TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Grant money to help Tallahassee and Leon County improve safety and the look of one of the busiest roads in town is already helping bring new sidewalks to the area.
On North Monroe between Lakeshore Drive and John Knox Road, residents may notice a new sidewalk that’s now nearing completion.
“I’m just so thrilled and proud to see this sidewalk project almost being done with construction. This has been a project that’s been years in the making,” Leon County Commissioner Christian Caban said.
Much of the progress along North Monroe is part of the North Monroe Gateway Project, which is making improvements from I-10 to 7th Avenue. Since 2015, Caban says more than $58 million has been committed to the North Monroe corridor through partnerships with USDOT, FDOT, Leon County and Blueprint.
“It’s really about life safety, and that’s got to be priority one for any local government, and that’s really what’s going down right now,” he said.
More Tallahassee news:
When it comes to the sidewalks, he says FDOT has provided more than $7 million for safety and aesthetic improvements along the North Monroe corridor, including the new sidewalk in progress between John Knox Road and Lakeshore Drive. Ultimately, that brings FDOT’s total investment in the North Monroe corridor to more than $17.4 million since 2014.
“Not only is this about quality of life and pedestrian safety for those who frequently use the sidewalks, walking to work or just to walk to retail stores but really it’s about the aesthetics and the quality of life for our entire community,” Caban said.
The commissioner says the new sidewalk is a major step toward making North Monroe safer, more accessible and better connected. Demarcus Allen, a Bojangles employee who works in the area, says the sidewalk is a welcome addition.
“I just know it makes more sense now; it makes it very safe as far as drivers coming in and out of here; it gets very busy right here. The city actually put it together really good; it’s very safe for the community,” Allen said.
Caban says they’re thankful for their partnership with FDOT, which helped make this project possible. He also thanked Commissioner Rick Minor, who represents this area, for his work to make projects like this happen.
We previously reported earlier this year that the county received $16.8 million from a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Right now it’s unclear when all of these projects will be complete, but we will keep you updated on a timeline.
To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter).
Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article’s headline in your message.
Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.
Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.