Alachua County approves agreement to build Southwest 8th Avenue extension with developer participation

Alachua County planners recommended and the Board of County Commissioners approved an agreement with Town of Tioga LLC to design and construct the Southwest 8th Avenue extension between 122nd Street and 133rd Way, a segment intended to help create additional east–west connectivity in the county''s growing west side. Jeff Hayes, the county's transportation planning manager, said the project includes two travel lanes, medians, turn lanes and four‑foot bike lanes and is funded from Southwest impact fee funds with an FDOT County Incentive Grant as local match for an extension to 143rd Street.

Commissioners scrutinized the project amid a larger backlog of maintenance and resurfacing needs countywide. Commissioner Baird said he feared using scarce capacity funds on new roads before addressing existing arterial reconstruction needs; staff answered that impact fee money can legally be spent only for new capacity and that the grant was focused on relieving capacity pressure on Newberry Road. Hayes and public speakers emphasized neighborhood connectivity and emergency access; staff noted that much of the right‑of‑way is controlled by the developer and the agreement reduces the county''s need to pursue eminent domain.

The board approved the agreement 4–1, with Commissioner Baird dissenting, and authorized the chair to sign. Staff said final designs will come through the development review committee and would return to the commission if conceptual elements such as bike lanes or medians cannot be maintained.