The Gainesville City Council unanimously passed plans Tuesday to apply for a grant that would seek professional analysis of the E.E. Butler Parkway/MLK Boulevard/Athens Street intersection.
In a previous work session, the council heard from Jessica Tullar, the Housing and Special Projects Manager with the Gainesville Community and Economic Development Department. Tullar presented plans to apply for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program grant. With a unanimous vote, the department will move forward in its application for the competitive grant awarded by the US Department of Transportation.
“We conducted what was almost a year long public engagement process with the Athens Street Community and Athens Highway corridor, and learned from the folks who live there, who worked there, who own property there, that traffic is a real concern,” Tullar said.
Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon commented after the city council meeting on the importance of improving the intersection for both vehicles and pedestrians.
“We need to create a crosswalk grand plan, we’d love to get some sidewalks in that area, but the main focus specifically here is to try and figure out how we can beautify and create safety to get across the street,” Couvillon said. “We feel like once that project is completed, it's going to generate a lot of foot traffic in the area, and it becomes a safety issue.”
Mayor Couvillon emphasized the council’s commitment to improving the intersection area, even if Gainesville fails to be awarded the grant.
The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program grant aims to award $400,000 with an $80,000 local match from the FY23 Capital Improvements budget. If awarded, Gainesville plans to hire a professional engineering team that will conduct road studies in search of an appropriate solution to the E.E. Butler Parkway/MLK Boulevard/Athens Street intersection.
City Manager Bryan Lackey stated that the city will have all documents prepared for grant submission by the end of the month.
