30A Closed at Deer Lake For Bridge Replacement On Oct 30, 2023
- Thread starter Kurt
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What sort of measures? Which county employee would you like to come and hold your hand through this?
Do not come here with an attitude, insult people and then complain when you don't get a red carpet welcome.
RBM Contracting Services and Okaloosa Gas have agreed to suspend activities on the Deer Lake Bridge
RBM Contracting Services and Okaloosa Gas have agreed to suspend activities on the Deer Lake Bridge project for the Thanksgiving weekend. The road closure currently in place will be removed by the close of business on Wednesday November 22, 2023 and not reestablished until the morning of Monday November 27, 2023. Users of both the road and path should exercise caution when traveling through this area. All of those involved with this project wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Walton County Public Works
Business owners say a bridge closure on 30A is severely impacting their bottom lines.
The county shut down Deer Lake Bridge in October for a full replacement project.
The roadblock takes away the connection between Sea Grove to Sea Crest. Just to the West, local businesses told News 13 the closure is devastating their season.
“The day they closed the bridge, our sales dropped 30%, and it’s been that way ever since they closed the bridge,” Keith O’Leary, Old Florida Fish House.
Love and Grow Clothing said business was booming in Oct. but they are seeing a 70 percent decrease in Nov.
“We don’t have any reduction in our costs, our costs are the same. Our employees, you know, hopefully we keep them employed but if we don’t, what are they going to do? You know, I have ten people that rely on our company to pay their bills,” said Nick Smith, Love and Grow Clothing.
Steamboat Grill 30A said they were down 60 percent in Nov.
“Now we’re in December we’re down 80%. You know employees aren’t getting their hours. People are getting laid off left and right. All the businesses down here,” said Jamison Hendler, Steamboat Grill 30A General Manager.
To put it on the map, customers East of the bridge have an 18-mile drive around to the Old Florida Fish House. With construction on 98 and 395, the owners said a 20-minute or less drive is now close to an hour.
On top of losing out on customers, the owners said the bridge closure is causing a public safety issue.
“Did they do a study about getting fire department here or the deputies if there’s some kind of emergency? We had one the other day that was responding to a false call, like a false alarm and it took the deputy 25 minutes to get here from the other side of the bridge,” said O’Leary.
The owners want the county to open one lane of the bridge while they work through the project and consider getting public input before shutting 30A down in the future.
Walton County officials expect the project to be complete this spring.
Business owners and residents said they’ll take their problem to the Dec. 19 commission meeting in Santa Rosa Beach.
The county shut down Deer Lake Bridge in October for a full replacement project.
The roadblock takes away the connection between Sea Grove to Sea Crest. Just to the West, local businesses told News 13 the closure is devastating their season.
“The day they closed the bridge, our sales dropped 30%, and it’s been that way ever since they closed the bridge,” Keith O’Leary, Old Florida Fish House.
Love and Grow Clothing said business was booming in Oct. but they are seeing a 70 percent decrease in Nov.
“We don’t have any reduction in our costs, our costs are the same. Our employees, you know, hopefully we keep them employed but if we don’t, what are they going to do? You know, I have ten people that rely on our company to pay their bills,” said Nick Smith, Love and Grow Clothing.
Steamboat Grill 30A said they were down 60 percent in Nov.
“Now we’re in December we’re down 80%. You know employees aren’t getting their hours. People are getting laid off left and right. All the businesses down here,” said Jamison Hendler, Steamboat Grill 30A General Manager.
To put it on the map, customers East of the bridge have an 18-mile drive around to the Old Florida Fish House. With construction on 98 and 395, the owners said a 20-minute or less drive is now close to an hour.
On top of losing out on customers, the owners said the bridge closure is causing a public safety issue.
“Did they do a study about getting fire department here or the deputies if there’s some kind of emergency? We had one the other day that was responding to a false call, like a false alarm and it took the deputy 25 minutes to get here from the other side of the bridge,” said O’Leary.
The owners want the county to open one lane of the bridge while they work through the project and consider getting public input before shutting 30A down in the future.
Walton County officials expect the project to be complete this spring.
Business owners and residents said they’ll take their problem to the Dec. 19 commission meeting in Santa Rosa Beach.
How do you plan for an 80% reduction in revenue for over a year?
Find a good bankruptcy lawyer? I know that sounds crass, but I believe that's a number pulled out of someone's rear AND doesn't take into account that Q4 of 20/21/22 were all extremely abnormal.
Are the folks that move here during that time going to start demanding a year round tourist industry since that's what they experienced?
This has been known about for YEARS and for some of these business owners to act as though this just happened over night really just points to how unaware they are.
It's irrelevant if they were unaware. Running a business is hard. I'm Not sure why your so bent on piling on business owners who are clearly hurting, no matter the precise numbers.
Merry Christmas!
One of them literally asked the county for a subsidy during construction. Is that what you're advocating for? Government subsidies to failing businesses?
Nope. But I might patronize their business if they are otherwise good neighbors.
I draw the line if they are renting wacky tourist vehicles or selling $25 cheeseburgers.
