Three Weeks

The end is nigh; paving of the portions of ABT along SW 41st Place (Kanapaha Park) and Tower Road will begin next week along with the remaining section at Haile’s Equestrian facility. Predicted time for completion of the entire project is three weeks. This will include excavation and paving of the short section at Kimball Wiles Elementary School where ABT crosses Tower Road. Transition points at all intersections are marked and final work on drainage and landscaping has begun.

Is a Grand Opening being planned for this section of ABT? Linking ABT through Haile with activities in Haile Village seems obvious irrespective of the resistance by many Haile residents. Rather than being an unwanted eyesore, Hipp Construction has done a fine job of mating ABT to Haile Boulevard as it enters the Plantation and 91st Streets more aggressive and direct approach.

Getting to the Saturday Farmers’ Market from Kanapaha Park will be a pleasant ride and one that can be made safely by families. Several vendors at the Market who make delectable consumables are working on bicycle related items and might be encouraged to offer discounts or deals to people arriving by bike!

41st Place and Tower Road; Entrance to Kanapaha Park

41st Place at Kanapaha Park

Tower Road ready to be paved

Gainesville, we have asphalt!

Paving of the 91st Street section of Archer Braid Trail through Haile Plantation began today and by 1700 (5:00 pm) was nearing completion. Final preparation has also been done on most of the Trail paralleling Haile Blvd (SW 45th Blvd) and preliminary grading completed along the section passing by Haile Equestrian Center.
Looking north on SW 91st Blvd from Archer Road.

Construction at intersection transition points along the entire route and at the intersection at SW 91st Street and Haile Blvd. is underway.


Intersection of Haile Blvd with SW 91st  Street

And Maybe Next Week!

Last week Bob's Barricades appeared along SW 41st Place announcing the next big step toward completion of Archer Braid Trail. Excavation for the section of ABT that will run from Tower Road to GRU's Water Reclamation Facility has begun.
When the entire project is completed Kanapaha Park will be a natural starting point for family rides to Haile Village.

ABT has become an integral part of Gainesville's bicycling community. The wooded 1.5 miles beginning at the trail head in Archer has been embraced by its citizens and it is common to see families strolling, skating and riding along that section.

The real news, though, is that paving may begin next week and will encompass all of SW 91st Street to SW 46th Blvd. and much of SW 46th Blvd. as far as the short section passing in front of Haile's Equestrian Center. The final piece of the Trail has not yet been started; parallel to Tower Road from SW 46th Blvd. to SW 41st Place.

Archer Braid Trail through Haile update

"Sometime in July" is still the anticipated completion of  Archer Braid Trail's extension through Haile Plantation. Construction was hindered by problems with "drainage and clay" but is moving more smoothly now. Only one native has been restless during the construction assuring the workers each morning as she drives by that they are Number One. This is in dramatic contrast to the brouhaha which accompanied ABT's planning stages.

Construction of the section of the Trail paralleling Tower Road is unlikely to be completed "sometime in July" but there is increasing evidence of preliminary engineering work being done with the appearance of stakes identifying the location of the Trail as it passes Kanapaha Park.

Archer Braid Trail is Growing

If you haven't ventured down Tower Road recently you might not be aware that ABT is coming.