Жители Алехуа-каунти требуют ремонта дорог из-за многолетней задолженности по инфраструктуре

Alachua County residents push for road repairs as county leaders work through infrastructure backlog GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Social media has become a sounding board for frustrated Alachua County drivers, with residents posting photos and videos of cracked pavement, potholes and deteriorating roads while calling on county leaders to make repairs. For Denise Kronmann, those frustrations hit close to home. Kronmann has lived off County Road 337 for 23 years and said residents have been pushing for improvements for decades. “I haven’t gotten very much of a response and I was told it would be done in 2027 and now it’s been pushed back to 2030,” Kronmann said. “I’ve been here 23 years and I know for a fact that residents all around here have been trying to bring it to the county because it’s not safe.” She said driving the road has become a safety concern. “I know it takes money. I know it takes dollars. I understand that, but I’ve been here 23 years paying taxes for these roads and in 23 years this road, 337, has not gotten any attention,” Kronmann said. County officials say they understand the frustration but stress the condition of many roads is the result of decades of deferred maintenance rather than a lack of recent investment. According to Alachua County spokesperson Mark Sexton, the county’s road backlog dates back to the late 1970s, when roughly 200 miles of roadway were transferred from the state to the county without enough funding to maintain them. Sexton said voters also rejected a local infrastructure surtax three times before approving the Wild Spaces Public Places surtax in 2022. Today, that voter-approved surtax, combined with gas taxes, property taxes, grants and other funding sources, supports the county’s 10-year, $250 million Transportation Capital Improvement Program. County leaders say the program is the largest sustained investment in transportation infrastructure in Alachua County’s history. To determine which roads are repaired first, Sexton said the county relies on an independent pavement management plan. “To make sure that it was objective and data driven, the county hired a consultant to put together the pavement management plan,” Sexton said. “It’s the 10-year plan, and that plan looks at trips, condition of road. It looks at all the different variables and they come up with a priority list.” The county says inflation has also significantly increased the cost of road construction, making it more difficult to eliminate the maintenance backlog. Despite those challenges, officials say progress is being made. As of May, the county reported 84 transportation projects totaling about $121 million are completed, under construction or in the planning stages. Those projects are part of the Transportation Capital Improvement Program, which is funded through the Wild Spaces Public Places surtax and other local, state and federal revenue sources. Sexton said county leaders recognize residents want improvements sooner. “The County Commission daily is dealing with the frustration that people have about roads,” Sexton said. “We aren’t telling residents not to be frustrated but I’ve been with the county for almost 22 years and I’ve never seen anything like this commission’s effort to improve road conditions. So we would ask people to be patient. And when the surtax comes up for renewal in 2032, think about it.” Residents can view completed, active and planned transportation projects through the county’s interactive Transportation Capital Improvement Program map. County officials say they are also changing how they address potholes. Instead of sending crews to repair isolated potholes one at a time, Public Works is expanding repairs to cover longer stretches of roadway. The county has added two new pothole crews, bringing the total to four full-time teams dedicated to pothole management. Officials say the crews will work five days a week with trucks and trailers specifically equipped for road repairs in an effort to improve road conditions more efficiently. County leaders also point to rising construction costs as another challenge. While officials say Alachua County is investing more money in roads than ever before, inflation has significantly increased the cost of resurfacing and reconstructing roads compared to five and 10 years ago. Drivers whose vehicles are damaged by potholes may be eligible to seek reimbursement, but officials say claims require documentation. Residents should contact Alachua County Public Works if the damage occurred on a county road. Claims typically require proof the county had prior notice of the roadway hazard, along with photos, a police report and repair estimates or receipts. If you want to report a pothole to the county, A link to their phone number and email is HERE Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. Copyright 2026 WCJB. All rights reserved.