Golden Arches Planned for High Springs
HIGH SPRINGS – A roughly 3,700 square-foot McDonald’s is being planned for High Springs. According to City of High Springs Plan Board documents, the restaurant is expected to be operational in 2026. Although the project has generated considerable discussions, both online and at the Plan Board’s March 17, 2025, meeting, the site plan was approved in a 4-1 vote.
In addition to traffic concerns, some people expressed concerns over a planned sign for the new restaurant. The sign would have an overall height of 18 feet, including the post on which it would be mounted. It would also be LED illuminated and be constructed of McDonald’s typical red and yellow polycarbonate faces.
A traffic study was conducted for the fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru on the west side of U.S. 41 at Northwest 204th Avenue in High Springs. The study found that the section of US 41 from CR 236 to the restaurant's entrance is currently handling traffic well and is expected to continue doing so when the restaurant opens in 2026.
However, the stretch of U.S. 41 between the restaurant’s entrance and Northwest 212th Avenue already experiences heavier-than-ideal traffic, and this is expected to continue in 2026, even without the new restaurant.
The restaurant itself will add only a small number of cars to this already busy section – seven southbound vehicles in the morning peak hour and four northbound vehicles in the evening peak hour. According to Walsh Traffic Engineering, which conducted the traffic study, because the road would still need improvements regardless of the new development, the restaurant’s developer is not responsible for making any upgrades under Florida law.
At intersections studied in the area, all stop-sign-controlled approaches currently function at a satisfactory level and are expected to continue doing so after the restaurant is built. Additionally, the study found that a right-turn lane for southbound traffic on U.S. 41 at the restaurant’s entrance is not necessary. However, a left-turn lane for northbound traffic is recommended at the Tractor Supply driveway.
Part of the proposed plan calls for a cross-access easement that would permit traffic to enter the restaurant parking lot via the Tractor Supply entrance. The plans call for the modern dual drive through arrangement and curbside pickup parking.
The site is already zoned appropriately for the proposed restaurant. The nearest residential neighbor would be about 200 feet west southwest of the proposed site. The plans call for extensive landscaping and irrigation plan, with specific plantings, with the developer providing precisely 30 canopy trees and 23 understory trees as required by the City’s code. While the project would only be required to provide 261 shrubs, the developer has proposed to plant 1,052 shrubs, primarily along the site’s perimeter.
The project will require additional approval from the City Commission before developers can begin breaking ground on the site.
# # #
Email editor@
alachuatoday.com
Add a comment