Infrastructure, Transportation and Capital Projects

Public Works

Capital Projects

 


RTS Transfer
Station Opening



 


Public Works
The SW 2nd Avenue Improvement Project, completed this year, included the milling and resurfacing of the roadway between Main and 13th Streets, two roundabouts at 10th and 12th Streets and attractive landscaping funded by the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency. The completion of this project beautifies a key corridor between downtown Gainesville and the University of Florida and sets the stage for further redevelopment, some of which has already begun. (Matt Dubé)The Public Works Department maintains the City's infrastructure, including streets, buildings, sidewalks, stormwater systems and traffic signs/signals, with a staff of approximately 397 employees, of which 232 staff the Regional Transit System (RTS). The Department also provides development review, oversees solid waste collection, reduction and disposal, mosquito control and delivers public transportation services through RTS. RTS has provided public transportation to Gainesville and neighboring areas of Alachua County for more than 34 years. Today, RTS services a 74 square mile area with 26 fixed routes, 10 campus routes and nine Sunday citywide routes.

2007 Highlights Public Works
  • Completed construction of the SW 2nd Avenue Improvement Project, between Main and 13th Streets. SW 2nd Avenue was milled and resurfaced, median islands were landscaped and two roundabouts, at 10th and 12th Streets, were constructed.
  • Constructed bicycle paths at Depot Park, connecting the Gainesville-Hawthorne trail with the Depot Park trail.
  • Installed 25,809 linear feet of new sidewalks and curb and gutter, removed and replaced 5,692 linear feet of damaged sidewalks and curb and gutter, installed 141 new handicap ramps and 48 new traffic circles, mowed 944 acres of right-of-way and completed 58 site plan reviews.
  • Sponsored more than 30 community events to promote bicycle use and pedestrian safety.
  • Installed new sidewalks in the North Lincoln Estates neighborhood on SE 14th Street and 1st Avenue, the College Park neighborhood on NW 1st Avenue, in the Southwest along SW 35th Place, and on SE 4th Avenue in the Porters neighborhood.
  • Accepted six subdivisions for perpetual maintenance including Forest Creek, Portofino Phase 2, North Point at Ironwood, Townsend Phase 1 and Sorrento Phases 2 and 3. Weschester Phase 1 was accepted for one-year maintenance. There are presently three other subdivisions still under construction and three others in the construction plans phase.
  • Replaced the traffic signal at the key intersection of NW 8th Avenue and 22nd Street to accommodate turning traffic.

My City... Letters from our Citizens:
 I want to thank you on behalf of the 90 residents of Sable Chase Subdivision for your timely and conscientious cleanout of the drains and cleanup of the area…the timely response of your office shows a responsive city government…the residents of Sable Chase, a dozen turtles, 2 catfish, and 2 egrets say thanks.
"I want to thank you on behalf of the 90 residents of Sable Chase Subdivision for your timely and conscientious cleanout of the drains and cleanup of the area... the timely response of your office shows a responsive city government... the residents of Sable Chase, a dozen turtles, 2 catfish, and 2 egrets say thanks."
  • Completed the Meadows roadway rehab project, including asphalt and curb repair. An underdrain was installed on NW 21st Avenue.
  • Reconstructed NE 3rd Place in Pine Meadows and NE 1st Street where curb and a drainage basin were also added. NE 12th Avenue was also rebuilt with sidewalk, and curb and drainage improvements and a new sidewalk were installed on NE 2nd Street between 10th and 12th Avenues.
  • Completed drainage improvements and paving in the Stephen Foster neighborhood on NW 12th Street and 33rd Avenue.
  • Reconstructed and paved streets in the Veitch Addition at SE 10th Place and 2nd Street.
  • Landscaped NW 8th Avenue under the 13th Street overpass.
  • Generated a list of City streets requiring maintenance using the PAVER™ software program and a user-defined Pavement Condition Index (PCI) range. These streets were inspected, asphalt surface treatment alternatives were identified and their individual treatment costs were estimated. A comprehensive list identifying streets, type of recommended treatment and the associated costs was submitted for consideration.
  • Designed and constructed a service drive to provide access to single-family residences, including the associated stormwater management facilities for NE 1st Street, south of 12th Avenue.
  • Began the piping of approximately 900 feet of an existing, large drainage ditch between the 1700 block of SE 12th Avenue and the 1700 block of SE 15th Avenue in Lincoln Estates.
  • Provided recycling and/or trash removal at special events such as Homecoming, the NCAA Football Championship, the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, March of Dimes, the NCAA Basketball Championship, Heart of Florida Airshow, Spring Arts Festival, etc.
  • Provided recycling education and outreach at events including the Downtown Arts Festival, Kids Karnival, Kanapaha Spring Garden Festival, Farm and Forest Festival, Gainesville Apartment Association Trade Show, the Chamber Business Showcase, the Public Works Expo, National Night Out, Butterfly Fest, the District 1 Neighborhood BBQ, neighborhood association meetings and crime watch meetings.
  • Participated in the Great American Cleanup and 10 neighborhood cleanups, collecting trash and recycling and disposing of 193,360 pounds of trash, tires and scrap metal.
  • Supervised an inmate crew that picked up 132,530 pounds of litter from 335 miles of right-of-way primarily in Gainesville's neighborhoods, and 9,340 pounds of trash and recyclables left on City property.
  • Compiled and published an A-Z Directory for Recycling on the City Web site.
  • Improved Regional Transit System (RTS) customer service by completing construction of and opening a new $1.8 million RTS Downtown Transfer Station at 700 SE 3rd Street.
  • Increased RTS ridership by 4.2% this year, with passenger ridership reaching 8.9 million riders.
    • Several new Gillig buses were placed into service this year, providing greater service and efficiency for 8.9 million RTS riders.
  • Placed five new Gillig buses into service in June using City of Gainesville Capital Improvement Project Funds and 12 new Gillig low floor buses in December using Federal Transit Administration funding, bringing the total to 17 new buses placed into service during 2007.
  • Created two new RTS routes in August 2007 to better serve customers by delivering transit service to Shands Hospital on Archer Road. Route 17 serves passengers traveling to and from downtown Gainesville and Route 29 provides service to northwest Gainesville along 13th Street.

RTS opened Phase I of the new Downtown Station, located at 700 SE 3rd Street this fall. Still strategically located in the downtown area, the new station includes a covered waiting area, a public restroom, a customer information and pass sales booth and parking for up to 16 bus routes at a time. The primary reasons for the new location were improved safety, service efficiency and customer amenities. Grants from the Federal Transit Association (FTA), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funded the project. Phase II will add a multimodal facility to the site, but additional funds are needed to proceed. A multimodal site involves more than one type of transportation and the major goal is to reduce dependence on automobiles and increase use of alternative transportation.RTS opened Phase I of the new Downtown Station, located at 700 SE 3rd Street this fall. Still strategically located in the downtown area, the new station includes a covered waiting area, a public restroom, a customer information and pass sales booth and parking for up to 16 bus routes at a time. The primary reasons for the new location were improved safety, service efficiency and customer amenities. Grants from the Federal Transit Association (FTA), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) funded the project. Phase II will add a multimodal facility to the site, but additional funds are needed to proceed. A multimodal site involves more than one type of transportation and the major goal is to reduce dependence on automobiles and increase use of alternative transportation.