The City of Tallahassee began the Railroad Avenue Improvements Project on Nov. 27, 2023. This project aims to enhance safety and mobility options in the area and includes utility, roadway and sidewalk improvements along Railroad Avenue from Railroad Square to Gaines Street. Once underway, the project is anticipated to be complete in 2025.

The project will include creating a multi-use trail on the west side of the roadway, installing landscaped medians and new pedestrian crossings, repaving the road, and using roadway design elements that tie FAMU Way and Gaines Street together. Additionally, the majority of the overhead electric lines within the project bounds will be moved underground.

Construction is taking place in phases.

As part of its next phase, a new one-way traffic pattern will begin on February 5, 2025. One-way traffic will be allowed southbound only while the contractor completes work on the east side of the roadway.

View a larger version of this map.

As work transitions in mid-to-late March, traffic will shift, and the road will be a one-way northbound while work is done on the west side of the roadway.

From May 1-6, the road will return to two-way traffic, as heavier traffic is anticipated in the area for the universities’ graduation celebrations.

Toward the end of May, there will be a full road closure to allow for work around the railroad tracks. The exact date is still being determined and will be posted here on Talgov.com/RailroadAvenue and at X.com/COTTraffic.

Through each portion, a detour will be in place to help traffic navigate the work zone; the detour map will also be available here on the project page.

During construction, it may also be necessary to temporarily disconnect utility services in the area, such as water and electric, to make the necessary improvements. Advanced notice of any outage will be provided to those impacted, and every effort will be made to minimize the length of the outage.

Work hours will typically be from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. No work should take place on Sundays.

Construction on the project began in December 2023.

As part of the planning phase for this project, the City hosted an in-person, open house style community meeting on June 9, 2022, at the Residence Inn on Gaines Street. Thank you to everyone who attended to learn more and discuss the project with staff from the City’s Underground Utilities and Public Infrastructure department.

For more information, contact justin.hosey@talgov.com or kyle.andree@talgov.com.