TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A big change is coming Tuesday for thousands of Tallahassee drivers.<\/p>\n
The new traffic light at Thomasville Road and Velda Dairy Road will begin operating on Tuesday morning. Drivers coming from Velda Dairy will now be able to turn left onto Thomasville Road.<\/p>\n
The new intersection also creates an extension of Velda Dairy Road, connecting it through to Ox-Bottom Road.<\/p>\n
Leon County Commissioner Brian Welch says the project has been in the works for about 10 years. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a probably 10-year-long plan to both develop this corner commercially but also to create an extension of Velda Dairy Road,\u201d Welch said.<\/p>\n
More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n
Welch said the Florida Department of Transportation funded the intersection along with the City of Tallahassee.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a plan that\u2019s been long in the books to try and create better traffic flow, a more safe traffic flow at this intersection of Velda Dairy Road and Thomasville Road,\u201d Welch said.<\/p>\n
He says safety was a major reason for the change.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the government\u2019s duty to ensure safety \u2014 to ensure transportation safety and pedestrian safety \u2014 and so as more people access this commercial development, these improvements were planned to enhance those elements,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
But some residents who live off Ox-Bottom Road say they\u2019re concerned about what this could mean for traffic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s already backed up. It\u2019s been going on already, right without the signal. It\u2019s already going on a lot. I don\u2019t know how much I think it\u2019s going to be now with all this traffic coming in and slowing down. It\u2019s going to be a lot,\u201d said homeowner Chandrea Mullangi.<\/p>\n
Residents like homeowner Frank Overdyke on Ox-Bottom will now have to turn right at Velda Dairy to get onto Thomasville Road. Before, they could turn right directly from Ox-Bottom.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt won\u2019t be as convenient. We\u2019ll have to loop around the gas station and things of that nature. But in the big scheme of things, and probably looking 10 years down the road, for all the folks that live off of Velda Dairy that don\u2019t have to go to Kerry Forest anymore, that will be a great help for them,\u201d Overdyke said.<\/p>\n
Homeowners like Kristen Andersonon on Velda Dairy say they\u2019ve been waiting for the change.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll benefit because I don\u2019t have to go over and make that U-turn. I can just make a quick little turn across the street now, so it\u2019ll be nice for us,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n
Commissioners say they\u2019re asking for patience as drivers adjust to the new traffic pattern. They suggest planning ahead and giving yourself extra time during Tuesday morning\u2019s commute.<\/p>\n
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