Speed Limit Grayton

[beach lover]

My husband just got back from his weekly poker game and said the speed limit in Grayton had changed to 15mph. This was around the Upton Grayton area and cops were sitting there waiting to catch speeders. This is crazy!! I know in Atlanta it had to be posted in the paper & wait 30 days to give everyone notice about the change. He said it was hard to tell where it started and ended, plus 15mph is just not reasonable. What's going on!!!!

[Smiling JOe]

I don't know, but you can get anywhere in Grayton very quickly while driving 15 mph, so don't worry too much about it. I would rather have that than speed bumps throughout Grayton.

[kurt]

Uptown Grayton is on 30-A. Are you sure it was on 30-A? Maybe it was on DeFuniak Street which is the main street south of 30-A.

[beach lover]

It was on 30-A.

[kurt]

That is unusual for sure. The lowest limit I've seen on 30A is 25mph through Seaside, WaterColor, Rosemary Beach.

[Miss Kitty]

That is unusual for sure. The lowest limit I've seen on 30A is 25mph through Seaside, WaterColor, Rosemary Beach.

Isn't it like 17 mph by the Wheel House?

[JB]

I think 15 MPH is reasonable. Hard to go much faster than that anyway due to all the moron-operated scooters in the middle of the road.

[Bob]

Isn't it like 17 mph by the Wheel House?

that's 27 kilometers per hour for all our international visitors.

[kurt]

Isn't it like 17 mph by the Wheel House?

15 I think - I fogot aboot that. :oops:

[ShallowsNole]

I knew we didn't meet our budget for court fines received last month, but dang...

But, seriously, a change in the speed limit does not have to be advertised ahead of time, but signs where it begins and ends should be posted before enforcement begins. I haven't been out there to verify where/what - but if in doubt where it begins and ends, and there is a cop there, stop and ask him/her!

[Smiling JOe]

Yes, I saw the sign for the first time this morning. 15mph from 30A/283 to about 200 meters west of Western Lake bridge, where it jumps back to only 40 mph because of the narrow bridge. Traffic was still moving at 45 - 50 mph. Those are going to be hefty tickets.

I can vouch that coming out of Uptown Grayton is very dangerous.

[JB]

Dig the 'tar, SJ. You look surprisingly like Neil Young.

[Smiling JOe]

Dig the 'tar, SJ. You look surprisingly like Neil Young.

Yes, especially since shaving the beard, leaving the chops.

[Scooter]

I think 15mph is great for that area!

[Sheila]

Dig the 'tar, SJ. You look surprisingly like Neil Young.

Neil Young can only wish he was as handsome as SJ!

[Camp Creek Kid]

Yes, especially since shaving the beard, leaving the chops.

Did you really shave your beard?

[ShallowsNole]

That stretch of road was dangerous even before Uptown Grayton (anybody remember the wreck between a UPS truck and a Borden's milk truck in the early '90's?), but 15 mph ? The school zones are faster than that.

[jessifunn]

Isn't it like 17 mph by the Wheel House?

no silly kitty it is 17 in my hood

[Sheila]

no silly kitty it is 17 in my hood

Better install speed bumps before tomorrow afternoon! We'd hate to break the rules our first day in the 'hood!

[jessifunn]

Better install speed bumps before tomorrow afternoon! We'd hate to break the rules our first day in the 'hood!

good thing at the top of the hood. you won't be able to pick up that much speed!!!!!!!!!

[Sheila]

good thing at the top of the hood. you won't be able to pick up that much speed!!!!!!!!!

Apparently, you've never seen FBB drive! Whoa Nelly!

[Santiago]

That is totallty ridiculous but not surprising at all. And you can bet that those idiots from DFS will pay more attention to that area of road than to the bank in Grayton if it were getting robbed. And before anyone starts with the "they are doing they're job" bs, don't bother. If you are a local and not in total denial, you are aware of how bad we get the shaft in every area from this county.

[Smiling JOe]

It may be like the Dukes of Hazzard where Rosco erects his own speedlimit signs just to write up the Duke Boys.

I may have to run over that sign or steal it. Did I type that outloud?

[Santiago]

It may be like the Dukes of Hazzard where Rosco erects his own speedlimit signs just to write up the Duke Boys.

I may have to run over that sign or steal it. Did I type that outloud?

I'm with you brother

[John]

While I'm all for traffic calming, 15mph seems too low. 25mph would be more appropriate. Yesterday, at 25mph in said zone, I had some angry, impatient motorists at my rear bumper.

Who makes these decisions on speed limits? Didn't the recent traffic survey, which was done at considerable expense, recommend nothing less than 25mph for 30-A?

[Smiling JOe]

While I'm all for traffic calming, 15mph seems too low. 25mph would be more appropriate. Yesterday, at 25mph in said zone, I had some angry, impatient motorists at my rear bumper.

Who makes these decisions on speed limits? Didn't the recent traffic survey, which was done at considerable expense, recommend nothing less than 25mph for 30-A?

I thought the DOT was the group who set speed limits, but that may not be the case on county roads.

I am beginning to think that they left the l_ off of the 4. Nothing a little black electrical tape and 40 seconds worth of graphics cannot cure, but I would hate to cause a crash by changing it to 45.

[ShallowsNole]

It may be like the Dukes of Hazzard where Rosco erects his own speedlimit signs just to write up the Duke Boys.

I may have to run over that sign or steal it. Did I type that outloud?

If you do, please don't do it between 9 p.m. & 7 a.m. I would like for you to meet Mr. ShallowsNole, but not that way...

Still...I cannot imagine 15 mph for that stretch. Neither can Mr. SN, who has been off for several nights and gave me a look when I told him about the new speed limit last night.

[30A Skunkape]

15mph is too slow in my opinion. I don't even know if my car will go that slow without giving it gas while in drive!

[Lady D]

Granted 15 mph does seem a little slow since Seaside and Rosemary Beach and Watercolor are 25 mph. But those scooters go faster than 15 mph. They go around 35 to 40 as we rent them for 4 hours and ride them around PC Beach. We go as fast as they will go, we never slow other cars down. Those so-called moron scooter riders as you refer to them JB have to obey traffic rules also. And if someone is going slow in front of them they have to go slow also. Tourists bring big dollars to all the panhandle area during the spring and summer months. And of course, bicycling is not limited to tourists, I am sure there are alot of residents who bicycle around. I recall reading complaints about cyclists on this forum also. From what I understand on 30A the cyclists have to watch out for residents just backing on out of their driveways right into them. They do not stop and wait for cyclists to go past. I would hope some people would be courteous enough to wait!

[Seasider]

The speed limit signs are very unobtrusive. You really have to look for them. They should at least have signs warning of an uncoming speed zone. Or at least "Congested Area Ahead". If you are not on the lookout for the signs, you will probably miss them like I did the first few times. If I did not know about them from this site, I probably would still be unaware of them.

[Donna]

There is something wrong with this, because 15 mph is a dangerously slow speed on a straight stretch of road like that section of 30A. Someone should call the County Engineer to inquire. He spoke to our Grayton Homeowners' Association meeting last week and was very articulate. A lot of people were complaining about speed on DeFuniak Street, which I haven't really noticed as a problem. Then again, I'm not there during the busier times. I am all for reasonable speeds, but 15 mph is ridiculous and I don't think would be substantiated by any road manual. In fact, our police force always refuses to post speeds of under 25 mph because they say the tickets just get thrown out by the traffic court due to the speed being unreasonably low. I think the answer could be found somewhere between the County Sheriff's office and Publicl Works.

[ShallowsNole]

Citizen Services 892-8530
Public Works 892-8108
District 5 County Commissioner 622-3059
WCSO South Walton 267-2000, North Walton 892-8186

I'd call, but I'm at work.

[SlowMovin]

I called Citizen Services...they said they don't handle that sort of thing and referred me to Public Works.

I called Public Works...they said they don't handle that sort of thing and referred me to the District 5 Roads Department (267-2201).

I called the District 5 Roads Dept...they took my name and number and said they'd have someone call me back.

I'll keep you posted.

[SlowMovin]

Latest news I have on this (from the District 5 Road Department) is that they will move the 45 mph sign closer to the 285/30-A intersection (so that it is just east of the last business). It will remain 15 mph between there and the intersection. I don't recall off the top of my head what the last business east of the intersection is (Criolla's, perhaps?).

My personal opinion is that this change (i.e. moving the 45 closer to the intersection) makes sense. I understand them wanting to slow down traffic right there at the intersection and for the surrounding businesses. But look at the stretch from, say, Criolla's to Seaside/Watercolor. It is relatively less developed, what development there is is all on the south side (so no cross traffic), and the bike path stays on the south side (so no pedestrian crossings).

[Donna]

Before the flashing red, 30A at 283 was a very dangerous intersection, many bad accidents there over the years because of people just blasting right through. I am still nervous when approaching that intersection, expecting people to run the light/signs. Between that history and the proliferation of curb cuts onto 30A, a slower speed approaching the signal makes sense. However, I doubt seriously if a traffic court would ever uphold a speeding ticket for under 25 mph, regardless of how it is posted. Then again, not everyone is around for a future traffic court date and a day in traffic court is costly for many.

For the record, I think the speed bumps on DeFuniak Street are ineffective and even dangerous on their own, since they represent an obstruction in the roadway. Combined with the confusing mix of stop signs and "stop" painted in numerous places on the roadbed, it is distracting. You'd be pumping the brake all the way from 30A to Hotz Avenue if you obeyed every one of them.

I will be interested to hear the feedback from the County on this. Aaron, the County Engineer, said one of his key objectives is to provide answers that are consistent and in a timely manner. But this may be more relevant to the Sheriff's office than Public Works.

[Doug&Wendy]

I think yall need to follow the law and slow down. Are you all tryin to kill people?

[Lady D]

Doug&Wendy, what's with this ya'll bit? I get irritated when being behind someone on the interstate here going 45 in a 55 or 65 mph zone. I wouldn't see how someone could go much more than 25 or 30 mph through 30A. I have been on it. Don't have to worry about that when coming through the main drag in Destin coming east. It is very slow going. Rode the beach route one year from Panama City Beach through Destin and it was slow going! Went over and got on Interstate 10 the rest of the way to Pensacola. We were going over to see that Pensacola Lighthouse.

[aquaticbiology]

i think the idea behind the slow speed limits is to keep you all there in town so you'll spend more money there instead of going to go see the Pensacola Lighthouse

[Lady D]

Aquaticbiology, I am a lighthouse fanatic. If I had the time and money I would take the driving Florida lighthouse tour. One of my co-workers comes to Destin every summer for vacation and stays at the Sandestin Resort. Destin would have to have the guided waverunner tours and all the beach shops like Panama City Beach has for us to consider coming there. And I am sure they don't have the number of restaurants PC Beach has. It is probably a littler pricier there at Destin than we can afford anyway. That is why we stay where we stay. We can take 1500.00 and come back home with $400.00 to $500.00 of that. My husband and I prefer the quieter less busy end of things, which is why we stay just outside of the west end of PC Beach.

[aquaticbiology]

I am a lighthouse fanatic

i lighthouses too!


and the C Bouy at the end of the string off the pass!)


and the psj beacon (the ruins at the tip of the cape)


and daymarks, range lights and just about anything else that intentionally floats

We can take 1500.00 and come back home with $400.00 to $500.00 of that. My husband and I prefer the quieter less busy end of things, which is why we stay just outside of the west end of PC Beach.

gee, and i was complaining about the cost of dragging the boat back and forth!

dang - i wish i had 1500 bucks - wow! - i could go five times this month!

it only takes about 300 for the boat trip, and that's mainly for the gas dragging it down there and the generator for the ac (and ac!)

and that's what i like about staying on the boat the best - no kids, no crowds, no speed limits, no hotel bills, just the wind and waves and nothing but what you brought on board (which can be a brain teaser thinking of all the things you're going to need) and you simply just can't run to town and pick someting up or go shopping or whatever - i guess most people would call it very boring, but i love it and luckily my other half does too

we still put in in west bay since they have a really deep water boat ramp that makes it so much easier (you don't think they're going to put the new airport THERE, do you? sounds like my luck!) and you can either go down the canal towards ft walton/destin or down the bay to pc/pcb

sorry, guess i was rambling on there a little bit...

i was thinking about the fishing rodeo last year and if it was way too early to plan (daydream) about this years or not...

[Lady D]

Aquaticbiology, it takes me almost a year scraping to save up to be able to come. We got to come down there last year but didn't the year before because of not having the money to come. And we always had to board two dogs which cost around $300.00 more when we picked them up. We don't have alot of money. Everytime I set money aside to come down there, I end up having to use it for something else, bills come to mind. We try to have at least $750.00 spending money. When we first started renting the place we rent, it was $800.00 for a week beachfront, $700.00 fall rate. He went up to $900.00 for a week year before although las year he just charged us $850.00 but gave us a $100.00 back. Still have to pay a vet boarding bill for one dog. By the way, interesting pics.

[aquaticbiology]

Aquaticbiology, it takes me almost a year scraping to save up to be able to come. We got to come down there last year but didn't the year before because of not having the money to come. And we always had to board two dogs which cost around $300.00 more when we picked them up. We don't have alot of money. Everytime I set money aside to come down there, I end up having to use it for something else, bills come to mind. We try to have at least $750.00 spending money. When we first started renting the place we rent, it was $800.00 for a week beachfront, $700.00 fall rate. He went up to $900.00 for a week year before last, we didn't come that year, didn't have the money. We came last year Labor Day week and he charged us $850.00 but gave us a $100.00 back. We still have to pay a vet boarding bill for one dog. So it may be tougher to come up with at least $1500.00 this year needed for the rental of the place and spending money. If we don't come up with it, then we won't be coming.

i understand - wow, how long do you stay? a week? - an expensive week! - and with gas probably over 3.00 a gallon (hey, check the price at the station where you turn onto 331 from hwy 90 after defuniak for real sticker shock!) it will be an interesting year for folk's vacations, what with the 'caines and red tide that surely will (probably) happen later on

speaking of animals, i've just been informed its time to get off the computer and go clean out the litter pans! yeeck!

[Lady D]

Gas here is around $2.67 to $2.70 a gallon right now. You talking about Tom Thumb? His place is right on the beach and we can no longer use his walkover as it is half gone and half the beach also. But we are not there much during the day anyway. We are usually out either riding scooters or riding waverunners or sightseeing. As a matter of fact, the man we rent from has a houseboat or a boat of some kind that he spends the night on sometimes that he keeps at the Panama City Marina. He owns the townhouse we rent and has another nice two story home on the same road right across the street from the one he rents and lives in Virginia during the summer. So he definitely can afford things somehow.

[MKH]

Aquaticbiology, it takes me almost a year scraping to save up to be able to come. We got to come down there last year but didn't the year before because of not having the money to come. And we always had to board two dogs which cost around $300.00 more when we picked them up. We don't have alot of money. Everytime I set money aside to come down there, I end up having to use it for something else, bills come to mind. We try to have at least $750.00 spending money. When we first started renting the place we rent, it was $800.00 for a week beachfront, $700.00 fall rate. He went up to $900.00 for a week year before although las year he just charged us $850.00 but gave us a $100.00 back. Still have to pay a vet boarding bill for one dog. By the way, interesting pics.

Hello Ladydebubba! Nice to see a fellow Memphian on the board. We leave tomorrow for Sowal, staying 10 days. We take both of our dogs with us every year. Have you thought about getting a pet-friendly rental and bringing your dog with you, saving the boarding fee?

[Seasider]

Any further word on the 15 mph limit? It is really too slow to comply with, even though I try. 25 mph seems to be the lowest, reasonably enforceable limit on 30A.

[Smiling JOe]

Any further word on the 15 mph limit? It is really too slow to comply with, even though I try. 25 mph seems to be the lowest, reasonably enforceable limit on 30A.

The Walton Sun had a scoop on it in the last issue. I question whether the DOT installed the signs. One reason is that speed limit of 17 mph is typically reserved for neighborhoods. Also, the speed limit suddenly decreases from 45 mph to 15mph without warning signs of reduce speed ahead.

[Seasider]

How is it that they can be "unaware" of the new speed limit? The signs have been there for several weeks. I can see the potential problems of cars backing out onto 30A from Borago at night, but 15 mph is too slow and begs to be ignored.

[Smiling JOe]

How is it that they can be "unaware" of the new speed limit? The signs have been there for several weeks. I can see the potential problems of cars backing out onto 30A from Borago at night, but 15 mph is too slow and begs to be ignored.

especially since I would guess the avg speed through there is 50 mph

[kurt]

How is it that they can be "unaware" of the new speed limit? The signs have been there for several weeks. I can see the potential problems of cars backing out onto 30A from Borago at night, but 15 mph is too slow and begs to be ignored.

It is being ignored.