West Bay Parkway - [Update: Planning Phase Underway]

[GoodWitch58]

Information on the proposed road from US 98 in Walton County to the airport.

NWFLRoads

nwflroads.com

 

[Kurt]

Thanks for posting. This has been in the works for some time. The overall plan for Nortwest Florida's future transportation is extensive. This expressway will add to the momentum generated by the airport and Soutwest Airlines entry to the market.

There are four alternative corridors, of which Alternative Corridors 2, 3, and 4 have multiple

alignment variations depending on their termini at SR 79. A description of the alternative
corridors follows. Figure 4-2 shows the alternative corridors on aerial photography.
Alternative Corridor 1: This Alternative considers the impacts of improvements along the
existing roadways and utilizes a 500-foot corridor.

Alternative Corridor 2: Begins at the intersection of US 98 near Breakers Street and utilizes a
narrower corridor width as it travels eastward through the area south of the proposed Watersound
development and north of the Wild Heron development. From this point there are four
variations of Alternative Corridor 2.

• The first (Alt 2) continues in an easterly direction utilizing a 1,000-foot wide corridor and
travels through the lighter colored swath discussed in Group 2 of the Final Grid Map
overlay until it reaches SR 79 approximately 1.0 mile north of the power line right-ofway.
• The second (Alt 2A) travels northeast across the United States Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE)/St. Joe RGP Conservation Units until it reaches Side Camp Road. From here,
the corridor continues along Side Camp Road until it reaches SR 79.
• The third (Alt 2B) travels to the northeast along the same path as Alt 2A but continues in
this direction, bridging over the ICWW, and then turns to the southeast until it intersects
with SR 79 approximately 0.5 mile south of Marilyn Road.
• The fourth (Alt 2C) follows along the same path as Alt 2B but after bridging over the
ICWW it turns to the east (rather than the southeast) and travels in this direction until it
intersects with SR 79 at Steel Field Road.

Alternative Corridor 3: Begins approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Breakers Street and
utilizes a 1000-foot corridor width throughout. The corridor travels through one of the lighter
northeast oriented swaths identified in Group 2 of the Final Grid Map, which coincides with a
gap that exists between the USACE/St. Joe RGP Conservation Units coverage. The corridor
bridges over the ICWW and continues northeast until it meets an existing logging road that it
follows to the southeast for approximately 3.0 miles. From here there are two variations of
Alternative Corridor 3.

• The first (Alt 3) continues southeast until it intersects with SR 79 approximately 0.5 mile
south of Marilyn Road.
• The second (Alt 3A) turns to the east and travels in this direction until it intersects with
SR 79 at Steel Field Road
27 West Bay Parkway (Segment 1)
Land Suitability Mapping Analysis
June 2009

Alternative Corridor 4: Begins approximately 4.0 miles northwest of Breakers Street and
utilizes a 1000-foot corridor width throughout. Alternative Corridor 4 most fully utilizes the
lighter Group 1 area from the Final Grid Map overlay. The corridor begins northwest of the last
USACE/St. Joe RGP Conservation Unit and travels northeast to bridge over the ICWW. It
continues to the northeast crossing through the Devils Swamp Mitigation area at its narrowest
point and then turns to the southeast, avoiding the rest of Devil’s Swamp. The corridor then
continues to the southeast until it meets up with the same logging road utilized by Alternative
Corridor 3. There are two variations of Alternative Corridor 4 which are the same variations as
Alternative Corridor 3.

• The first (Alt 4) continues southeast until it intersects with SR 79 approximately 0.5 mile
south of Marilyn Road.
• The second (Alt 4A) turns to the east and travels in this direction until it intersects with
SR 79 at Steel Field Road

 

[kkddbb]

the days of peace and quiet on the beautiful west bay will soon be replaced with jet engines and highway traffic. its amazing what we'll do to get a cheaper plane ticket......

 

[Just Curious]

the days of peace and quiet on the beautiful west bay will soon be replaced with jet engines and highway traffic. its amazing what we'll do to get a cheaper plane ticket......

dang right!!!

 

[Smiling JOe]

NFTCA has all sorts of information on not just this stretch of proposed roads, but many major proposed roads throughout NW Florida. There are maps, with labels, and priority lists, along with estimated costs, etc. -- truly eye-opening.

The map below shows the Gulf Coast Parkway proposed roads. Notice the connection of alternative corridor 8 and 17 into Hwy 388, which will basically allow people to go from South Walton to Mexico Beach, bypassing Panama City and Panama City Beach. If you look at the other NFTCA maps, you will see all kinds of alternative routes being proposed and planned.

 

[gmarc]

about how many miles is the new airport to seaside or watercolor? thanks

 

[Jdarg]

NFTCA has all sorts of information on not just this stretch of proposed roads, but many major proposed roads throughout NW Florida. There are maps, with labels, and priority lists, along with estimated costs, etc. -- truly eye-opening.

The map below shows the Gulf Coast Parkway proposed roads. Notice the connection of alternative corridor 8 and 17 into Hwy 388, which will basically allow people to go from South Walton to Mexico Beach, bypassing Panama City and Panama City Beach. If you look at the other NFTCA maps, you will see all kinds of alternative routes being proposed and planned.

How heavenly it would be to zip over to Pt. St. Joe and Apalachicola without driving through PCB- which seems to be the majority of the drive!

 

[Smiling JOe]

about how many miles is the new airport to seaside or watercolor? thanks

how do you measure? as the crow flies? current shortest drive? future planned shortest proposed route?

 

[Smiling JOe]

In the Gulf Coast Parkway map, which I posted above, I think there is something implied by that particular map showing the extension of 388 to the west, being only one "proposed Gulf Coast Parkway extension." I believe that is the route which would come out on Side Camp Road in WaterSound.

 

[ShallowsNole]

How heavenly it would be to zip over to Pt. St. Joe and Apalachicola without driving through PCB- which seems to be the majority of the drive!

Yes, and also a major shortcut to Hwy 20 and/or I-10 when heading to/from Tallahassee!