Putting It On The Line – National Lineman Appreciation Day

April 9, 2018

Today is Lineman Appreciation Day for American’s electric cooperatives.

“Today, we honor our linemen for their hard work, dedication and sacrifice. Our guys are often called in to work power outages and they have to miss their son’s ballgame, their daughter’s piano recital or a get together with friends,” said Clay Campbell, EREC general manager/CEO. “But they do it and they don’t complain. Because it’s who they are, it’s what they do. And for that we thank them.”

File photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Slight Rain Chance Hangs Around, Turning Cooler By Tuesday Night

April 9, 2018

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. North wind around 5 mph.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. North wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 73. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts

April 8, 2018

Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.

Escambia County:

State Road (S.R.) 196 (Bayfront Parkway Road) Closure for Navy Federal Credit Union 5K- Bayfront Parkway from Tarragona Street to 14th Avenue will be closed from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday, April 7 for the Navy Federal Credit Union 5K. Traffic will be detoured and local law enforcement will be onsite to assist with traffic control.

· S.R. 742 (Creighton Road) Construction Improvement Project from east of Davis Highway (S.R. 291) to Scenic Highway (U.S. 90)- Alternating and intermittent lane closures between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday, April 8 through Saturday, April 14 continue as crews perform milling, paving, sidewalk, and curb replacement. Motorists are reminded to use caution when traveling 9th Avenue at Creighton Road as drivers become accustomed to new traffic patterns.

U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Alternating east and westbound lane closures between 14th Avenue in Pensacola and Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, April 8 through Monday, April 9 as crews perform construction activities.
U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road- Drivers traveling U.S. 29 and Nine Mile Road will encounter the following traffic pattern changes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, April 8 through Saturday, April 14 as follows:

o Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 overpass: From 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 10 to 6 a.m. Wednesday, April 11 all U.S. 29 and 9 Mile Road traffic at the overpass will be diverted away from the overpass as crews pour the center deck of the new bridge.

U.S. 29 north and southbound will use the U.S. 29 off and on-ramps.
9 Mile Road travelers will be directed to the traffic signals at West Hood Drive or 9 1/2 Mile Road to make a U-turn to return to 9 Mile Rd.

Traffic control officers will be on site at 9 Mile Road to help direct motorists through the work zone.

o U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drivers may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations. U.S. 29 lane restrictions are Monday through Saturday.

· U.S. 29 Resurfacing between U.S. 90 and Muscogee Road – Alternating north and southbound lane closures from Muscogee Road to West 9 ½ Mile Road from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, April 9 through Saturday, April 14 as crews pave the roadway.

· I-10 / U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I- The following traffic impacts are planned on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, April 9 through Thursday, April 12:

- Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound and U.S. 29 north and southbound.
- The U.S. 29 on-ramps to I-10 eastbound will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 north and south (Exit 10).

· S.R. 95 Underground Utility Work Between Salter’s Lake Road and S.R. 4 in Century- The northbound, outside lane between Salter’s Lake Road and S.R. 4 will be closed from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Monday, April 23 as crews perform underground utility work.

· Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road – The eastbound lane will be closed from Leisure Lakes RV Park to Bell Ridge Drive from 8 p.m. Sunday, April 8 to 6 a.m. Monday, April 9 as crews pave the shoulder. Traffic flaggers will be on site to direct traffic. Additionally, Salt Grass Drive will be closed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, April 9 as crews remove old drainage pipe. Drivers entering and exiting Nature Trail Subdivision must use Foxtail loop to access Nine Mile Road.

· S.R. 292 (Barrancas Avenue) Bridge Inspection over Bayou Chico- There will be east and westbound lane restrictions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 12 on the Bayou Chico Bridge on Barrancas Avenue as crews perform a routine bridge inspection.

· S.R. 292 (Perdido Key Drive) Turn Lane Construction just east of River Road-The Traffic shift on Perdido Key Drive, just east of River Road, will continue through 8 a.m. Friday, May 4. The temporary shift will allow crews to construct an eastbound, left and westbound, right turn lane. Lane width will be reduced to 11-feet and the speed limit will be lowered to 35 miles per hour within the construction zone.

Santa Rosa County:

U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Alternating lane closures on U.S. 98 east and westbound, between 14th Avenue in Pensacola and the bridge, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, April 8 through Monday, April 9 as crews perform construction activities.
I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) - Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R., from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, April 8 through Friday, April 13 as crews work to widen the roadway. Additional impacts to traffic include:

- Alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, as crews continue reconstructing the roadway.
- Traffic shift Tuesday evening, April 10 on the Avalon Boulevard ramp to I-10 eastbound. The shift will be in place for the remainder of the spring so that crews may widen the on-ramp.

S.R. 89N Median Landscaping- Drivers can expect intermittent lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, April 13 as crews perform median landscape enhancements.
I-10 Pavement Testing from east of Avalon Boulevard to east of S.R. 87- There will be intermittent east and westbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, April 9 through Thursday, April 13 as crews take core samples of the roadway to perform pavement testing.
U.S. 90 Routine Maintenance over Saultsman Bayou - Traffic on U.S. 90 over Saultsman Bayou will encounter alternating and intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, April 6 through Thursday, April 12 as crews remove and replace the existing guardrail.
S.R. 281 Routine Bridge Maintenance over East Bay – Traffic on S.R. 281 over East Bay, about one mile north of U.S. 98, will encounter intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, April 9 through Thursday, April 12 as crews perform routine bridge maintenance. Traffic flaggers will be on site.

· U.S. 90 Routine Maintenance Operations from Woodbine Road to Avalon Boulevard and U.S. 98 at Pullman Street- Motorists can expect intermittent turn lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5a.m. Monday, April 9 through Saturday, April 21 at the following locations.

U.S. 90 from Woodbine Road to Avalon Boulevard
U.S 98 westbound at Pullman Street.

· U.S. 90 Safety Project at West Florida Baptist Academy- Activities are scheduled to begin in April to construct an eastbound, left turn lane in front of West Florida Baptist Academy in Milton. Drives can expect intermittent lane restrictions, however, there will be no lane closures between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

· S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road – Traffic between County Road 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is complete.

All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Rain Chance Returns

April 8, 2018

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.