Last hurdle cleared to open Alachua rail crossing

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
October 20, 2021

Alachua Street currently dead ends at the railroad tracks that run along Front Street.

They said it would never happen.  A move to open the Alachua Street rail crossing that began at least as early as 1975 appears to have finally received the blessings of FDOT, the railroad and the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC).  At the end of the October 19, 2021 FBCC meeting, City Manager Dale Martin announced that the City had finally received after 20 years the signed, formal stipulation of parties agreement from the railroad to open the Alachua rail crossing to vehicular traffic.

Martin said that he would work with City Engineer Charlie George on the construction efforts to insure that the work on this project will be completed in this fiscal year.

With the completion of this project, traffiic will be able to flow from North 8th Street west on Alachua Street all the way to Front Street, thereby eliminating the dead end that currently exists at the railroad tracks.  

“They serve no whines before their time.”

For a history of this issue, click here.

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Charles Loouk
Trusted Member
Charles Loouk(@charles-loouk)
2 years ago

Yay!

DAVID LOTT
DAVID LOTT(@dave-l)
2 years ago

Kudos to Dale and other staff involved in this decades old effort. The opening will provide better traffic flow although I am sure the residents on Alachua Street will not be happy with the increased traffic.