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Alachua County staff propose tighter multimodal goals, new bike-ped master plan reference
Summary
Staff recommended incorporating a countywide bicycle-pedestrian master plan into the comprehensive plan, strengthening safety policies (including Safe Streets and Roads for All and a Vision Zero resolution) and updating transit maps; commissioners pressed for school-crossing safety and feasibility-driven mode-share targets.
Ben Shumley, growth management lead for Alachua County, opened the fourth policy workshop on the comprehensive plan evaluation and update and told commissioners staff will draft amendments based on today’s direction and return them for review.
Allison Moss, the county’s transportation planning manager, recommended making the comp plan’s multimodal goals more rigorous by incorporating the countywide bicycle-pedestrian master plan “by reference” and by using consultant-vetted feasibility analyses to set realistic mode-share targets. Moss said staff has developed a draft bicycle-pedestrian network and will prioritize projects after a close feasibility check.
Commissioners pressed staff on specific safety concerns in high-activity locations. One commissioner cited the intersection near Santa Fe High School and asked whether the plan targets school crossings and community parks; Moss said the master plan includes safe routes to school and that consultants will take a closer look at high-activity sites to produce actionable, prioritized projects. Ben Shumley said the comp plan will reference both the bicycle-pedestrian master plan and the Safe Streets and Roads for All action plan.
Staff also displayed high-injury-network maps for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists and noted speed and intersection type as leading crash contributors; the HIN analysis covers the most recent five-year period required under the Federal Highway Administration grant. Moss said the transportation maps in the comp plan need updating to reflect current transit service and that the county’s new GIS capacity should allow more dynamic, user-friendly maps.
Why it matters: the comp plan’s transportation policies guide long-range investments and coordination with cities and state agencies; commissioners asked staff to prioritize safety-oriented, feasible projects (including safe routes to school) and to ensure transit, bike and pedestrian goals are attainable when tied to funding and implementation plans.
What’s next: staff will incorporate board direction into draft plan amendments and begin formal drafting for early 2026; any amendments required to be consistent with state statute will be prepared for the April 1 transmission deadline referenced by staff.
