A proposal to install a median on SW 13th Street near the new Shands Cancer Center has some local businesspeople concerned it will hurt their sales.
As part of a move to ensure safety on the stretch of 13th Street between Archer Road and SW 16th Avenue, Shands (under permit with the Florida Department of Transportation) is planning to build a concrete barrier that would prevent drivers from crossing oncoming traffic to reach businesses or residences on the opposite sides of the road.

The DOT required Shands to find a way to deal with the increased traffic that will be generated by the new Cancer Center garage on 13th street, says Steve Scanlan, the DOT’s Gainesville mechanical engineer, and there are few options.
“We always take into consideration the hardships of businesses and residents,” says Tony Flatico of the DOT, “but there is not much else we can do to keep the crash rate down.  The right of way is not wide enough on 13th for other options such as a turn lane, he says.
If the median is constructed, drivers heading south on 13th Street will no longer have direct access to businesses like Oakbrook Walk apartments and Arby’s restaurant. Instead, they’ll have to make a U-turn at 16th Avenue, something that is sure to discourage traffic, say the affected business owners. Similarly, drivers heading north would have to make a U-Turn at the Archer Road intersection to get to businesses on the west side of 13th.
Jim DiEugenio, owner of Arby’s, says the change could severely damage his business. “If this were to happen it could, at best, reduce employees at our Arby's,” he says. “Or at worst, close the Arby's altogether, as there would be no way for any southbound traffic either to get into or leave the store.”
Richard Ashbrook, director of operations for Collegiate Properties, which owns Oakbrook Walk, says the affected business owners are writing letters to the DOT, and he started a petition against the proposed median, which 70 residents had already signed at press time. He says that a median was proposed once before for this section of 13th Street, but strong opposition from the area halted construction.
Gina Hawkins, spokesperson for the Gainesville Public Works Department of the City of Gainesville, says that construction along the intersection will begin only if a consensus is reached about the proposed changes. But Scanlan says as of now, plans are “a go.” He expects the bulk of construction to take place this month.

SUBHED: Archer Road Slowdown Also Likely
The proposed median is the latest part of a plan to radically change traffic flow in this area. The state also appears to be close to reducing the speed limit to 20 mph on the section of Archer Road that runs between the Shands and Veterans Affairs medical centers and the University of Florida. Transportation officials say pedestrians cross that stretch of road frequently and fast-moving traffic is a danger.
Reducing the speed limit would push more traffic, including all trucks, onto SW16th Avenue, but there are no plans to expand that road to handle the additional flow. Instead, the city has proposed removing on-street parking along SW 16th Avenue and replacing it with a bike lane.