- Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency begins drafting federal grant application that would invest over $20 million into improving North Monroe Street.
- This next step comes after Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency showed their support for Monroe Makeover at a recent meeting, following efforts by Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor.
- Watch the video to find out about when we can hope to see the impact of this application process.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
On the verge of huge change in Northwest Tallahassee. Checking in on the latest developments in Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor's push for an improved number one gateway into Tallahassee. Northwest Tallahassee neighbors share what North Monroe means to them.
"That's the first street that you see so that kind of sets the tone for Tallahassee," said Meridee Escalera. She has been a resident and business owner in Northwest Tallahassee for many years.
And Doug Ott has lived on this side of town since the 90s.
"North Monroe is the artery to our communities, to our neighborhoods, to our churches," said Ott.
That artery is one step closer to a multi-million dollar federal grant. The money would pay for improvements. That's after a recent Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency meeting.
"We had an overwhelming amount of support for people that were in the room," said Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor, who has been rallying support for what he has termed, Monroe Makeover.
Minor received over 1,400 signatures from neighbors and businesses in support of the project. The Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency, known as CRTPA, is working on the application for the federal grant. Commissioner Minor said while they are competitive, he is hopeful.
"I think we've got a really good shot," said Minor. "North Monroe has some safety issues and that application will get into specifics about what those issues are and it'll also have some recommendations on what we can do to address those."
The Commissioner said the draft will likely include more sidewalks, safer street crossings, improved intersections, and better lighting.
He said the CRTPA will make an application draft available in April. Commissioner Minor said they'll share that with neighbors so they can discuss recommendations and suggestions.
Escalera hopes it will attract people to the area.
"I think with the revitalization even more businesses and customers would come out this way," said Escalera. As well as updating the visuals of the number 1 gateway into Tallahassee.
"On Monroe, with it being the main road coming in, that it's that much more important," said Escalera.
Commissioner Minor said we will find out if the application has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation around the end of this year, or the beginning of 2025.
