Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Delay Spots
May 31, 2020
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- · Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The week of Sunday, May 31:
o Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
o Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- · Scenic Highway Striping Operations from Rothchild to Nine Mile Road- The eastbound and westbound outside lane will be closed from 8 p.m. Sunday, May 31 to 5 a.m. Monday, June 1 as crews replace striping and reflective pavement markings.
- · Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road (State Road (S.R.) 297)- The far-right portion of the I-10 eastbound off-ramp that connects to Nine Mile Road (Exit 5) remains closed. Drivers can still access Nine Mile Road east and westbound using the other section of the ramp. The partial ramp closure is needed to reconstruct the ramp.
- · Bayou Boulevard (S.R. 296) Construction Operations at the intersection of E. Avery Street- The southbound lane will be closed at the intersection of E. Avery Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, May 29 as crews unload equipment.
- · Perdido Key Drive (S.R. 292) Pedestrian Crosswalk Construction at Flora-Bama- Crews are performing signalization work during daytime hours. There are currently no lane closures or impacts to traffic.
- · U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of County Road (C.R.) 184 (Muscogee Road) to S.R. 97 (Atmore Highway)- Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane restrictions as crews continue construction activities at various locations. There will also be intermittent and alternating lane restriction from 8 pm. to 6 a.m. around the CSX RR crossing in Cantonment Sunday, May 31 through Thursday, June 4 as crews construct improvements to the railroad crossing.
- · Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) Intersection Improvements at New Warrington Road (S.R. 295) – Construction activities are underway. Drivers can expect lane closures between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90)– Drivers will experience the following traffic impacts the week of Sunday, May 31.
- Nine Mile Road will be closed at the U.S. 29 overpass from 8 p.m. to midnight Thursday, June 4 as crews paint a beam and rail of the newly constructed southbound bridge deck. The following detour will be in place:
- Eastbound Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one lane, directed to U.S. 29 southbound, U-turn at West Hood Drive, and return to Nine Mile Road.
- Westbound traffic will perform the same operation at West 9 1/2 Mile Road
- Throughout the week, drivers traveling Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass and U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane shifts or closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
Santa Rosa County:
- · Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement - Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The week of Sunday, May 31:
o Intermittent east and westbound lane closures from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
o Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- · Garcon Point Bridge (S.R. 281) Routine Bridge Maintenance over East Bay- Traffic will be reduced to one lane from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, June 5. Traffic flaggers will be on site to direct drivers through the work area
- · S.R. 4 Resurfacing and Drainage Improvements from the Escambia River Bridge to Market Road (C.R. 87A) in Jay – There will be temporary shoulder and lane closures throughout the project limits.
- · U.S. 90 Pavement Marking Operations between Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281) and the Okaloosa County Line-Motorists can expect minor delays from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Thursday, Aug. 27 as slow-moving vehicles are used to perform pavement marking operations.
- · U.S. 98 Safety Improvement from Villa Woods Circle to Ortega Park Drive- Paving operations are underway throughout the project limits. Drivers can expect nighttime lane restrictions.
- · S.R. 87 Bridge Rehabilitation and Repair Over Yellow River- Motorists may encounter nighttime southbound lane closures as crews continue expansion joint work.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Remembering Trayton, Young Boy Killed In Four Wheeler Accident
May 31, 2020
A community is in mourning after a tragic four-wheeler accident claimed the life young Trayton Adams Thursday evening in Flomaton.
“Trayton was a joy to have in our school. He loved hard and he smiled large every day. He was loved by all his classmates and the staff,” Flomaton Elementary George Brown wrote on the school’s Facebook page.
“Trayton loved to smile and he loved to give hugs,” said Brittany Brown, his kindergarten teacher. “His smile would light up the room because it was so full of joy and his hugs were so pure and filled with love. He loved so freely and so genuinely.”
“He was very smart and he loved to draw. His journals were full of the most beautiful pictures that he would draw each day. I was always in awe of the talent that he had. He had a servant’s heart and always wanted to help others. Not a day went by that he didn’t offer to help one of his classmates or me. He loved to laugh and he loved to play outside.”
“I’m so grateful for all the precious memories our class made with him, we will cherish them and hold them in our hearts forever,” Brown said.
Photos: Brittany Brown for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECAT Encouraging Riders To Wear Masks
May 31, 2020
Beginning Monday,, passengers will be encouraged to wear face masks while riding Escambia County Area Transit buses.
If a rider does not already have a mask, ECAT employees will offer a mask to the passenger during the month of June to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. ECAT operators will also continue to wear masks.
Also beginning Monday, ECAT employees and operators will have their temperature taken when they arrive to work as a precaution. ECAT continues to implement safety measures such as limiting ridership to 10 bus passengers and increased bus and facility cleanings. ECAT lobby areas are open at 25% occupancy (two people in the front lobby and eight people in the customer service area). Beach trolleys have seating spaced to accommodate social distancing.
“Our priority remains the safety and health of our employees and passengers, especially during this pandemic. Since March, we have been implementing health and safety measures such as frequent and daily cleaning of buses, limiting the number of passengers to 10, and boarding buses in a manner that promotes social distancing,” Escambia County Mass Transit Director Tonya Ellis said.
Since April 6, fair collection has been suspended for ECAT bus services.
Bus passengers have been instructed to enter and exit through the rear doors only and sit behind the accessibility-reserved seating area. Front-door access is permitted only for passengers needing the boarding ramp or operator assistance to access the bus. ADA accessible seating space near the front of the bus is reserved for individuals in mobility devices, individuals in need of special assistance and families with children in strollers.
WATCH LIVE: NASA and SpaceX Headed To The International Space Station
May 30, 2020
Watch history unfold as NASA and SpaceX launch astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station. This mission marks the first time since the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011 that humans will fly to the space station from U.S. soil. The mission’s first launch attempt on Wednesday, May 27 was scrubbed due to weather conditions.
This is live coverage from the launch to arrival at the space station.
The launch was at 2:22 p.m. (North Escambia time) with the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Crew Dragon is scheduled to dock to the space station on Sunday, May 31.
Woman Charged With Manslaughter For Wreck That Killed One, Injured Century Man
May 30, 2020
A Pensacola woman has been charged with vehicular homicide for a January 30 wreck that claimed one life and seriously injured a Century man.
Ava Stoudemire, 36, was charged this week with vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and a probation violation.
Tyrone Deonta Wilkins, 27, was pronounced deceased at the scene. He was a backseat passenger in a Toyota van driven by Stoudemire.
Front seat passenger 34-year old Gregory Matthews of Century was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition after the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Stoudemire was under the influence when she attempted to turn onto Marcus Pointe Boulevard but failed to negotiate the turn and collided with a semi-truck before rotating into a box truck, both of which were traveling south on North W Street.
Burn Bans Are Lifted, But Outdoor Burning Rules Still Apply
May 30, 2020
Burn bans in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have been dropped, but there are still rules that must be followed to burn legally outdoors.
Officials with the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center are reminding residents to make sure they meet the legal requirements before burning.
Rsidents must still follow certain requirements: Burning piles of yard debris less than 8 feet in diameter is allowed if it is 25 feet from and wooded area or combustible structure, 25 feet from your house, 50 feet from a paved public road and 150 feet from other occupied dwellings.
Piles greater than eight feet require a burn authorization from the Florida Forest Service and must meet more stringent standards. For more information about authorizations, call Blackwater Forestry Center headquarters at (850) 957-5701.
Outdoor trash burning is always prohibited in the Pensacola city limits.
Four Additional COVID-19 Deaths Reported In Escambia County
May 30, 2020
Four more COVID-19 deaths were reported Friday in Escambia County along with seven new virus cases reported Saturday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The deaths were long-term care facility residents — a 94-year old female, a 75-year old male, a 72-year old female, and an 83-year old female.
The number of cases in Escambia County is up by 19 to 810, and Santa Rosa County recorded two additional on Saturday for a total o 242.
Of the 33 deaths in Escambia County, 26 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 55,424 cases including 54,029 Florida residents. There have been 10,113 hospitalizations and 2,447 deaths.
Individual location results below are from Wednesday. The Thursday numbers had not been released at the time of this story.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 810 (+9 since Friday)
- Pensacola — 583
- Cantonment — 49
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 11
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 64*
- Deaths — 33
- Male — 273
- Female — 383
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 240 (+3 since Friday)
- Milton — 150
- Navarre — 39
- Gulf Breeze — 29
- Pace — 17
- Jay — 3
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 174
- Female — 65
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 55,424
- Florida residents — 54,029
- Deaths — 2,447
- Hospitalizations — 10,113*
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
Courthouses Implement Enhanced COVID-19 Procedures. Temperature Checks And Masks Are Mandatory.
May 30, 2020
Enhanced COVID-19 screen procedures are being implemented for the county courthouses in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
“During the unprecedented circumstances presented by the pandemic, the judges of the First Judicial Circuit have handled hundreds of cases through electronic means, and will continue to do so in many cases. Most face-to-face hearings remain limited at this time,” a statement from the First Judicial Circuit said. “For those cases which must be handled face-to-face, extraordinary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the public, court staff, and other agency partners within our facilities. Processes will continue to evolve as circumstances warrant.”
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
To help ensure that no person infected with COVID-19 enters the court facilities, temperature scanning devices have been installed at the M.C. Blanchard Building and the Theodore Bruno Building. Effective Monday, June 1, any person attempting to enter either of these facilities will undergo a non-invasive temperature scan by walking through a defined area. The installed devices will automatically record the temperature of each individual. Any individual who registers a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be denied access to the building.
Individuals attempting to enter the courthouse should also expect to be asked a series of questions regarding potential symptoms or prior exposure to COVID-19. Refusal of the temperature screening or refusal to answer screening questions will result in denial of access to the building. At this time, courthouse access remains limited to those persons who are required for court proceedings, or those individuals with other official business within the courthouse facilities. Those entering the facilities will be required to wear a mask at all times while entering and while within the building.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
In Santa Rosa County, persons attempting to enter the courthouse should also expect to undergo a non-invasive temperature check beginning on Monday, June 1. Screening questions regarding potential symptoms or prior exposure to COVID-19 will be asked upon entry.
Refusal of the temperature screening or to answer screening questions will result in denial of access to the building. Signage will be posted regarding the maintenance of proper social distancing, and those entering the courthouse will be required to wear a mask at all times while entering and while within the building. Plastic bins have been removed from the security checkpoint, and each person will be given a clear bag to place personal belongings in for screening. At this time, courthouse access remains limited to those persons who are required for court proceedings, or those individuals with other official business within the courthouse facilities.
ECSO Seeks Person Of Interest After Body Found Near Pensacola Boulevard
May 30, 2020
UPDATE: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday that the individual pictured was located. No further information was provided.
The body of a 40-year old woman was found just off Pensacola Boulevard on May 23, and now the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man seen in surveillance photos.
The ECSO on Friday released photos of person they said is a person of interest in the death of 40-year old Melisa Tody. She was found found dead near the intersection of Pensacola Boulevard and Boone Street, not far from the Motel 6.
Anyone with information on his identity is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Escambia (AL) COVID-19 Cases Are Up Nearly 50% In One Week, Eight New Patients In One Day
May 30, 2020
The total number of Escambia County, Alabama, COVID 19 cases are up by nearly 50% in just one week.
Positive cases surged by eight on Friday, for a total increase of 18 in the past week. The total number of cases in the county is now 57, up from 49 on Thursday and 39 a week ago. There have 1,140 total coronavirus tests administered in the county.
There have also been three fatalities in Escambia County.
As of Friday night, there were 17,031 cases across the Alabama out of 208,687 total tested. There have been 610 COVID-19 deaths in Alabama, with 1,818 cumulative hospitalizations.
The Alabama Department of Health now posts a number of “presumed recoveries”. That number stood at 9,355 Friday night.
NorthEscambia.com photo.