TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Ryan Sandy and his family walk to Winthrop Park in the Betton Hills neighborhood frequently. With safety in mind, Sandy says safe roads for him and his family are a must.
"We walk quite a bit," said Sandy. "Around the park, in the park, around the neighborhood."
The so-far-six-month closure of Betton Road is aiming to provide that for families across the neighborhood.
Andrew Platt for the City of Tallahassee, who manages the water, utilities and engineering division for the city says that the updates will make sidewalks more accessible and ADA compliant around the neighborhood, along with updating underground utilities.
"They're going to be moving the curbs out a little bit further away from the sidewalks, they're going to be updating the curb ramps," said Platt. "I can't overstate enough how important it is to have efficient, safe, reliable roadways, infrastructure, the whole thing."
With the project set to wrap up by the summer of 2022, shops like Rebels Midtown Boutique say they were at first nervous about the shutting down of Betton Road.
"It is an important road because it connects to Centerville Road and that's the main road connected to the hospital and all kinds of other businesses," said co-owner Shelly Ruthstrom.
But now say they haven't been affected much by the decrease in travel to their business.
"We were a little worried at first, but it's business as usual," said Ruthstrom.
