Blueprint breaks ground on Welaunee Boulevard, beginning Northeast Gateway project
After four years in the works, Blueprint officially broke ground on the Northeast Gateway project, holding a ceremony to celebrate the achievement Tuesday morning.
The project intends to unite the development of northeast Tallahassee in anticipation for the continued growth of Leon County by alleviating traffic congestion, boosting economic development, and paving the way for future residential infrastructure.
"It is estimated that the total economic impact from the planned development resulting from this Gateway project is between 2.2 and 8.2 billion," Blueprint Director Autumn Calder said. "The economic benefits of the roadway project alone include the generation of 600 jobs."
The project will set the stage for an eventual I-10 interchange which would be the newest local addition to the interstate system since the Eisenhower era.
Blueprint held a groundbreaking ceremony as Phase 1 for the Northeast Gateway project, the completion of Welaunee Boulevard.
The ceremony was attended by prominent local leaders such as Mayor John Dailey and County Commissioner Carolyn Cummings, among many other high ranking city and county officials. Contractors involved in the project as well as Blueprint citizens committee members were at the event.
"Let me tell you what this investment represents. In the future, it represents more economic development, jobs and expanded economy for our community right here," Dailey said. "It represents housing, which is a true priority for the City of Tallahassee and the county commission, making sure that people have an appropriate place to live, a house they can be proud of. And in conjunction with the federal and state government it represents a future exchange which is going to help alleviate our traffic patterns."
Dailey told the crowd of about 20 people that it was a "win, win, win." During the event, Calder gave specifics about the project, including the future connections with Shamrock Street. The event ended with several members of the Blueprint board posing for photos and "breaking the ground" signifying the work to be done.
"I know it's going to have a positive ripple effect to our community because we're looking at over a billion dollars worth of economic development to our citizens, to our businesses here in Leon County," Cummings said. "It's just an exciting feeling to be chair of Blueprint while all of this is happening."
Getting to work
The first phase of the Northeast Gateway project is the completion of Welaunee Boulevard, started Nov. 6 and is scheduled to finish by spring 2026. The boulevard is a new roadway north of Fleischmann Road, with plans to extend further north to Roberts Road.
In a press release following the event, Blueprint said the project will "highlight regional mobility, transportation networks, Canopy Road protection," among other highlights.
Alongside the planned two-lane extension of Shamrock Street that looks to connect Welaunee to Centerville Road, subsequent phases for the project feature the Welaunee Greenway, a collection of recreational trails, which will loop around to link with the current Miccosukee Greenway, and a future I-10 overpass.
Both phases are anticipated to be completed by 2027.
"A project like this reduces congestion on major roads like Thomasville Road near I-10, as well as Mahan Drive. So people are excited about the reduced travel time you know less time spending in their cars and emissions as well as more time with families," Calder said.
For more information on current Blueprint projects, visit their website.
Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com or on Twitter/X @ari_v_otero
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Blueprint's Welaunee Boulevard, Northeast Gateway project, breaks ground
