West Bay Parkway - [Update: Planning Phase Underway]

[passin thru]

Next meeting fall of 2012, or fall of 2011?

I imagine conclusive proof of the presence of ivory-billed woodpeckers would be a good reason not to build, as would a simple desire to keep that large chunk of land roadless (or unpaved at least). That probably would be easier to pull off if it were State forest land instead of private Joe-owned land.

 

[Kurt]

No mention of why they made the changes. That elimination of the northern most route is not the only change, it appears that a more southerly route has been added. I don't have a scanner or I'd scan the new map and photo. I will bring the photo to the market with me on Saturday(8-12) so anyone wanting to see it can come by. The consultant said the next meeting will be sometime in the Fall of 2012. Remember that NO BUILD is an option.

Interesting also that option 1 is the existing roadway, 98 to 79. Which I guess is the no-build option but I'm curious if changes would be made to existing roadways.

What are our best options for additional / improved evacuation routes, other than this new parkway and four-laning 331 from 98 to I-10? Asking a general question open to everyone...

 

[soappedaler]

The date is correct next meeting Fall of 2012, FDOT isn't known for it's swiftness.

 

[florida girl]

Build AFTER Hwy 331 is 4-laned!

 

[whatiscmr]

Proposed 4-lane highway

I didn't see another thread on this or which forum it belongs in...

I guess I don't understand how this could alleviate congestion during an evacuation. It looks to me that it would just funnel people in to PCB. I would think a 4 lane 331 and bridge in conjunction with a west to east corridor would be more effective. Just my $.02....at any rate, there is a survey so let them know what you think and how you want YOUR $'s spent.


http://westbayparkway.com/

 

[Kurt]

I didn't see another thread on this or which forum it belongs in...

I guess I don't understand how this could alleviate congestion during an evacuation. It looks to me that it would just funnel people in to PCB. I would think a 4 lane 331 and bridge in conjunction with a west to east corridor would be more effective. Just my $.02....at any rate, there is a survey so let them know what you think and how you want YOUR $'s spent.


http://westbayparkway.com/

Threads merged.

We do need 331 4-laned. One of the proposed routes for the new parkway would take it north from 98 over the intracoastal to HWY 79 north of Panama City Beach. This would definitely help evacuation.

 

[Lake View Too]

I know this sounds a bit obvious, but wouldn't it cost about twice as much money to build a four lane bridge over the intercoastal (for this parkway) than to build one more two lane bridge over the bay for 331. All things considered (rounding up to the nearest 10 million dollars) this Parkway, of dubious need, would cost the same as four-laning 331, with bridge, which should obviously be of top priority.

 

[Em]

The intracoastal isn't very wide, maybe a couple hundred feet. The bay at the bridge is about 3 miles wide. I think the cost would be much different.

With St Joe having the land on both sides of the proposed road, I think they will get the final say.

 

[Em]

I think several of the roads being planned by the NWFLTA are slated as "limited access," aka - toll roads. I see the latest 2011 plans call for hwy 98, from Hwy 79 to hwy 331, to be six-lane hwy.

Plans for the by-pass to go from Ft Walton Beach to the new ECP airport are under progress. That should get interesting to see how it affects land around the new route.

 

[beachmouse]

Until you get a bit past Freeport, the road essentially goes through Eglin reservation land, and then there's a fair amount of other state land and permanent conservation easement land on the other side of Freeport. I tend to see the proposed 20 widening/move it inland half a mile projects as an attempt to make Freeport a viable bedroom community and make it easy to get to both Eglin AFB proper and PCB. (Lot of it goes back to Jay Odom trying to draw people to his Hammock Bay development.)