NEWBERRY, Fla. — The clatter of machinery and the scrape of shovels have overtaken the sound of children playing soccer across from Newberry Elementary School, where Southwest 15th Avenue has become the latest front in the city’s push to modernize its roads.
The project follows a joint special meeting in May between the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Newberry, where officials pledged to work together on infrastructure needs.
“What we would like to do is facilitate a discussion between the two governing bodies and see how we could improve or work together,” Jamie Jones, Newberry’s assistant city manager, told commissioners during the session.
The collaboration comes as the city experiences swift growth. According to the World Population Review, Newberry’s population has risen by more than 13 percent since 2020, placing new demands on roads and services.However, the expansion has also stirred unease among residents, who cite traffic congestion and safety hazards.
“As I understand it, there’s been multiple accidents. Increased safety concerns to specifically people here on the west side of the county,” said Jessica Carey, a Newberry resident, during the meeting. “I was looking forward to this meeting, especially this line item, so that there could be a cultivated communication with us as community members present to see that the county actually, you know, gives a crap of us.
”The commission voted unanimously to move forward with the proposal, agreeing to collaborate with the city on improvements along the avenue.
Across the avenue, construction signs line the street, signaling the start of the effort. Yet some neighbors say roadwork is not the most pressing concern. With only three schools in the city — an elementary, a middle and a high school — they worry that educational infrastructure is lagging behind the surge of new families.
“It doesn’t seem like the infrastructure is here properly to be able to allow that to happen at least smoothly,” said Heather Merrell, an employee at Now and Then Furniture and Thrift, a family-owned store her parents opened in April. “So maybe slowing down some of the influx of people enough to let the industry or the small town keep up with it.
”Merrell added that while business has picked up thanks to the city’s growth, she fears local leaders may be “putting the cart in front of the horse.”
“If they build a thousand homes, half of those are going to have children? There’s a lot of kids,” she said.For now, officials insist roadway safety remains their priority. Plans include expanding sidewalks, improving parking, and tackling congestion along Southwest 15th Avenue — an effort they hope will bring order to a city both booming and bracing for the future.