331 parking lot

**seacrestmary** · 09-08-2009, 11:04 AM

Yesterday, Labor Day, we made the stupid decision to head north to visit son. We expected some delays at the 98 and 331 North interesection. There were two lanes turning north from the east bound side of 98 and there were people who insisted on blocking the box creating complete traffic shutdown. No deputy there. We finally cleared that intersection only to come to dead stop on the north side of bridge.

Two hours later when we got to the intersection of 331 north and the Owls head farm road we saw the problem. A deputy was stopping north bound traffic and letting the folks coming into 331 from the west side on Owls head to enter. He would stop 331 north bound traffic and let them enter after 4-6 cars had built up on that side road.

While I agree that the deputy was needed and there should have been a way for those folks to enter 331, he completely over did it and caused a massive traffic jam.
That is all spilt milk but the sheriff needs to think about this when the next evacuation order is issued. This was normal Labor day north traffic. Imagine the chaos if it had been an evacuation.

**bluemtnrunner** · 09-08-2009, 01:53 PM

When we were taking our kids to DeFuniak at 4:00 yesterday we encountered the same delays but there were no LEO's at that intersection. Traffic did move more quickly once we were past it though. I think it is just going to be slow going, everyone needs to be patient and plan accordingly. I think ChefEd also so this at 10:00 yesterday morning when he went up there. Again, no LEO's, just regular traffic. My advice...stay away from DeFuniak. AH I so wish that I could!

**dmarie** · 09-08-2009, 03:57 PM

I got caught in it yesterday myself. I was attempting to go to my mother's cook-out. She lives north of De Funiak on King Lake. I expected traffic backed up at the 98 & 331 intersection (the west bound on 98 was particularly gruesome), but didn't think it would remain so gridlocked. WRONG!! Once on 331 the traffic was bumper to bumper to bumper, like 5 - 10 MPH at most. This was the entire route all the way to 20. Just north of the 331 & 20 intersestion, it ground to a complete halt! It took me 25 mins. to go 5 miles. Miles ahead, all I could see was a steady line of traffic headed north. I finally did a u-turn and headed home. And this wasn't even a hurricane evacuation!

And the irony of this trip was that on my way home, I passed a road construction sign that warned motorists to "plan ahead." Too bad the county and state can't heed their own advice.!

**GoodWitch58** · 09-08-2009, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by dmarie

I got caught in it yesterday myself. I was attempting to go to my mother's cook-out. She lives north of De Funiak on King Lake. I expected traffic backed up at the 98 & 331 intersection (the west bound on 98 was particularly gruesome), but didn't think it would remain so gridlocked. WRONG!! Once on 331 the traffic was bumper to bumper to bumper, like 5 - 10 MPH at most. This was the entire route all the way to 20. Just north of the 331 & 20 intersestion, it ground to a complete halt! It took me 25 mins. to go 5 miles. Miles ahead, all I could see was a steady line of traffic headed north. I finally did a u-turn and headed home. And this wasn't even a hurricane evacuation!

And the irony of this trip was that on my way home, I passed a road construction sign that warned motorists to "plan ahead." Too bad the county and state can't heed their own advice.!

yeah, like building a BRAND NEW TWO LANE BYPASS!

and four-laning 331 from Highway 98 to the south end of the bridge is just going to make it worse. God help us the next time we have a hurricane that requires evacuation!

DOT Planners--

**scooterbug44** · 09-08-2009, 07:07 PM

Wow! That traffic jam sounds so awful it could almost be the DAILY rush hour in many cities.

Yes, it is an issue that we need to plan better for - especially in case of an evacuation, but it was a Labor Day traffic jam on the primary road out of town route folks, not Armageddon!

**dmarie** · 09-08-2009, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by scooterbug44

Wow! That traffic jam sounds so awful it could almost be the DAILY rush hour in many cities.

Yes, it is an issue that we need to plan better for - especially in case of an evacuation, but it was a Labor Day traffic jam on the primary road out of town route folks, not Armageddon!

You're right! Armageddon would be the tourists AS WELL AS ALL THE LOCALS trying to evacuate at the same time.

**DuneLaker** · 09-08-2009, 10:46 PM

So, unless there is some traffic control, I'm thinking the next time I need to head to NoWal during a time like this, I may go the 79 to 20 to 81 route instead. May be longer, but lots quicker. It is a pretty scenic route, anyway.

**GoodWitch58** · 09-09-2009, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by DuneLaker

So, unless there is some traffic control, I'm thinking the next time I need to head to NoWal during a time like this, I may go the 79 to 20 to 81 route instead. May be longer, but lots quicker. It is a pretty scenic route, anyway.

definitely lots quicker on a day like Monday. And you can stop in Red Bay and have lunch at Charlie Morgan's new/old place.