Mayor Ed Braddy had a testy exchange on Twitter with a couple of people last week with regards to the City Commission’s decision early Friday morning to return Northwest Eighth Avenue to four lanes, including the mention of a fatal accident that occurred Friday along that road.
Braddy had tweeted about the decision to four-lane the street again when one person replied, “Extremely disappointed. Dangerous & costly design for drivers, cyclists & pedestrians.”
Braddy replied that the safest option was chosen, and a lengthy online discussion ensued.
Another person told the mayor the city can’t post a lower speed limit while promoting a design encouraging higher speeds and then hope the police will enforce it. Braddy replied that during a trial period when the road was reduced to two lanes and the speed limit was cut, average travel speeds remained above 50 miles per hour. He ended his reply with a smiley face.
The original poster tweeted that he wasn’t sure why illegal, dangerous driving elicits a smile from Gainesville’s mayor.
Braddy responded with a tweet that said: “While ur on twitter, a dad & kid on motorcycle just got wiped out by a truck at NW 8th & 34th.” He also posted a picture of the scene.
The following exchange occurred on Twitter after Braddy tweeted that.
The online discussion continued.
The fatal accident referred to appears to be an accident that occurred Friday and resulted in the death of two University of Florida students.
UF student Thomas Joseph Coady, 22, of Gainesville, died early Saturday after the motorcycle accident, according to The Sun. He had driven through a red light at the intersection of 34th Street and Eighth Avenue and hit a pickup truck.
Halie Lynn Guelfi, 22, was riding with him on the motorcycle and was taken to the hospital with injuries. Guelfi, also a UF student, eventually died.