Comments on: County Pushes For 29 & 97 Red Light; Bans Trucks On Crabtree Church But Not Highway 95A

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 21:01:54 +0000

REGARDING:
“There is 65mph before you get to this intersection then it changes to 55mph.Not everyone slows down ”

I like those little radar signs like they have near the schools which tell you what your speed is if you are speeding. A reminder for the driver and those around her.

Please remember even if you survive, a wreck will mess up the rest of your day.

David for good days

By: Kay Campbell

Kay Campbell — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 19:57:14 +0000

Thank you all for your comments……we will never be perfect , but we strive to be the best we can be! As for the comments about C & C Hauling Drivers…..their driving records and our insurance records speak for themselves…..A+…….as for us not caring, our employees will tell you different!! None of you speaking know me personally or you would not be making these comments. Safety is #1 with us , and anyone who knows me will tell you I’m serious about safety and I don’t play with my drivers. So any of you who have a legitimate complaint about one of our trucks please don’t hesitate to call me……but don’t call just because they are going by your house…… I take complaints very serious……but some of you need to get a hobby!!!! One more thing to those of you who don’t think a traffic light will work @ Hwy 29 & Hwy 97…..it might not……but it is our only option if they close 95A to truck traffic, I want our drivers to be as safe as possible. We love our community , that’s why we live here!! Thank you all!!

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 19:03:33 +0000

LITIGATION is the only thing most businesses understand. Maybe someone needs to set up a radar gun at their house because in the early morning those trucks come flying through.

By: Teresa Tipton

Teresa Tipton — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 00:30:04 +0000

Some of the problem is the posted signs on Hwy 29. There is 65mph before you get to this intersection then it changes to 55mph.Not everyone slows down that includes the cars I tend to be extra cautious to make sure no cars are coming at me on both sides of Hwy29 as I cross either to 97 east or west.It is mostly people trying to move too fast without scoping ahead of themselves before making a turn or intering the intersection. Folks just slow down watch all around you and proceed with caution

By: o

Sat, 19 Oct 2013 13:32:42 +0000

Just a thought here, we all know the intersection at 29 ad 97 is awful, we all know the problems with it, and most of us know that putting in a red light really isn’t going to help much. It will change the problems but a red light will not cause un-attentive drivers to suddenly pay attention. It seems though to me the core problem is the big trucks speeding on the back roads. This is for the FDOT to handle. Where are they in this? I assume C&C is paying fair wages for loads so you really can’t expect them or any other company to pay more then the going rate. We can expect the FDOT to do their job and watch the rd better and ticket speeding drivers. If they did this then it would reflect to the companies through insurance prices, points and loss of time. Also folks C&C is not the only co that is driving these back roads.

By: Tuf

Tuf — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 11:40:59 +0000

Signalization will help, but it will not be a cure-all. Any traffic engineer, politician, business, or resident who believes a traffic signal will solve it all is not truly seeing the intersection as it is.

Much of the problem lies in the design of the intersection in relation to the interaction of Crabtree Church Road and the entries into Tom Thumb. Tom Thumb’s US 29/SR 95 entry system is a significant problem. The entry system is trying to accomplish too much in too little frontage. In addition, CCR’s entry to SR 97 is too close to the main intersection.

FDOT, Escambia County, and Tom Thumb/Kroger need to have a meeting. A better scenario would for CCR’s intersection to be moved northward on SR 97 about 500 ft toward Walnut Hill, closing the existing CCR intersection. This would mean ROW acquisition. Additionally, Tom Thumb needs to acquire property to its south and extend its entrance system to the south on US 29/SR 95.

Signalization will likely cost $75K to $90K. And it will not be enough. Without ROW acquisitions and a better long term plan for existing and future driveway entries, the intersection will remain hazardous.

By: JOHN BODIE

JOHN BODIE — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 05:39:43 +0000

I have been driving up that way for 5 years and I havent seen any truckers cause any wrecks or in fact any trucks involved in a wreck. Maybe I have missed some. But I have seen cars wreck. Dont follow a truck or trailer to close and You probably wont get Your windsheild cracked..most of the time…it still happens once in a while. There is a caution light at 97 and 29..use it like You should. Use common sense and be safe and remember cars , trucks dont cause wrecks..people do. I think some folks just like to holler about stuff..lol. Theres a lot more to worry about in life than a truck or red light..Theres red lights everywhere and folks just run them. I am not sure but I think deer have caused more wrecks and problems than trucks. I think just the last few weeks there have been several cars run off hwy 97…no trucks involved. deer dont drive trucks but cause wrecks. Trucks bring food ,dirt ,gravel that goes into asphalt that make these roads….I love trucks…..KEEP ON TRUCKING. LOL.

By: concerned citizen

concerned citizen — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 02:32:43 +0000

The caution light has been there for years if it isn’t broke don’t try to fix it. They are paid by the load which is why they are always in a hurry, maybe instead of buying all the new trucks they should consider paying the drivers more money or by the day . C and C hauling should have an idea how long it takes to get from a pit to the dump site and if you have a truck that did 1 or two more loads than everyone else most of the week there is your reckless driver.

Billy Campbell’ s mixer truck drivers are a lot more cautious because they don’t have to worry about getting another load and do not have to hurry to make a paycheck. I have turned at the intersection many times in a truck, if you pay attention to the other cars and your driving you will make it across safely every time.

By: pj

pj — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 01:42:03 +0000

Okay. Lets be real. The only way to make drivers safe is to MAKE them. My self, I would rather never see a traffic light. I don’t want to stop! I just love a CAUTION light. Slow down, call my self looking both ways and seeing everything coming, going, turning or what ever is going on.
Lets be honest people, most of the traffic on 29 is NOT doing the speed limit. For the sake of being true to your self and others that may become the object of a safe driver rushing thru a CAUTION light. Let’s put a traffic light at 29 & 97 to save lives, money and the environment (fuel or chemical spills).
And to those that say the CAUTION light is enough, how fast are most of the vehicles going, south bound, on 29? A traffic light will force drivers to obey the speed limit. Maybe save a life?

By: MolinoMommy

MolinoMommy — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 23:19:38 +0000

“we will continue to only run the routes that are the safest routes to our plant”
Well, at least Ms. Campbell was honest and said they will continue to do what is best for their profits and not obey the existing “no trucks” signs. Can someone provide a contact number for a safety representative for the company so I can let them know next time one of their trucks is flying down 95a at 60 miles per hour?

They have every right to have their business, but they also have a responsibility to make sure their drivers are driving safely. I do not feel like they are doing this.