On March 2^nd the following email was sent to all Alachua County Board of Commissioners by Bob Newman.   To date there has been no response from any of them.

 

“I am writing in connection with the planned work to be done to NW 16^th Avenue in Gainesville this summer.  After speaking to someone who attended the county’s meeting at Westwood Middle School a few months ago on this topic I was under the impression that part of the construction along NW 16^th Ave. would include adding bicycle lanes to the street.  I have now been told that not only have the bike lanes not been approved yet, that it is unlikely they will be added as part of this construction.  Could you please clear this up for me and let me know the status of the proposed bike lanes for 16^th Ave. & it’s sister street NW 23^rd Ave.?”

Bob has spoken with Steve Lachnicht a planner and department Director working for the County Commission (and fellow GCC member) who was at the latest County Commission meeting this was discussed (February 23^rd, 2010).  It appears that most responses from citizens attending the meeting was that they were not in favor of adding a bike lane as they felt the slightly narrower median caused by this would make it more difficult for them to cross 16^th Avenue in their cars.  A full video of this meeting can be viewed by following this link: http://alachua.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=1301 .  Item 16 is the portion about the 16^th Avenue construction and begins approximately 1:35:20 into the meeting (about 1/3 over if you slide the time bar under the video).

Needless to say that the area needs these bike lanes both for access to local schools and transportation to UF and other parts of the city.  If enough people call, write, and/or email county commissioners perhaps they will take this matter seriously.