State Completes Sidewalks along SR 345 in Chiefland, but It Took Years

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

At least eight years ago, Chiefland City Commissioner Rollin Hudson witnessed a log truck come to a complete stop on State Road 345 in Chiefland to avoid hitting someone pushing a baby stroller down the highway.

Hudson brought it to the attention of the city commission and asked for support to request a state-funded sidewalk along the highway to make the area safer for people on foot.

Two sidewalks, one on both sides of the highway, were finished last week at a cost of $386,000. The Florida Department of Transportation funded construction through its community sidewalk program.

Hudson and current City Manager Laura Cain aren’t exactly sure when Hudson first brought the sidewalk forward as an issue but they feel certain it was eight years ago or perhaps longer.

Former City Manager Mary Ellzey told the city commission that the sidewalk project had been given state funding on Jan. 25, 2015.

The sidewalk was almost certainly being discussed with the state well before that day, and likely during the tenure of former City Manager Grady Hartzog, who preceded Ellzey in the city’s top administrative position.

Hudson said he often drives that stretch of highway and noticed for many years there were problems with pedestrians walking on the highway in fast-moving traffic.

Hudson said the incident that prompted him to ask for a sidewalk involved a log truck headed east on State Road 345, with an oncoming car headed west, and the person pushing the baby stroller in between.

“He (log truck driver) had to stop because he couldn’t go around. Someone was coming. There was oncoming traffic. He had to stop because someone was in the road with a baby carriage,” Hudson said.

“I think these are nice sidewalks,” he added. “Definitely it was a safety issue.”

Getting the sidewalk constructed took patience. Hudson said more than once in city commission meetings he hoped he would still be alive when the sidewalk was built. He was frustrated with the pace of the project.

Hudson said the first hurdle the city crossed was to overcome the state’s perception that there wasn’t room for a sidewalk along the highway.

When the city overcame that hurdle, Ellzey announced in 2015 the project was funded. The next step was designing the sidewalks and then placing the project on DOT’s five-year work plan.

The sidewalks run past a public housing complex where many young families reside.

“There are a lot of kids in this neighborhood that walk to school. Some of them ride the bus but some of these kids walk to school. Would you want your kids walking on the road? These sidewalks are nice for kids,” Cain said.

Spotlight recorded the interview with Hudson and Cain on one of the sidewalks. The audio recorded the sounds of vehicles whizzing by during the scene of the interview.

Hudson said the sidewalk was badly needed.

“I see sidewalks where nobody is,” he added.