Traffic lights on Hwy 98

[SoWalSally]

Walton Sun Editorial:

The blinking blue lights are unmistakeable at County Roads 395 and 283 and hopefully signal a new era of safety at the two intersections on U.S. Highway 98.
Within hours of Wedensday?s meeting between county commissioners and Florida Department of Transportation, off duty deputies were at the two intersections in an attempt to make them safer.
The action comes after months of tireless campaigning by local business owner Ed Berry along with Bobby Johnson, Glenda Wood and many others to implement some safety measures at the two intersections. According to Berry, there have been 22 accidents and eight fatalities at the two county roads. At Wednesday?s meeting, Commissioners surveyed the crowd of about 30 sign-carrying, baby-toting protesters and knew it was a hanging crowd. The Board quickly moved to put into place the safety measures that Berry and others had been demanding for months. Our congratulations and gratitude go out to Berry and the other residents who came forward and made this happen. It is by their efforts that Commissioners and DOT officials finally realized something had to be done and had to be done immediately.

 

[JB]

That's great news. I still don't think I will attempt a left turn onto 98 from either of these roads, but this is certainly a start to making them safer.

 

[FoX]

It is getting really scary on 98 and it's only spring. They should have had lights up to begin with. Serious flaw in the plan. I can't believe some idiot decided a light was needed on East Hewett and not on the major intersections. :roll:

My advice is to slow down to at least 40 when approaching Grayton (283) and Seagrove (395) intersections. Watch everyone closely. People are confused (read stupid) and their instinct is to pull out in the middle instead of waiting 20 seconds. It's a shame we have to pay cops to sit their in their cars with lights on instead of teaching people how to drive, or how to design roads properly.

Typical backwards government.

 

[phdphay]

These intersections are really scary. It's hard to tell where the safe zones are if you cross two lanes but are afraid to try all four. When a car is turning right off 98 going east, and you're trying to get onto 98 going west, they block your view of cars on 98 continuing east. It must be costing the taxpayers of Walton County a fortune to have sheriffs at those intersections 24/7, but it's worth it to save lives. I'm not thrilled about traffic lights slowing me down getting to my home in Seagrove, but as poor as the lane design is on 98, that's probably the only safe and cost-effective solution.
Dr. Fay A. Gator