You're exaactly right but the BCC, Chamber, and most every biz owner in Walco want the bridge. A lot of ordinary people also. So catch 22 it is.
Bridge Addition for US HWY 331
- Thread starter Bob Wells
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Some of us live in Walton and some of us live in fantasy land. Bats will fly out of my ass first. lol
I will agree with you about fantasy land but maybe a little differently. If we do not pass the tax and BCC gives the go ahead on the toll and you believe that there will not be a negative economic impact on people and businesses in Walton County then yes we are both living in fantasy land. In the mean time I am going to try to get that image out of my mind. LOL
The bridge will not bring more people to South Walton County so I see no positive economic impact except for maybe a few years of bridge builders buying food, drink and rentals. I have never heard of a tourist planning a trip dependent on a bridge. Around the summer holidays when everyone is entering or exiting Walton County at the same time there is going to be traffic jams no matter how many lanes you have.
How many more people do we need in South Walton? 1000. 10,000. 100,000. 1,000,000. 30-A, 98 and scenic hwy 98 is already clogged with people. I think we are all living in some fantasy land so why don't we put a sign on the new bridge that reads, "Welcome to Fantasy Island"...
The bridge will not bring more people to South Walton County so I see no positive economic impact except for maybe a few years of bridge builders buying food, drink and rentals. I have never heard of a tourist planning a trip dependent on a bridge. Around the summer holidays when everyone is entering or exiting Walton County at the same time there is going to be traffic jams no matter how many lanes you have.
How many more people do we need in South Walton? 1000. 10,000. 100,000. 1,000,000. 30-A, 98 and scenic hwy 98 is already clogged with people. I think we are all living in some fantasy land so why don't we put a sign on the new bridge that reads, "Welcome to Fantasy Island"...
Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to determine whether to approve a half-cent increase to Walton County’s sales tax to fund a second two-lane bridge on Highway 331 over the Choctawhatchee Bay.
If the referendum is not approved, county commissioners could decide to use a toll to pay for a second two-lane bridge on Highway 331 over the Choctawhatchee Bay.
The tax increase would cease once the bridge was paid off.
The Florida Department of Transportation has asked the county to provide $75 million, as partial payment to build the bridge.
In exchange, the state has offered $102 million for the bridge and agreed to complete within five years the project to widen 331 from U.S. Highway 98 to Interstate 10, a high priority for the county for decades.
If the county doesn’t provide the funds through the tax or toll, DOT officials said the funds will go to another part of the state.
U.S. 331 is the only north-south route through Walton County. Some portions have already been widened, but sections remain unfinished.
County Administrator Greg Kisela estimated the total value of the project between $400 and $450 million, including the local contribution.
However, the state has not released its own estimates of the costs of widening the rest of the road, said DOT spokesperson Ian Satter.
“There’s no way to know that at this point until we can actually determine the rest of the areas that need to be widened and figure out the costs, that includes construction, right of way, engineering and design,” he said. “I don’t think we have a number for that yet.”
Satter said regardless of the cost, DOT Secretary Ananth Prasad did promise to complete the widening project if the county provides the $75 million.
“If the county does come to some sort of agreement whether it’s a tax or toll for the bridge, the Secretary will honor that commitment,” Satter said.
1,328 votes had been cast through early voting and absentee ballots by Saturday night, the final day to vote before Tuesday’s election.
517 people voted in the north part of the county and 811 in the south.
Walton County Supervisor of Elections Bobby Beasley said turnout was low, but that special elections don’t typically draw a big crowd in early voting or absentee ballots. He expects more voters to show up on election day.
Beasley said he thinks voters are having a tough time making a decision on the referendum.
“You wonder if it doesn’t pass whether they will toll the bridge or they won’t toll the bridge, it’s not clear, so it’s kind of confusing to the voters I think,” he said.
He said voters may be holding off until Tuesday to learn more about the issue.
“That might be why, but it’s hard to say,” he said. “There might not be that much interest in it. We’ll find out Tuesday about 7:30 how the people felt about it.”
Residents have been weighing the tax and toll options for months.
The tax keeps control locally, while the toll hands it over to the state.
The tax affects everyone who purchases taxable goods in the county. (Groceries, some toiletries and medical items are exempt.) The toll would be paid by only drivers who use the bridge.
The half-cent sales tax increase would cost $100 for someone who spends $20,000 on taxable goods in a year, according to an informational report by the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce. It would raise Walton County’s sales tax rate to 7.5 cents, the highest rate in the state. Neighboring Okaloosa is at 6 cents and Bay at 6.5.
DOT has estimated a $2 toll for the road, although officials said they won’t have exact toll amounts or any possible discounts for locals until long after Tuesday’s vote. At $2, daily commuters could spend about $500 a year crossing the bridge.
Kisela and some county commissioners have said the project is an opportunity the county can’t pass up.
Kisela said the bridge will be a boon for economic development, both by drawing new businesses to the area and by having the hundreds of millions of state dollars spent in the county while construction is taking place.
Commissioner Cecilia Jones said the widened road will improve safety on U.S. 331. At least 34 people have died in traffic crashes along the road over the last ten years.
Other people, such as members of the Walton County Taxpayers Association, have said they don’t think the project is a good idea at all and that Walton County shouldn’t go into debt in tough economic times.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
If the referendum is not approved, county commissioners could decide to use a toll to pay for a second two-lane bridge on Highway 331 over the Choctawhatchee Bay.
The tax increase would cease once the bridge was paid off.
The Florida Department of Transportation has asked the county to provide $75 million, as partial payment to build the bridge.
In exchange, the state has offered $102 million for the bridge and agreed to complete within five years the project to widen 331 from U.S. Highway 98 to Interstate 10, a high priority for the county for decades.
If the county doesn’t provide the funds through the tax or toll, DOT officials said the funds will go to another part of the state.
U.S. 331 is the only north-south route through Walton County. Some portions have already been widened, but sections remain unfinished.
County Administrator Greg Kisela estimated the total value of the project between $400 and $450 million, including the local contribution.
However, the state has not released its own estimates of the costs of widening the rest of the road, said DOT spokesperson Ian Satter.
“There’s no way to know that at this point until we can actually determine the rest of the areas that need to be widened and figure out the costs, that includes construction, right of way, engineering and design,” he said. “I don’t think we have a number for that yet.”
Satter said regardless of the cost, DOT Secretary Ananth Prasad did promise to complete the widening project if the county provides the $75 million.
“If the county does come to some sort of agreement whether it’s a tax or toll for the bridge, the Secretary will honor that commitment,” Satter said.
1,328 votes had been cast through early voting and absentee ballots by Saturday night, the final day to vote before Tuesday’s election.
517 people voted in the north part of the county and 811 in the south.
Walton County Supervisor of Elections Bobby Beasley said turnout was low, but that special elections don’t typically draw a big crowd in early voting or absentee ballots. He expects more voters to show up on election day.
Beasley said he thinks voters are having a tough time making a decision on the referendum.
“You wonder if it doesn’t pass whether they will toll the bridge or they won’t toll the bridge, it’s not clear, so it’s kind of confusing to the voters I think,” he said.
He said voters may be holding off until Tuesday to learn more about the issue.
“That might be why, but it’s hard to say,” he said. “There might not be that much interest in it. We’ll find out Tuesday about 7:30 how the people felt about it.”
Residents have been weighing the tax and toll options for months.
The tax keeps control locally, while the toll hands it over to the state.
The tax affects everyone who purchases taxable goods in the county. (Groceries, some toiletries and medical items are exempt.) The toll would be paid by only drivers who use the bridge.
The half-cent sales tax increase would cost $100 for someone who spends $20,000 on taxable goods in a year, according to an informational report by the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce. It would raise Walton County’s sales tax rate to 7.5 cents, the highest rate in the state. Neighboring Okaloosa is at 6 cents and Bay at 6.5.
DOT has estimated a $2 toll for the road, although officials said they won’t have exact toll amounts or any possible discounts for locals until long after Tuesday’s vote. At $2, daily commuters could spend about $500 a year crossing the bridge.
Kisela and some county commissioners have said the project is an opportunity the county can’t pass up.
Kisela said the bridge will be a boon for economic development, both by drawing new businesses to the area and by having the hundreds of millions of state dollars spent in the county while construction is taking place.
Commissioner Cecilia Jones said the widened road will improve safety on U.S. 331. At least 34 people have died in traffic crashes along the road over the last ten years.
Other people, such as members of the Walton County Taxpayers Association, have said they don’t think the project is a good idea at all and that Walton County shouldn’t go into debt in tough economic times.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
In what was a surprise to some, the voters decided to add the half cent sales tax to Walton County to help pay for the U.S. 331 second bridge. The vote was for the tax or against adding the tax. If the tax did not pass, the Walton Commissioners could have agreed to let the FDOT toll the new bridge. The tax will go away once the loan is paid off.
As all 21 precincts came in, 58.64% voted for adding the half cent sales tax. A little over 6000 voted in the special referendum. There was some advertising, usually by private citizens asking voters to vote against the tax and not support a toll. A group was formed to help promote the tax and paid for advertisement, including a billboard along 331.
Now that the tax is approved, the expected revenue can be used to finance a loan to pay Walton share of the $75 million request by the Florida Department of Transportation. The FDOT says a commitment from Walton to build the second bridge would also bring money to widen U.S. 331 all the way to I-10 with a promise to have it done by 2017.
Walton has been seeking help for 50 years and has watched surrounding counties get roads widened with no local financial support. A toll was questioned by some due to concerns about workers and students who must travel the only practical route to south of the bay. Others feel a second bridge is not needed, even with evacuation concerns, and questioned why Walton has to pay for needed road work the state does for others.
As all 21 precincts came in, 58.64% voted for adding the half cent sales tax. A little over 6000 voted in the special referendum. There was some advertising, usually by private citizens asking voters to vote against the tax and not support a toll. A group was formed to help promote the tax and paid for advertisement, including a billboard along 331.
Now that the tax is approved, the expected revenue can be used to finance a loan to pay Walton share of the $75 million request by the Florida Department of Transportation. The FDOT says a commitment from Walton to build the second bridge would also bring money to widen U.S. 331 all the way to I-10 with a promise to have it done by 2017.
Walton has been seeking help for 50 years and has watched surrounding counties get roads widened with no local financial support. A toll was questioned by some due to concerns about workers and students who must travel the only practical route to south of the bay. Others feel a second bridge is not needed, even with evacuation concerns, and questioned why Walton has to pay for needed road work the state does for others.