Existing Conditions

The corridor study involves the study of existing and future conditions to Tharpe Street from just east of Capital Circle, N.W. to just west of Ocala Road in Leon County, within City of Tallahassee limits.  The total length of the project is about 2.5 miles.  Within the project limits, Tharpe Street is a two-lane roadway with varying rights-of-way, as follows:

• Capital Circle N.W. to Mission Road - 100 feet

• Mission Road to Meriadoc Road - 66 feet

• Meriadoc Road to Ocala Road - 76 feet to 113 feet

Other noteworthy existing conditions on the Tharpe Street corridor include the following:

• One at-grade railroad crossing is located at Mission Road.

• No pedestrian/bicycle facilities are located on the corridor.

Click on the image for a larger view

At the Town Summit on April 1st, many alternatives were presented and it was determined that the best solution to meet the needs of the Community for all modes of traffic and for safety and neighborhood compatibility was a four-lane divided roadway.  The details of the lane widths, median widths, and landscaping were carefully developed for each section of the roadway.  Following the Summit, the project team has looked at alternative alignments to minimize impacts and cost. The team has also carefully reviewed access management to ensure that the appropriate balance between access, capacity, and safety is achieved. 

Industrial Area

Click on the image for a larger view

Preferred Industrial Alternative

This cross-section includes a four-lane roadway with 12-foot lanes, an 18-foot raised median, five-foot wide sidewalks, and a four-foot bicycle lane in both directions.  A four-foot wide grassed area separates the sidewalk from the travel lanes.  These improvements can be accommodated within the existing 100 feet of right-of-way.  Potentially, a landscape easement could be obtained from adjacent private properties to accommodate additional tree plantings.  An access plan to facilitate access to the businesses along this section has also been developed as part of the design plans.

Residential Area

Click on the image for a larger view

Preferred Residential Alternative

Existing right-of-way widths in the residential areas vary, with some areas as narrow as 66 feet.  Every alternative requires right-of-way acquisition to accommodate improvements.  The preferred cross-section requires a 96-foot right-of-way that will include a 16-foot wide raised median, four 11-foot vehicle travel lanes, four-foot bicycle lanes, and six-foot wide sidewalks along each side of the roadway.  A four-foot wide grassed area separates the sidewalk from the travel lanes.  Because right-of-way acquisition is required, two alignment alternatives (widening around existing centerline or widening to the north) were evaluated for impacts.  The recommended alignment alternative is a combination of these two alignments.

Sheridan Road Area

Click on the image for a larger view

Preferred Sheridan Road Alternative

Sheridan Road parallels Tharpe Street and functions as a frontage road for several residential properties.  The preferred cross-section includes four 11-foot travel lanes, a 10.5-foot median, four-foot bike lanes, and six-foot sidewalks on Tharpe Street.  Sheridan Road will have a 14-foot travel lane (one-way) and there will be a six-foot landscape buffer between Sheridan Road and the Tharpe Street sidewalk.

What's Next ?

Workshop with the Board of County Commissioners

30% Plans

Date - TBA

Need More Information ? 

Contact Our Project Team Members

Project Consultant:

Leon County Staff:

Citizen's Advisory Committee Members:

"Ex-Officio" Citizen's Advisory Committee Members: