By: Katie Kaplan & Web Staff | WCTV Eyewitness News

January 27, 2020

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- A multi-million dollar construction project on Tallahassee's east side may look a little messy, but it is beginning to take shape.

The Weems Road Pedestrian and Street Safety Project, otherwise known as PASS, will connect a multi-use trail from Tom Brown Park to Capital Circle. Construction began last Summer.

The project will allow residents in the Weems Road Plantation subdivision to be able to safely navigate to Tom Brown Park by bike or on foot. In its current condition, there are numerous problem spots for pedestrians near the two-lane road, said city engineer Steve Shafer.

A large round-about has been completed on the road which will help with traffic flow. Oversized trails and sidewalks will connect the park to Capital Circle. The project also includes beautification with landscaping and a large, underground water-infrastructure project. It will also fix a major issue that has plagued the area for years.

One of the lowest portions of Weems Road often floods during severe storms, cutting off one access point to the Public Safety Complex. A new bridge will raise the ground close to five feet, Shafer said.

"Folks that have lived in Tally for a while know that Weems Road is one that is typical to flood in major storm events," he said. "This is a great benefit."

It is a problem nearby businesses have seen first hand.

"I've seen people go swimming and fishing and all sorts of things when it floods on the roadway, so it was really, really bad, so I'm looking forward to not having that problem," said Dr. Carla Hutchinson, the executive director at Foundation for Arts.

"Living with construction itself has been a little bit chaotic," added executive assistant Monica Duque.

The non-profit reports a sizable dent in enrollment, which Hutchinson attributes to traffic from the construction. Staff is optimistic that once the $8.5 million project is completed, it will bring students back.

"People are going to want to walk and that type of thing, so I do think it's going to be amazing," said Duque.

Shafer said the project is on schedule to be completed by Fall of 2020.

An extension project is also underway. Construction has begun on Weems Road on the opposite side of Mahan. Join WCTV at 6 and 11 p.m. on Tuesday for more information on how it will help to alleviate traffic near the city's third largest intersection.