All those who bike or walk to Florida A&M via FAMU Way will be able to securely stroll along the route thanks to future transportation upgrades.
Plans are underway so that FAMU Way can accommodate commuters who use alternative modes of transportation. The improvements to the current roadway are expected to leave a lasting impression on the south side of Tallahassee.
A unanimous vote by the Tallahassee City Commission approved the FAMU Way Extension Project. Construction for the project is expected to begin in 2013 with estimated costs between $23 and $24 million for the roadway. The project, although approved, is still in the design stage. A meeting was held Aug. 19 for the bike path design of the project. The project will include “a two-lane, two-way road that would include a bicycle and pedestrian path, sidewalks, on-street parking and other amenities,” according to Talgov.com.
FAMU Way, currently noted to be a dangerous path for pedestrians, will be improved by the year 2015, according to an official timeline given by the City of Tallahassee.
Pedestrians will no longer have to disregard traveling on FAMU Way sidewalks because of limited space on the roadway. The improvement of sidewalks and landscaping along the way will make it more pleasurable to travel. The citizens who live in the surrounding area of FAMU Way will be exposed to a project meant to improve current conditions that prevent pedestrians from using the route safely.
Among the benefits that the FAMU Way project will include, pedestrians and bicyclists who use St. Marks Trail regularly will have access to an improved route and a marked off section just for cycling.
Currently, no designation is made on FAMU Way for the safe commute of those using alternative modes of transportation. The city looks to improve safety as much as possible by using feedback from surveys administered at public workshops. The city appears to be listening to that feedback because they’ve gone back to square one more than once in an effort to come up with a better plan for the route since 2008.
According to a survey conducted about the project in May, safety was a topic of concern from the citizens. Although the project will impact a large number of students, only a few are proactively getting involved with the city to voice their opinion and concern on the project taking place in the community. The demographics of the survey also showed that FAMU students make up 10% of the concerned residents of the FAMU Way project.
The FAMU Way extension will leave a mark on the community if completed with the intentions of increasing safety, accessibility and convenience successfully.
This extension is more than a roadway; it promotes the involvement of the community through open meetings for feedback on what works for the residents of the area. The City Commission has requested that all those who wish to submit input for the FAMU Way extension project visit the “Talk to Us” link that gives updated information on the project.
FAMU students should take advantage of the City of Tallahassee’s efforts to improve the visual perception of the school. They can do this by voicing their ideas at local meetings, surveys, and online forums so FAMU Way can be transformed into a safe way for students to travel alternatively by foot or bike.