The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has scheduled more than $242 million for road maintenance in the next decade—more than tripling the annual road budget—and a newly released map shows where the construction will occur.
A large portion of the funds come from the new full cent surtax that started in January, with the BOCC also diverting more general budget dollars.
The county released an interactive map that shows which roads and road segments will see construction in the next decade. Users can click on the roads to see when the construction is scheduled along with the approximate cost.
The BOCC voted on the roadway plan in the spring and included an equity component.
Citizens and elected officials have dinged the county for the state of its roads. An Alachua County report shows that the average pavement condition index (PCI) of county-owned roads sat at 60 out of 100 in 2021.
Ramon Gavarrete, director of public works, has said he considers a 60 to be failing. Even with the tripled budget, the report shows that the PCI for the road network will still fall over the next ten years.
Gavarrete explained that as construction brings a road up to 100, hundreds of miles of other roads continue to degrade.
To improve to a 70 PCI for its road network, the county would need to continue the higher level of funding past the 10 years, possibly with the reinstatement of the full cent surtax that will expire in 2032.
The county maintains around 700 miles of roadway—both inside city limits and in the unincorporated areas. The Florida Department of Transportation maintains state highways, and cities are responsible for smaller, city-owned roads within their boundaries.
For 2023, roadway construction projects include portions of the following road.
- SW 170th Street south of Archer
- NW and SW 122nd Street or Parker Road
- SW 24th Avenue
- SW 20th Avenue
- NW 23rd Avenue
- North County Road 225
What in the world is an “equity component”?
241 South of Archer???? How about 241 between Newberry Road and 27??!!! I’ve had to realign my wheels twice in the past two years. Take a ride and see how you like it. Unbelievable!!
County road 225A is not drivable!!! The county should be ashamed at the many pot holes and the thousands and thousands of patches that must have been done by a 5 year old !! This is not what we are paying our taxes for ! You repair roads that are in better condition and leave the ones that really need. It in disrepair !! That is BS….
Funny how the areas where new construction are happening such as the north end of Parker Rd are on the plan but the rural part south of Archer which is crumbling is completely ignored. How is Wacahoota Rd not listed on this plan? It’s got to be one of the worst roads in the county!