Ballpark Way Ribbon Cutting
March 16, 2022. Gainesville, FL – Tents, tables, chairs and a podium were staged behind the new brick University of Florida gateway on Ballpark Way leading to Archer Road for a celebratory ribbon cutting. The new road, Ballpark Way, is part of a broader set of campus transportation improvements consisting of a new roundabout at Radio Road and Museum Drive, a rebuilt intersection at Archer Road, and modifications to turn lanes, medians, and crosswalks along Hull Road. Together, these improvements provide better accessibility for all modes of transportation – vehicles, buses, bicycles and pedestrians.
The improvements have been recommended in the UF Campus Master Plan and the Long-Range Transportation Plan of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MTPO) for many years. The recent opening of the university’s new baseball stadium provided an opportunity to make these improvements a reality for all visitors, students, and employees who access this part of campus. Gray clouds and rain made its way to the event but that did not stop a gathering of UF representatives, as well as leaders from the MTPO, the City of Gainesville, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and community members, from attending to celebrate this achievement for community mobility.
“We are proud of the fact that this project represents one more step in fulfilling UF’s 2019 Strategic Campus Master Plan, which seeks to transform our campus’ physical infrastructure, academic facilities, and open space to be a Top 5 experience,” said Dr. Charlie Lane, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President for UF during his speech at the event.
FDOT supplemented project funding to create a win-win with enhanced modifications at the Archer Road intersection that ease travel along the busy corridor. The City of Gainesville provided expertise and guidance for the connection to SW 23rd Terrace and maintains the citywide traffic signal system. The project was also supported by partnering with numerous campus entities – UF/IFAS, University Athletic Association, and the UF Cultural Plaza (Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Harn Museum of Art). Ballpark Way is now open for public use.
