Alachua Street work set to begin

Rehabilitation of major stormwater pipes on Alachua Street draining flood waters into the Amelia River is set to begin later this month, according to the city's stormwater system manager.

It's the first step in a series of construction works that will eventually lead to the opening of Alachua Street through to Front Street. The connection to Front Street will most likely happen sometime in the first half of 2025.

The stormwater construction is an alternative plan to a 2017 project that included pumping stations and a 250,000-gallon underground catch basin that ballooned in costs to more than $7.37 million. The original cost estimate was $1.89 million.

The new plan calls for the installation of sleeves over the existing stormwater pipes that dump rainwater into the river. Workers will also install an infiltration system to provide stormwater treatment and storage.

Andre Desilet, the city's Public Works-Utilities director, told city commissioners that the Alachua Street project when completed would provide treatment capacity to a limited number of adjacent properties.

The work is being funded with $2.94 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and $700,000 in Community Redevelopment Area funds that went to CSX to help fund work on a new railroad crossing to make the Front Street connection.

The new crossing includes signaling over the railroad tracks and will include a pedestrian walkway.

Once opened, Desilet said parallel parking would be included on both sides of Alachua along with sidewalks.