Resident urges MTPO to pursue truck bypass for Alachua, cites safety concerns

At the Jan. 5 Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization meeting a resident, identified in the transcript as Mister Tuttle, told the board that large tractor‑trailers are using routes through Alachua residential areas and described a specific dangerous turn by a distribution center access point.

"What our problem is is, large trucks, 80,000 pounds, traveling at 55 miles an hour through residential areas," the commenter said, and urged a truck route that would move trucks from the distribution center north on 235A by the new fire station, onto 441 and as quickly as possible onto I‑75 (spoken in the meeting as "I‑seventy5"). He also described an alternative bypass using 236 across to 121.

Commissioners responded by thanking him, noting staff and county contacts had already discussed alternate routes, and encouraging him to meet with city and county officials. Board members suggested the presenter meet one‑on‑one with local commissioners and the sheriff and to bring maps and truck counts; staff and a county commissioner said they had already begun outreach with local officials.

The exchange included a second public commenter later in the meeting who repeated truck‑count figures attributed to distribution centers (the speaker said Walmart has "900 plus trucks a day," Dollar General "700 plus trucks a day," Cisco "400") and urged quicker action on a bypass.

The board did not take formal action on the bypass at the meeting but directed staff and commissioners to continue coordination with city and county leaders and law enforcement to evaluate routing options and safety improvements. Commissioners also suggested placing the topic on a future agenda for further updates and joint discussion with affected municipalities.

Next steps: board members asked staff to follow up with commissioners in the affected jurisdictions and consider briefing materials for a joint meeting that would include city and county representatives.