW 11th Street will be closed starting next week until the
> fall. Access across SW 13th ST will be available at SW 9th
> Avenue.  Vehicular and pedestrian access along SW 13th ST
> will remain open but lanes may be altered at various times. 
> If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Matt Dube
> Project Manager, Sr.
> Gainesville Commnunity Redevelopment Agency

As a cyclist who has been dodging pickup trucks, busses, and SUVs on SW 20th Avenue's missing bike lanes all of this past year while the D.O.T. contractor diddled and piddled around modifying the intersection at SW 43 Street by the firehouse, I think we should ask WHY the overpass and bike trail will be "closed until the Fall", as if it doesn't matter how long they piddle around with this project or whom they endanger, instead of hiring a competent contractor with adequate equipment and staff to get this job done QUICKLY and keep these important bicycle commuting facilities open during the work to the extent possible, just as they kept Williston Road and I-75 open while they quickly repaired the damaged I-75 lanes on the overpass last year.  Their suggested "bypass" to SW 9th Ave is an extremely congested and dangerous alternative to the existing rail-bridge overpass.

Following the recent major earthquake in Japan, private road companies repaired the collapsed Great Kanto Highway in just 6 days!

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/24/japanese-repair-quake-ravaged-road-in-just-six-days/

Following the Northridge earthquake in 1994, the Santa Monica freeway, a 12-lane elevated interstate structure with multiple collapsed bridge sections, was repaired in 67 days, 74 days ahead of schedule!

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-04-06/news/mn-42778_1_santa-monica-freeway

The article below in today's Sun which James quoted emphasizes the importance of separate bike trails to the safety of bike commuters; keeping this major route by UF, heavily used by both commuters and students, open to the extent possible should be a major focus during this project, not closed for a time measured in annual seasons of the year by a lethargic contractor who doesn't care because "It's only a bike trail".

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120305/ARTICLES/120309833?p=1&tc=pg