Gainesville -The resurfacing of State Road 24 in western Alachua County will incorporate changes in the way a project is designed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), thus reducing the pre-construction costs and potentially saving the state thousands of dollars. This `smart plan` concept will be used on routine projects such as the resurfacing of SR 24 between the City of Archer and the Levy County line and will save money by reducing surveying and construction plan production. This concept can be used for projects that already meet FDOT design standards and roadways that only need to be resurfaced or repaired with minor reconstruction. The goal of this new concept is to reduce surveying costs and design construction plans more efficiently by producing more simplified construction plans. The plans were reduced from 120 sheets to 15 sheets which are provided to the FDOT`s contractor in order to construct the improvements, similar to a set of house plans. Crews will begin Monday with drainage and concrete work throughout the 2.7 mile project. Once this is completed, they will remove and replace the top two inches of asphalt which is expected to begin by mid-August. The road will also be widened just west of the old Alachua County landfill to accommodate a 4-foot bike lane between the travel lane and a right turn lane.
Motorists can expect daytime lane closures weekdays after 8:30 a.m. with flaggers directing traffic. Some driveways may be affected while crews work on drainage pipes. Work will not be allowed Monday, September 3 for the Labor Day holiday or on Saturdays of home University of Florida football games in anticipation of increased traffic. FDOT has hired V.E. Whitehurst & Sons, Inc. of Williston to complete the work for $985,717. 27. The contractor has about three months to complete the work, depending on weather conditions and other unexpected circumstances.
This section of State Road 24 was last resurfaced and widened in 1997. An average of 6,500 vehicles travels this section of roadway each day. For additional information regarding this project or other FDOT projects around Northeast Florida, visit www.nflroads.com or call 800-475-0044. The public can also follow this project and other projects in Northeast Florida by following the FDOT on Twitter @MyFDOT_NEFL or http://twitter.com/MyFDOT_NEFL. | 
