Gainesville Mayor Zack Thompson has gone to bat against the reconstruction of Green Street as proposed by state officials. He did so in a letter to the state Department of Transportation (GDOT) which is in charge of the project.
At the same time, Thompson endorsed the idea of a roundabout at the Green Street/Thompson Bridge Road/Riverside Drive intersection saying, “a second roundabout is vital for traffic flow and safety.”
A roundabout at the other end of the street at the intersection with Academy Street and E.E. Butler Parkway has been in the planning stages for several years.
The mayor also suggests:
*A narrowing of the sidewalks from their current width of six feet to reduce the overall footprint of the project.
*Locating all utilities underground, including the placement of utilities under travel lanes.
*Scheduling a Public Information Open House
A petition against current GDOT plans for the street is circulating online and at late afternoon Wednesday had been signed by more than 3,200 people.
EARLIER STORY. POSTED MAY 22: What’s with those bluebirds on Green St.?