It wasn’t an award I ever wanted us to win. The motivation for those wide, flat-topped mounds, or speed tables, on University Avenue was born from gut-wrenching losses — the tragic, preventable deaths of Maggie Paxton and Sophia Lambert, two bright young students.
As a former member of the UF Board of Trustees, and more importantly, as a member of the Gainesville community, those losses struck deep. They were a stark, horrifying reminder that the bustling corridor connecting our vibrant campus to the rest of the city had become a deadly gauntlet. Advocating for immediate safety intervention wasn't about accolades; it was a moral imperative, a desperate attempt to prevent other families from enduring that unimaginable pain.
So, when I saw the news recently on Channel 20 that the Florida Department of Transportation received a regional award for the safety improvements on University Avenue, including those very speed tables, my feelings were complex. The recognition confirms what we felt in our bones: Slowing traffic saves lives.
The data FDOT cited — reduced speeds, fewer crashes — isn't just statistics on a page. It translates to students making it safely to class, to internships, to their homes and friends. It means parents and roommates can breathe a little easier when someone calls to say they're walking to dinner. That is the true award, measured in the absence of tragedy, in the vibrant pulse of a campus alive with possibility. This recognition belongs to every voice that demanded change after we lost those young souls.
But vigilance is the constant companion of progress. As these speed tables effectively calm traffic, we've observed a concerning new behavior: Some drivers are attempting dangerous U-turns on or immediately around the tables. This reckless maneuver trades one risk for another, jeopardizing pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists. It undermines the very safety we fought so hard to achieve.
Therefore, as we stand at the threshold of another promising academic year, with thousands of new and returning students already filling our sidewalks and crosswalks, I urge FDOT to take the next logical, life-saving step: Install landscaped medians, filled with vegetation like grass and trees, along key sections of University Avenue, particularly on the speed tables themselves.
These medians would serve a crucial dual purpose. First, they would physically prevent these illegal and perilous U-turns, forcing traffic to flow as intended — slower and more predictably.
Second, they would provide invaluable refuge islands for pedestrians crossing what is a broad avenue, breaking down the journey into safer, manageable segments. Imagine a student halfway across, protected, rather than stranded in a sea of moving vehicles. It’s a simple, proven infrastructure solution that complements the speed tables perfectly.
The FDOT award is a welcome affirmation our collective cry for safety was heard and acted upon effectively. It proves targeted infrastructure investment, driven by community concern and data, works.
As students stream back into Gainesville, buzzing with the energy of a new semester, the sight of them navigating University Avenue more safely is the greatest reward any of us could ask for. The speed tables are a testament to what we can achieve when we prioritize human life over haste.
Let’s build on this success. Let’s make this safety corridor truly complete. Installing these medians isn't just the next step; it's a necessary commitment to ensuring that the "safety improvements" we celebrate today evolve into the comprehensive protection our students and all Gainesville residents deserve tomorrow.
This is how government should work — listening, acting effectively and continuously striving to protect its people. As we welcome our students home, let’s give them and their families the safest possible environment to learn, grow and thrive. The foundation is laid; let’s finish the job.
Sylvain Doré is a former member of the UF Board of Trustees and was the Democratic Nominee for Florida Senate District 9 in 2024.
