Macomb Street Expected to Have Nightly Lane Closures

Contractors began renovating the water, sewer and storm drains on Macomb Street March 3.. These enhancements are coming just in time for the August grand opening of the new six-story Tallahassee apartment complex, The Onyx.

The Onyx residential retail complex project, according to the Tallahassee Democrat, cost $44 million, including a $1.6 million investment by Tallahassee’s Community Redevelopment Agency.

The CRA contribution will go toward underground drainage improvements, as well as landscaping and sidewalk enhancements.

Roxanna Manning, the CRA executive director, explained there were several other proposals for the site in recent years, but none addressed resolving the storm drain issues.

“There have been drainage problems in that area for a long, long while,” Manning said. “We’re killing two birds with one stone.”

These renovations will cause Macomb’s northbound lanes between Pensacola Street and College Avenue to be closed overnight from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Friday.

Residents that regularly make the commute from residential complexes that require them to take Macomb Street are not happy about the delays and detours they are going to encounter up until the completion of the project.

Lace Collins, Florida A & M University sophomore and daily user of Macomb Street, states she’s just ready for the reconstructions to be over.

“There always seems to be some type of construction project going on between Old Bainbridge and Macomb Street,” Collins said. “I’m just ready to be able to get to campus from my apartment complex in a reasonable amount of time.”

Matthew Webster, FAMU/FSU College of Engineering student and a daily user of Macomb Street, feels the nightly lane closure is both a good and a bad thing.

“I think this new modern style complex is going to be a nice touch for the entrance to downtown and Florida State University,” Webster stated. “I just hope this project doesn’t cause too many delays.”
If the weather permits, these enhancements should be completed no later than April 30. For traffic notices covering all of Tallahassee, please follow @COTTraffic on Twitter.