TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – North Monroe Street in Tallahassee will be getting a large makeover in the next few years thanks to a large grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
It’s no secret to Rick Minor, the county commissioner who represents North Monroe, that the area has seen a decline in recent years — even though it’s a major corridor headed straight to the capital.
That’s why the county government is celebrating what it calls a “Christmas gift,” a big pot of money, from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“This is a big, big win for the people at Leon County. The US Department of Transportation is giving us $16.8 million. When you combine that with $4.2 million from Blueprint, that’s $21 million of safety improvements for North Monroe,” Minor said.
Those improvements will result in potentially new intersections, new sidewalks, enhanced medians and more, according to Minor.
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Before lanes are closed or construction begins, there will first be a planning phase, so there will be a couple of years before construction begins on the roadway.
“As well as speed limit feedback signs. So as you’re driving back, you see how fast you’re going. Those types of things are the things we’re going to get on North Monroe,” Minor said.
Commissioner Minor was not shy about mentioning the decline of what he called “Tallahassee’s number one gateway.”
“North Monroe is Tallahassee’s number one gateway, but over the years, it’s kind of been on the decline. We’ve been able to turn that around in the last few years to make it into something we can be proud of,” he said.
However, Minor said there is already some construction on N Monroe separate and apart from the new grant. So, those who drive by may spot cones blocking off certain areas while new sidewalks are installed.
Minor added that now is a perfect time for the grant, as the projects will be intertwined. Now, Blueprint, a joint city-county board which oversees a one-cent sales tax will need to hold another vote to implement the grant.
The Blueprint board already authorized staff to apply for the grant, which was announced on Christmas Eve.
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