The Northwest Florida Transportation Corridor Authority

[bighardrivesrule]

There was an article in the Tallahassee Democrat yesterday but I could not find it today about a Public meeting in Wakulla county for the Northwest Florida transportation Corridor Authority. The meeting was to be about possible alternatives to US98 along the coast. Some of them were to widen the road as best as possible to building a whole new road inland from the coast. They gave a link to the website and the materials posted there were very interesting for the future transportation for Northwest Florida including Tallahassee. The all of the materials there made for some very long but interesting reading last night.

http://www.nwftca.com/NWFCTA/Home/index.aspx

Enjoy

[poonther]

I read this story w/great interest. If you've ever had to evacuate the coast during the beginning of a hurricane via US 98 in Franklin County, like me you'd be for a new bypass inland from the current US 98. Plus anytime a storm of any size hits our area, US 98 from Carabelle to Eastpoint is often closed for weeks.

Using a "back beach road" also saves the charm of the small coastal towns by getting all the through traffic and trucks off the scenic highway. I'm for this bypass from Alligator Point all the way to Apalachicola. They can swing in the bypass at the existing causeway and bridge at Eastpoint/Apalach to save money and protect the bay from another bridge development.

US 98 from Apalach to Port St. Joe (PSJ) does not follow the coast, so this inland route does not need to be moved.

Just west of PSJ 98 has been and will be moved inland w/the help of St. Joe development. There's a new four mile stretch of US 98 that has been moved inland around St. Joe's Windmark development and work will soon continue w/this bypass behind and around St. Joe Beach, Beacon Hill and Mexico Beach.

Often I read in the Panama City paper that Tyndall AFB wants US 98 moved so it will go around their base and not directly through it for security measures.

Last thing, knowing FLDOT like I do and seeing that state gov. has created an "authority" for this project, look for these new bypasses when completed...especially around the more developed areas of the western panhandle to be a toll road if not the entire road from Escambia to Wakulla in the distant future.

[bighardrivesrule]

Yes in some of the reports on there website there was a mention of a possible toll road from Wakulla to Escambia county. The big bend and Florida panhandle has been left out of state infrastructure speeding for a long time. We seem to be the red-headed step-child when it comes to state spending. Hopely with better road access this will solve the evacuation problems and open this part of Florida up for positive development.

[Florida]

Yes in some of the reports on there website there was a mention of a possible toll road from Wakulla to Escambia county. The big bend and Florida panhandle has been left out of state infrastructure speeding for a long time. We seem to be the red-headed step-child when it comes to state spending. Hopely with better road access this will solve the evacuation problems and open this part of Florida up for positive development.

[gatoremt]

It is sad how far behind the Panhandle is from the rest of the state. I know that Tyndall has been trying to get hwy 98 moved for a long time. When I was living in PC, the county was trying to get hwy 98 routed up to Hwy 22 on the north side of the bay from Tyndall. This area needs another big highway for evacuation purposes. St Joe was also trying to build a road goin north out of Panama City Beach and running all the way to Dothan. This was going to happen after the new airport is build at PC Beach.

[seminole]

Discussions concerning the proposed Red Hills Coastal Parkway, have surfaced again. Under the current proposal, it just seems to be located too far from downtown Tallahassee - just my opinion. Not surprising, but apparently environmentalist don't like the proposed location either.

http://tdo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/.../703250320/1010

[Florida]

I wouldn't label this wasteful or harmful. It seems someone finally has the nerve to plan for the future, but we've got to face another PR hurdle. It's because of stuff like this that we're still working on Capital Circle.