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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – College students returning to the area will notice changes in traffic patterns made by the City of Gainesville and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The recent changes to West University Avenue and to roadways near the University of Florida are part of the City’s Vision Zero action strategy to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries from traffic accidents.

During the summer, the City converted Northwest 14th Street and Northwest 15th Street from two-way to one-way. The parallel streets function as a “one-way pair,” with traffic flowing in opposite directions. Specifically, traffic on Northwest 14th Street flows southbound between Northwest 5th Avenue and University Avenue, while motorists on Northwest 15th Street drive northbound only between the same cross streets.

“More than 850 pedestrians cross University Avenue at Northwest 15th street during the midday peak hour,” said City Planner Scott Wright. “By limiting the direction of traffic flow, there are fewer places where pedestrians and motorists can cross paths. That’s safer for everyone.” 

On-street parking remains along both streets of the one-way pair. New are flexible yellow posts installed to separate bicyclists from motorists.

“Everyone has the right to move about safely, and system designers and policymakers share this responsibility,” said Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe.

In May, FDOT reduced the speed limit on West University Avenue to 25 mph between the area just east of Northwest 21st Terrace and Northwest 13th Street. The state also has installed temporary speed tables at four locations along West University Avenue where future crosswalks are planned. The speed tables are intended for speeds of 25 mph or slower.

“Temporary speed tables are designed to encourage reduced traffic speeds and enhance pedestrian safety along the roadway,” said Greg Evans, FDOT District 2 secretary. “We believe our continuing efforts in this corridor will lead to safer roadways for all residents and visitors to Gainesville,” he said.

Later this year, FDOT expects to install new traffic lights where West University Avenue intersects with Northwest 16th Street and with Northwest 19th Street. The City also plans to convert nearby Northwest 17th and Northwest 18th streets into a one-way pair.

For more information, contact City of Gainesville Public Information Officer Rossana Passaniti at 352-393-7842 or passanitir1@cityofgainesville.org.

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alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Old Mount Carmel Baptist Church has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, gaining formal recognition of the property’s historic significance as a cultural and architectural resource to the State of Florida.

Constructed in 1944, the church building, located at 429 NW 4th Street, is a significant community asset for many reasons including its distinctive Late Gothic Revival architecture. It long has been a cultural centerpiece among Gainesville’s African American community for its historical significance as a religious and social gathering place during the civil rights movement (1944-1970). Dr. Thomas A. Wright (1920-2014), former reverend of Mount Carmel Church, and president of the Alachua County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), worked during the era to help desegregate the Alachua County school system.

Pastor Gerard Duncan of Prayers By Faith Family Ministries, whose congregation worships at Old Mount Carmel Baptist Church, says the efforts of community partners were crucial to its placement on the national register.

“The Prayers By Faith Family Ministries congregation, along with the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, would like to thank for their support: the Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee; the historic preservation staff at the Florida Division of Historical Resources; the Honorable Lauren Poe and the Gainesville City Commission; the Honorable Ken Cornell and the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners; and the City of Gainesville’s Department of Sustainable Development for working to make this designation a reality,” said Pastor Duncan.

The City of Gainesville was awarded a $50,000 Small Matching Grant from the state’s Division of Historical Resources for a rehabilitation and adaptive use plan for the church. Preserving and celebrating Gainesville history, heritage and Black culture is part of the City’s strategic plan to keep Gainesville as a great place for neighbors to live and thrive.

“The funding will be used toward digital documentation of the historic building, a conditions assessment and schematic rehabilitation plan, and the gathering of oral histories to support the congregation’s mission,” said Department of Sustainable Development Director Andrew Persons.

The nomination package for historic designation was prepared by the University of Florida’s Historic Preservation program former Director Morris Hylton, III; Adjunct Assistant Professor Linda Stevenson; and Doctoral Researcher Kristine Ziedina.

“Old Mt. Carmel’s history as a center for civil rights activism in Gainesville is emblematic of this building’s significance to the community, both historically and currently. We look forward to our partnership with Pastor Duncan and his congregation to assist with plans for continuous and future use as a community hub for social justice,” said Cleary Larkin, acting director of UF’s Historic Preservation program.

The project runs through June 30, 2022 and will be a collaborative partnership between Prayers By Faith Ministries, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, UF’s Historic Preservation program and the City of Gainesville. Follow the project website for information on upcoming events and updates: https://www.saveoldmountcarmel.org/

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alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY ‒ At the Aug. 17, 2021 Special Meeting, the Alachua County Commission decided to hold an Emergency Commission Meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, at 5 p.m. at the Alachua County Administration Building, 12 S.E. 1st Street, Gainesville.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the current spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and the possibility of reinstituting community masking requirements that follow the current CDC guidelines.

The Commission will take public comment in person or by calling 1-800-876-7516. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status. The public may view the meeting on Cox Channel 12, Facebook, and the County’s Video on Demand website.

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alachuatoday.com

TALLAHASSEE — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Mildred Russell to the School Board of Alachua County.  Russell, of Gainesville, started Miracle Life Ministries with her husband in 1990. They started churches in Athens, Georgia and Oxford, England and have ministered across the world. She volunteered on Front Porch Florida and was a tutor at Duval Early Learning Academy. Russell attended Western Kentucky University.

Russell fills the seat left vacant when DeSantis removed Diyonne McGraw from the School Board, issuing executive order 21-147 in June declaring the seat vacant.  McGraw was elected to the Alachua County School Board District 2 in August 2020, but lives in District 4. The executive order read in part, "Due to Diyonne McGraw's failure to maintain the residence required of her by law, a vacancy exists on the Alachua County School Board, District 2, which I shall fill in compliance with the law."

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