Southwest Sixth Street debuted its makeover Thursday afternoon after a year of construction.
The $3.3 million project updated drainage, improved landscaping and added new traffic signals, a pedestrian bridge and a roundabout on Southwest Fourth Avenue, said city of Gainesville spokesperson Chip Skinner.
“The roadway was in need of rehabilitation,” Skinner said.
The project began last November because the pavement on the road was cracking and in need of improved concrete and drainage.
Road redevelopments came from a public-private partnership between the city of Gainesville and Trimark Properties. The project adheres to the Complete Streets and Vision Zero concepts, which strive for increased safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and any sort of transit riders, Skinner said.
The road remodel is a positive addition to the community, said Adam Husein, a 19-year-old UF aerospace engineering sophomore. Although he does not own a car, all his friends complain about the badly timed traffic lights and how the roads are poorly taken care of.
“The city is growing pretty rapidly, but the infrastructure has been a bit behind,” Husein said. “I think they’re making a good effort to catch that up.”
People don’t realize the amount of work that goes into a project such as this one, said Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe.
“This is just another great example of how much Gainesville is changing, growing and improving,” he said.
Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe cuts a ribbon at a ceremony commemorating the completion of improvements to Southwest Sixth Street. He is joined by city commissioners and members of the planning team.
