Commissioners refer Southwest 15th Avenue improvement proposal to staff after county, city and developer partnership discussion

Newberry — City and county officials discussed a proposal to form a three-way partnership among the City of Newberry, Alachua County and private developers to improve Southwest Fifteenth Avenue, a partly city-maintained canopy road that is facing increased traffic from several approved developments.

Jamie Jones, Newberry's utilities and public works director, said the concept is to leverage developer contributions, city funds and potential county funds to bring segmented county-owned and city-owned pavement up to a common standard and then convey the improved roadway to the city for long-term ownership and maintenance. "What we would like to do is facilitate a discussion between the two governing bodies and see how we could improve or work together in partnerships on roadway segments like that," Jones said.

Jones and other staff identified imminent and approved developments that will increase trips on the corridor: Dillard's Grove, Lakota, Magnolia Acres, Tanglewood (future phases) and a Newberry Town Center connection near Countryway. Staff also noted differences in required right-of-way: "City code calls out 80 foot of right of way on the section line. I believe the County Code now calls out a hundred or a 20 foot," one staff member said (transcript text: county code referenced as "a hundred or a 20 foot"). City and county staff cautioned that right-of-way acquisition, stormwater and land costs could materially increase project estimates.

County commissioners expressed two strains of response at the meeting. Some county members emphasized adherence to the countypavement-management plan and long-term schedule for resurfacing projects; others—and some city commissioners and residents—pressed for more rapid action on the Southwest Fifteenth corridor, describing safety and maintenance problems and saying the road is in poor condition after storms.

Commissioner Alford moved and Commissioner Wheeler seconded a motion asking county staff to discuss the proposal with City of Newberry staff and return to the commission with additional information on feasibility, cost and potential funding partnerships. The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote. The motion instructs staff to return with specific information; it did not authorize construction or commit funds.

Public comments during the item urged the county to accelerate repairs on specific high-traffic county roads and to consider safety improvements. County staff pointed to pavement-management funding constraints and a $252 million pavement program that allocates most funds to preservation techniques and scheduled resurfacing; staff said advancing projects will typically require additional funding or matching contributions.

The board directed staff to continue coordination with Newberry officials and to report back with detailed cost estimates, right-of-way implications and potential funding-sharing scenarios.