- Tallahassee leaders are discussing the extension of Velda Dairy Road connecting with Ox Bottom Road and installation of a traffic signal at its intersection with Thomasville Road.
- According to city documents, FDOT has committed $1.5 million in funding for work within the Thomasville Road right-of-way in support of the project.
- Watch the video above to see why some say the change is needed and how one neighbor in the area feels about.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Changes could be coming down the road for one busy route through Northeast Tallahassee. I've been covering neighbors concerns about the corner of Thomasville, Velda Dairy and Ox Bottom Roads for 8 months. Now, I'm following up as the city proposes a new intersection and traffic light at this corner.
Jerry Phifer has concerns about the traffic near his home off Ox Bottom and Thomasville Roads. "There's some very dangerous activities where people try to U-turn here." His latest concern: the city's proposal to put in a light just down the street on Velda Dairy Road, connecting to Ox Bottom. He says it will bring more traffic into his neighborhood. "What about Ox Bottom Road? It's going to become like Kerry Forrest Parkway but Ox Bottom is much smaller."
City commissioners discussed the proposal at their meeting Wednesday.While they did not justify the roadway change in the meeting, city staffers wrote in the agenda that the extension would quote: "divert from the overcapacity intersection of Thomasville Road and Kerry Forrest Parkway providing congestion relief to the area."
SEE THE MOMENT LEADERS VOTED ON THE IDEA:
They also say the school district supports the move to give more access to DeSoto Trail Elementary. Construction is set to start in April of 2025.
Phifer has been following this project "about since I moved in in December of 2022."
I have been following it as well.
I spoke with Phifer and other neighbors over their concerns about commercial development happening on the corner.
The project has been in the works since 2018 when it was rezoned for commercial use. One neighbor did tell me in December that he was excited for the potential of a new road. "Many times coming home, making that left turn on to Ox Bottom Road, it's difficult,"
Phifer told me in December he worried traffic would increase with those businesses going in. Now he says he fears it will be worse with the extension. "Is it going to take an injury to a student or elderly person walking before anyone pays attention?"
The city is meeting again on April 10th to hear more from staff and neighbors on the plans for the extension of Velda Dairy Road.
