SW 24th Avenue Myths
T. J. Walker, Chair, Natural Area Advisory Committee
26 September 2003

Since 25 Mar 2003, UF Administration has written nothing defending its decision that UF should donate right-of-way for a four-lane extension of SW 24th Avenue across NATL. However, when UF administrators are asked to comment on the extension at committee meetings that I have attended, one or more of the following myths have sometimes been voiced.

Myths
M1   No promise to provide right-of-way
M2   Multiple options for donation
M3   No funds, no worry
M4   Focus Group is considering costs and benefits
M5   Extension promotes the student village concept
M6   Extension is part of SW 20th Avenue Charrette


Myth 1
The University of Florida has not promised to provide right-of-way for a four-lane extension of SW 24th Street through NATL.

Facts
Technically this may not be a myth. On paper, the Administration only promised to recommend an amendment to its Master Plan to accommodate the extension. However, the statements of Vice President Poppell video recorded at the 31 Jan 2003 special meeting of the County Commission and at the 20 Feb 2003 meeting of the MTPO were sufficient to cause the MTPO to vote to change its 20-year transportation plan to a version of SW 24th Avenue that requires that UF donate the right-of-way for the segment east of SW 34th Street. The vote of the MTPO and President Young's letter of 25 Mar 2003 were sufficient to cause the County Commission to abandon $425,000 spent for planning the previous version of SW 24th Avenue and to enter into a contract to design a segment of the new version for $388,000.


Myth 2
There are multiple options as to what the right-of-way donation may entail and thus it is impossible to formulate an amendment to the Master Plan.

Facts
When the Administration committed to recommending the donation (on Feb. 20 and Mar.25), it was for a four-lane divided roadway.

For a four-lane divided roadway to have bike lanes, it must have a right-of-way (ROW) at least 90 ft. wide. By last February, in order to estimate the cost of the extension, the Alachua County Public Works Department had established a route and length for the extension. The road was to turn south to Archer Road through the Classic Carwash property (estimated to cost $1,575,000 to acquire). To go farther east than this on UF land would take the road over an active sinkhole. If the road was to turn south sooner than this, it would go through Archer Woods Apartments.

Thus the only uncertainties about what the University is expected to donate would seem to be whether the ROW will be more than 90 ft wide and whether land other than the ROW will be donated (e.g., for stormwater retention). NAAC has always assumed that UF would donate a minimal amount of land and has used 1500 ft of 90 ft ROW as the basis for calculating the area to be donated. (The County estimated 1700 ft for the entire extension, which includes the segment that goes through the Classic Carwash.)

The above considerations indicate that the Administration has committed to propose an amendment that might read:

"The University of Florida proposes to donate land to facilitate the construction of a four-lane extension of SW 24th Avenue from SW 34th Street to Archer Road. The land that will be made available for the extension will be a strip no wider than 90 feet and contiguous with the south edge of Preservation Area 1. At the Classic Carwash property, the right-of-way will curve off UF property to meet Archer Road at a right angle. No other University land will be used for structures or easements related to the extension."

If this is not what the Administration intends to propose, it should either explain to the County why it intends to donate less than what the County expects or explain to those who object to the donation why it intends to donate more.


Myth 3
Because there will be no funds to build the extension for some years, there is no need to reach a decision on the donation in the near term.

Facts
On the basis of President Young's letter of 25 March 2003, Alachua County abandoned $425,000 already spent to design a two-lane divided SW 24th Ave. west of SW 34th Street and agreed that Berryman & Henigar, Inc. should design a four-lane divided road at a cost of $388,286. The four-lane road will align with the projected UF land donation and its proper functioning will depend on there being a four-lane extension through the Natural Area Teaching Laboratory and Preservation Area 1.

The design is underway and will be complete by June 2004, which happens to be the earliest date that the University expects to decide whether to donate the land. If UF waits until June to decide whether to donate the right-of-way, the county may have wasted $388,286 in road funds. If it waits longer, unnecessary purchase of ROW and advertising for bids may have begun. The longer the University delays starting the Master Plan amendment process, the greater is the potential waste of County road funds.


Myth 4
The Focus Group that President Young appointed on 26 Mar. 2003 is charged with considering the costs and benefits of the proposed donation.

Facts
The The Focus Group's charge is to determine the academic impact of the road and how to mitigate it. The Focus Group has no charge to weigh the benefits of the road versus the costs nor has it a charge to consider the conservation impacts.


Myth 5
A four-lane SW 24th Avenue promotes the student village concept of the SW 20th Avenue Charrette.

Facts
The SW 20th Avenue Charrette envisioned a pedestrian-friendly, bicycle-friendly student community served by a grid of two-lane divided roads with ample bike lanes and sidewalks. It included no four-lane roads, although it did recommend that if a two-lane westward extension of Hull Road was constructed, right-of-way for the eventual four-laning of the extension should be acquired.


Myth 6
The extension of SW 24th Avenue that the University is facilitating was part of the 20th Avenue Charrette.

Facts
The Charrette proposed a two-lane extension aligned with the boundary between NATL and private property. John Maruniak, UF's planner at the time, asserts that he is sure that UF made no commitment to donate right-of-way for the extension.