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End in sight for University Avenue construction

Narrowed car lanes and closed sidewalks hamper vehiclar and pedestrian traffic along University Avenue near the University of Florida campus. Road improvements on the main thoroughfare, which began in June, are expected to be completed by March, according to the Florida Dept. of Transportaion.
WUFT News
Narrowed car lanes and closed sidewalks hamper vehiclar and pedestrian traffic along University Avenue near the University of Florida campus. Road improvements on the main thoroughfare, which began in June, are expected to be completed by March, according to the Florida Dept. of Transportation.

The $2.6 million construction project on University Avenue that has been causing slow-downs for drivers and pedestrians since June is scheduled to be completed by the end of March, according to Florida Department of Transportation officials.

Barricades placed to divert traffic around work sites make it difficult for customers to get to Jennifer Ford’s job at Target Copy on University Avenue.

Would-be customers have called complaining that they couldn’t make it into the parking lot because of the construction, she said.

University Avenue construction has been causing slow-downs for drivers and pedestrians since June, but relief is scheduled for spring.

Florida Department of Transportation officials said the $2.6 million project should be completed by the end of March.

The project will add two new pedestrian crosswalks to University Avenue — one near Gale Lemerand Drive and another near NW 14th Street. The new crosswalks will be raised to the height of the curb and will have signals to control foot traffic.

The raised design helps slow vehicles, FDOT officials said. They call the design a speed-calming device.

The project was supposed to begin in November 2022, but was delayed due to supply-chain issues until June 2023.

Natasha is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.
Derrah is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.