Mass Transit

When I saw the thread title, I thought it meant to get workers from Defuniak or soemwhere to 30-A. I think that might help the worker shortage. But I would hate to have a tram going up and down 30-A. I prefer to get around biking and walking. The tram would probably make it harder for me to do those things. I stay pretty close to home when I am there -- so that I can bike and walk. And usually only get in the car once to make a trip down to Seaside or Grayton. When I want to hop on a tram -- I'll got to a big city.

I think light rail is a great idea, but this area is not yet ready for it from a financial, density or infrastructure standpoint IMO.

My vision is a fleet of short buses/trolleys powered w/ electric or natural gas that run back and forth on 30-A/up and down selected north/south connector roads to 98. Additional buses could run to the connectors from the North and the West/East to facilitate people traveling to work from PC, Freeport, etc.

Instead of roadside stops/pull-ins or medians they use the central areas/parking lots of the various developments as stops. This keeps traffic moving and also moves the waiting areas (which could then be in existing AC spaces) away from the main road to reduce accident potential.

Obviously people would need to limit their "luggage" but IMO people who need freaking sherpas to get to the beach are not the most likely to use public transportation anyway.

Sandy/damp seats can be mitigated with mesh or slat seats rather than a cushion or solid seat.

This requires a median which 30A has only less than 1% of.

I didn't recommend the tram for 30A. Read above. I recommended it to go on the 98 median from ft. walton to panama city.

When I saw the thread title, I thought it meant to get workers from Defuniak or soemwhere to 30-A. I think that might help the worker shortage. But I would hate to have a tram going up and down 30-A. I prefer to get around biking and walking. The tram would probably make it harder for me to do those things. I stay pretty close to home when I am there -- so that I can bike and walk. And usually only get in the car once to make a trip down to Seaside or Grayton. When I want to hop on a tram -- I'll got to a big city.

I think an additional tram from freeport to 98 would be a great idea and could be incorporated into the new bridge. It would resolve the traffic problems caused by lack of affordable housing for workers.

we don't live in a city and we don't live in an amusement park. i think the shuttle is a far fetched dream.

We do have a traffic problem though and, like many cities and amusement parks, tourism is the primary industry here.

I think it could be a great idea if executed properly, but one of the issues I wonder about is the narrowness of 30A. Would there be enough spots to create a shoulder for the buses to pull over to? Otherwise you would have the bus stopping traffic every time it made a stop, and that would be extremely annoying. Also, how cooperative would Rosemary, Seaside, WaterColor etc. be, given the private/public beach issues that have come up lately?

Yes, currently there aren't many locations where the buses could pull over to let people on/off, but 30A has a 100' right of way and the road in most locations is just +/- 24' wide and then there's the bike path taking up part of one of the shoulders.

I would imagine that if there was a bus system it would drop the beach goers off at the "regional" beach accesses to go to the beach, keeping the neighborhood and community accesses as private as possible.

We do have a traffic problem though and, like many cities and amusement parks, tourism is the primary industry here.

our traffic problem compared to the traffic where most of our tourists come from is undetectable to them. we are spoiled if we believe 30a has a traffic problem, most businesses would say we don't have enough traffic especially 9 months of the year.

Here is a novel idea: Parking Tickets.

Instead of WCSO writing all of us traffic citations for nonsense, how about the county enacts parking violations, maybe start with $5 or so. Write people up on 30-A and/or surrounding areas, put .25 meters at the beach access for tourists, residents can buy a low cost permit for the year.

When all of these tourists come to local events and park on our lawns, they will be fined a fee. If it is done correctly, the fee will be enforced and we will generate revenue for the county, not from all of us who work hard, or try to look like we do.

This money can fund a shuttle for those of us who drink when we dine and we do not have to worry about blowing a .08...

Food, or drink, for thought...

Obviously people would need to limit their "luggage" but IMO people who need freaking sherpas to get to the beach are not the most likely to use public transportation anyway

Is there a need for a llama business during the summer.

Is there a need for a llama business during the summer.

That might be a new trend, Llama to Sandestin please... Watch out for the local Yeti...

Here is a novel idea: Parking Tickets.

Instead of WCSO writing all of us traffic citations for nonsense, how about the county enacts parking violations, maybe start with $5 or so. Write people up on 30-A and/or surrounding areas, put .25 meters at the beach access for tourists, residents can buy a low cost permit for the year.

When all of these tourists come to local events and park on our lawns, they will be fined a fee. If it is done correctly, the fee will be enforced and we will generate revenue for the county, not from all of us who work hard, or try to look like we do.

This money can fund a shuttle for those of us who drink when we dine and we do not have to worry about blowing a .08...

Food, or drink, for thought...

Better yet put up a tow sign on your lawn (you can always attach it to post and remove it during slower time). Then you get a nice little kick back from the tow truck driver. With the number of idiots who leave their driving skills at home when they go on vacation it could offset gas prices, or pay them completely.

I think LRT would be an excellent idea for the tri county area. They have the same system in Portland ,Oregon and it is a huge hit not to mention that it is heavily used and exquisitely on time.
It's a pity SJ has his head up his proverbial 30-A a$$. The world does not revolve around Santa Rosa beach and it would be nice to reduce ones carbon footprint and still have the facility of commuting to the more densely populated areas.
I say a red line from Ft walton to PFN and a blue line that goes down 30-A with a transit station at Inlet beach.

And you want the $100,000,000+ for the train to come from where? Also, you include a blue line for the length of 30A, but what happens when the red line drops you off in PC, PCB, or Ft Walton? Do you call a cab to commute locally? I like the idea of saving fuel, and burning less carbon. However, creating a working mass-transit system requires having infrastructure in place, so that people can get to and from the train stops, and commute locally, by connected transits of other forms. Simply building a two way train doesn't solve the problem. Also, I'm not sure how it helps anyone, running only that length. People in PC and Ft Walton won't come to 30A to shop, and I don't think enough people in SRB go to Ft Walton or PCB enough to warrant the costs of a train-plus system. If Walton County was really interested in a mass transit system, it would be linking SoWal to NoWal, where all of the employees will be coming from in the near future. Just my two proverbial @$$ cents worth.

I agree with S.J. on this subject. Plus if you provide transportation from east and west of the So Wal state lines all the Destin gangs will have easy access to So Walton, before you know it, thugs will be trying to sell produce on the side of the road again. El Bandito Mate'

And you want the $100,000,000+ for the train to come from where? Also, you include a blue line for the length of 30A, but what happens when the red line drops you off in PC, PCB, or Ft Walton? Do you call a cab to commute locally? I like the idea of saving fuel, and burning less carbon. However, creating a working mass-transit system requires having infrastructure in place, so that people can get to and from the train stops, and commute locally, by connected transits of other forms. Simply building a two way train doesn't solve the problem. Also, I'm not sure how it helps anyone, running only that length. People in PC and Ft Walton won't come to 30A to shop, and I don't think enough people in SRB go to Ft Walton or PCB enough to warrant the costs of a train-plus system. If Walton County was really interested in a mass transit system, it would be linking SoWal to NoWal, where all of the employees will be coming from in the near future. Just my two proverbial @$$ cents worth.

Happy Valentines Day..SJ!!..... . .love you man.

The failed trolley from several years ago was poorly planned. Right off the bat when I saw the stops I figured they didn't know what they were doing. The western end of the route started near Beach Highlands, just short of The Topsail Preserve RV Park. The RV'rs would have been the the biggest group of riders. At night all bars should be on the route.

I don't want to see 30A become like Disneyland. However, a light rail electromagnetic train running the length of 30 would certainly be interesting to think about. Obviously, several large parking lots would be needed. The thing about having such a beast is that it is counter to the urban design which Seaside started. Of course, that is proving not to work so well as only the wealthy can afford to live in such an area, and a store probably couldn't survive without the public supporting them.

Light rail would be the next step after a successful bus/trolley system has been implemented and needs to expand further. The capital outlay and permanent/hard to reroute nature of a light rail makes it a poor choice for implementing a public transportation system. Buses are easy to reroute, divert etc. until you get the routes and rider count working properly.

You don't need large parking lots, you just have to be willing to walk more than 50' to get to your home/destination. The idea is that you don't need a car at each end because you can easily walk to your destination or use other transportation options once you are within the system.

If your destination or home is Seaside you would WALK to your home or destination from the stop, not get in your car and drive because by non-SUV/sprawling suburb standards the walk across Seaside is within the range of a normal person.

The idea of new urbanism is to reduce sprawl and divide areas into relatively self contained quarters that are easily walkable. Seaside or Rosemary is more like an urban quarter with services and businesses within the community, while Watercolor is a developer not grasping the basic concept and copying a working model.

I'm thinking of the need for parking lots for all the people who live north of 98. You are right though, many other steps would come before light rail. We aren't there yet. Speaking of not being there yet, does anyone know WTF the County is waiting on to open up the newly completed parking lot between WaterCooler and Seaside. It has been finished for over two weeks, but the chain is still blocking it off. I guess the County wants people to park in Seaside until they have some sort of grand opening, when the weather warms.

There used to be a Jolly Trolley which had an old fashioned appeal in Long Beach Island New Jersey, which has a very similar layout to 30A in many respects. It's 19 miles long and has named beach communities up and down the stretch. The main road running North and South along the Blvd. separates the bay from the ocean side and is 2 lanes on each side. I haven't seen the Trolley in years and I am not sure if it is still running. If not, it probably wasn't successful. It was run by The Alliance for a Living Ocean. There is a successful one in Rehobeth DE which based on their web site runs 8am -2 am during summer season. I have never seen it personally since I've never been there so I can not comment on the density and the stops it makes. But it is dowdy looking to say the least from their web site, unlike the LBI one which had a nostalgic appeal. In my opinion, the only use for a trolley would be for day trippers to Seaside/WaterColor/ Rosemary/Grayton/ Alys where parking is limited with it running and picking up people from Sandestin and Miramar where there is a higher density. I think it would raise revenues for 30A communities.
I like SJ's idea of a light engine train running from Nowal to Sowal down to close to the end of 395 and 30A intersection for commuters. A lower carbon footprint, less accidents, and more economical especially with gas prices. Then from there possibly shuttle transfers to various communities. But the idea of one on 30A seems Disneylandish in my opinion. I also don't think one running West to East on 98 would benefit a majority. Most of the vehicles I see on 98 are contractors with pick ups.

I'm thinking of the need for parking lots for all the people who live north of 98. You are right though, many other steps would come before light rail. We aren't there yet. Speaking of not being there yet, does anyone know WTF the County is waiting on to open up the newly completed parking lot between WaterCooler and Seaside. It has been finished for over two weeks, but the chain is still blocking it off. I guess the County wants people to park in Seaside until they have some sort of grand opening, when the weather warms.

It's not competed yet. Per the TDC Beach Management meeting yesterday, the project should reach substantial completion any day now. They can't open the parking and restroom to the public until it reaches substantial completion as it is an active construction project by the contractor. I think there is a ribbon cutting scheduled for next week though but not sure the day.