For Tjuana Williams, a Gainesville resident who relies on her bike for daily transportation, a simple trip almost turned into a tragedy. She said she was struck by a vehicle but was not seriously injured. Still, the experience left a profound impact.
"I got hit on the sidewalk," Williams said. “People are just not paying attention, and they need to be more cognizant of the bikers on the road.”
Her story is one example of the daily risks pedestrians and cyclists face in Alachua County.
Howard Jelks, a long-time Gainesville resident and cyclist, has watched road safety become a growing problem.
“I’ve had friends that have died on our roads,” Jelks said. “And many people that have been injured, one very recently. She was a pedestrian that was hit in the crosswalk on Tower Road. She’s a nice old lady, and I don't know if she'll ever be the same.”
Calveanor Claiborne, a newer Gainesville resident and an avid runner, frequently encounters challenges on the road.
“You have to be aware of your surroundings,” Claiborne said. “What I like to do is delay even when the light shows that I can walk across, you know. I always wait 2 to 3 seconds before I go.”
With concerns about safety, Claiborne has adjusted his own routine to avoid certain intersections and roads whenever possible.
The challenges Williams, Jelks and Claiborne face are part of a broader safety crisis in Alachua County, which has led local officials to take decisive action. According to its website, Alachua County recently embarked on two significant transportation planning projects, one to create a comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and the other to implement a Safe Streets and Roads for All Action Plan.
The SS4A program, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, is part of a nationwide push to adopt Vision Zero, a strategy aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating serious injuries and fatalities on the roads. According to the Department of Transportation’s website, the program offers grants to help local governments reach that goal.
Alison Moss, Alachua County’s transportation planning manager, explained the achievements they hope to see with Vision Zero.
“The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners approved a target year of 2045 to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries,” said Moss. “They also set an interim goal for the year 2035 to reduce fatalities and severe injuries by 50%.”
Data from Alachua County highlight the importance of this initiative. The county said that there have been over 36,000 crashes in recent years, including 953 serious injuries and 281 fatalities.
According to the webpage dedicated to the program, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan includes data-driven initiatives to prioritize high-risk areas, enhance crosswalks, and expand bike lanes. It will also aim to upgrade the infrastructure, provide safer crosswalks and lower speed limits.
A significant part of the master plan’s strength comes from a collaboration between Alachua County, the City of Gainesville, and the University of Florida. Linda Dixon, UF’s director of planning, design, and construction, emphasized the importance of partnership in this initiative.
“We work with the city and county on a lot of infrastructure projects, particularly transportation and bike and ped safety projects,” she said.
For Dixon, a collaborative approach allows each agency to contribute resources and knowledge toward a safer, more connected network that benefits the entire community.
“We’ve got them linked together, sharing data and thinking about facilities that work for the whole community,” Dixon said.
Matt Williams, UF’s director of sustainability, sees these efforts as a natural extension of the university’s goals.
“Low-carbon forms of transportation are healthier for us, healthier for the environment, and they help take cars off the road,” he said.
Matt Williams, a bike commuter himself, understands firsthand the benefits — and challenges — of non-vehicular transportation in Gainesville. He believes that the university’s involvement in SS4A and the master plan is essential for creating a safer environment for students, staff, and the broader community alike.
Beyond the statistics and plans, there is a human side to Alachua County’s road safety initiative. At a workshop on Wednesday to introduce the master plan and SS4A’s Vision Zero, community members have been actively sharing their experiences and giving their feedback on how to make Alachua County’s roads safer.
Tjuana Williams, due to her accident, has become a vocal advocate for safer streets. She acknowledges the improvements the county has made so far and is optimistic about what’s to come.
“I’m just happy about getting the community involved in being able to make a safer place, to incentivize people to go out, work out, walk and use alternative means of transportation,” she said.
The county aims to finalize and adopt the master plan by January 2026 and continues to welcome community input.