Envision Escambia: Traffic Safety Survey Results
September 23, 2014
Escambia County has released the second in a series of surveys. The “Envision Escambia 2028: Traffic Safety” survey results, as provided by Escambia County, are below.
A third survey regarding residents opinions on storm water drainage systems is now being conducted. Future surveys will ask questions about traffic calming efforts, pedestrian safety, public safety, parks and recreation, job growth and natural resources.
Envision Escambia 2028: Traffic Safety
Question # 1: In which area of Escambia County do you currently live?
Twenty-eight percent of respondents to our second survey live north of Nine Mile Road, with close to 15 percent living between Cantonment and the Alabama state line. Another 20 percent came from the extreme southern portion of the County on Pensacola Beach. Nearly 9.5 percent lived in between Nine Mile Road and I-10. Over 7.3 percent of respondents were from Perdido Key and another 7.3 percent represented the neighborhoods in the area East of Palafox, South of Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard to the Escambia Bay on the East and Pensacola Bay on the South. No area of Escambia County was unrepresented in this survey.
Question # 2: What are the biggest Traffic Safety Problems in Escambia County?
- 52.69 percent = Distracted drivers.
- 47.31 percent = Drivers who don’t obey speed limits and/or drive agressively.
- 39.78 percent = There are not enough bike lanes and/or sidewalks.
- 35.48 percent = There is too much traffic.
- 26.88 percent = The poor condition of roads leads to accidents.
- 13.98 percent = There is no where to pull over if you have car trouble.
- 4.3 percent = I don’t have any serious concerns about traffic safety.
Comments included:
“Northbound Pine Forest needs to widen/bike lanes and four lanes. Roberts Road and Pine Forest intersection needs to be a four way stop with flashing red lights in all four directions.”
“Need another north/south artery besides 29. What happened to the roads envisioned in the Optional Sector Plan.”
“So many ‘local’ roads feel and are designed for higher speeds …”
“The exits going onto and coming off of I-10 to Cantonment. Going from I-10 to 29 is a nightmare.”
“Too many unsynchronized lights.”
Question #3: If you walk or bicycle on County roads, have you ever felt your personal safety was threatened by motorists?
- 57.89 percent = Yes
- 4.21 percent = No
- 37.89 percent = I don’t walk or bicycle on County roads.
Question #4: Do you encounter unpaved roads in your daily driving routine?
- 3.23 percent = Yes, I live off an unpaved road.
- 11.83 percent = Yes, I drive an unpaved road at least once per month.
- 84.95 percent = No, I rarely or never encounter unpaved roads.
Question #5: Since the advent of Local Option Sales Tax in 1992, almost 250 miles of roads have been paved bringing asphalt to residents throughout the County. Approximately $8 million will be spent over the next three years to continue paving eligible dirt roads. Do you think this is a good expenditure of Local Option Sales Tax dollars?
- 82.42 percent = Yes.
- 17.58 percent = No
“However, I do no think LOST money should be used to 4-lane a state road like Perdido Key Dr. SR 292″
“I believe there are other pressing issues in the county that the tax dollars could be spent on.”
“Maintaining unpaved roads are a higher cost in the long run. Unpaved roads are more likely to damage vehicles and are generally less safe.”
“Paving dirt roads lessens the likelihood of having red clay wash into local waterways. Clay seriously deteriorates water quality in or bays and bayous.”
“I don’t like asphalt … but it is certainly better than mud and dust and ruts and all else that goes with dirt roads.”
Question #6: Several major road-widening projects are in the planning stages or under construction throughout the County. Some of these projects are funded by Local Option Sales Tax dollars and some are projects being conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation. Several common reasons for supporting road-widening projects are given below, as well as several concerns regarding road-widening. Please tell us whether or not you agree with the following statements.
Almost 71 percent of respondents who answered this question felt that roadways with wider lanes and paved shoulders had lower accident rates and close to 90 percent felt that adding shoulders to roads where they do not previously exist provides disabled vehicles with a place to stop safey. More than 70 percent also felt that wider lanes allowed drivers to better see pedestrians and bicyclists, while 74 percent agreed that adding shoulders to roads provided bicyclists and others a way to safely share the road with motorists. Fewer, but still the majority with 54.6 percent, said they felt that widening roads supported economic development and was good for job growth.
Only 23 percent of survey respondents felt that widening lanes made roads more dangerous by encouraging increased speeds and 25.5 percent said they thought that road widening fuels new development at the expense of existing residents and businesses.
Question #7: Do you have any additional comments questions or concerns?
“Gulf Beach Highway needs to be widend (sic) or 4 laned. The traffic is horrible and dangerous!”
“Traffic is too fast on South Navy Blvd.”
“Consider an LDC requirement that new sprawl residential developments include additional roadway connectors …”
“Synch lights and add left and right turn lanes.”
“The light at Casino Beach is a problem especially during a big event.”
“Highway 29 is a nightmare on my drive to work.”
“I am an avid cyclist but I refuse to ride on many roads in the county due to a near-guarantee of being struck or threatened by a motorist.”
“How is increased traffic to/from the new Bay Bridge going to be handled?”
Hill Bolsters Finances In Re-Election Bid
September 23, 2014
Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola raised more than $35,000 from August 30 to September 12 to help fuel his re-election campaigns, according to newly filed finance reports.3
Hill, who is running in House District 2 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, collected $35,450 during the two-week period, bringing his overall total to $153,856. Democrat Jeremy Lau, who is trying to unseat Hill, had raised a total of $10,295 as of September 12.
by The News Service of Florida
Local Students Awarded Take Stock In Children Scholarships
September 23, 2014
Recently, 26 students — including several from the North Escambia area — were introduced as new Take Stock in Children scholarship recipients. The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation introduced the students at the annual Take Stock in Children Kick-Off Dinner, bringing the total number of students in the program to 118 in Escambia County.
These students are currently in grades 7-12 and they will receive a college scholarship upon graduation from high school, as long as they maintain program standards. Students sign an agreement to maintain good grades and attendance; to be good citizens; to remain crime and drug free; and to meet weekly with a volunteer community mentor.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide, non-profit organization that provides “scholarships, mentors and hope” to deserving young people selected through a need-based application process. They are identified by their public middle schools at the end of their sixth grade year. Twenty-one of the new students are seventh graders and five others were selected from previous years’ alternate lists.
New students, their mentor and their school include:
- Mya Acoba, mentor Mari Abbate, Brown Barge Middle
- Savanna Bowen, mentor Lynne Bates, Ransom Middle
- Brandon Brantley, mentor Dave Bates, Bellview Middle
- Sylvia Callihan, mentor Veronica Dias, Warrington Middle
- Tristan Cravatt, mentor Jack McNulty, Bailey Middle
- Breona Dean, mentor Fernaundra Ferguson, Ferry Pass Middle
- Lucas Dinsmore, mentor Pete King, Bailey Middle
- Lina Foust, mentor Anita Prentiss, Pine Forest High
- Diamond Franklin, mentor Ruth Jenkins, Escambia High
- Morgan Garner, mentor Neeltje McNulty, Bailey Middle
- Ian Gifford, mentor Bob Goforth, Ernest Ward Middle
- Angel Goldsby, mentor Stephanie Noa, Workman Middle
- Haley Hennington, mentor Mallory Studer, Bellview Middle
- Madison Hurston, mentor Cindy Barrington, Ransom Middle
- Issiah Johnson, mentor Ken Biland, Bailey Middle
- Lari McCann, mentor Cynthia Worrell-White, Northview High
- Thinh Pham, mentor John Fromularo, Warrington Middle
- Annemarie Pigg, mentor Susan Myrick, Bailey Middle
- Ben Potts, mentor Rusty Branch, Brown Barge Middle
- Malcolm Pressley, mentor Andy Arnold, Workman Middle
- Teriana Redmond, mentor Sherri Stallworth, Ernest Ward Middle
- Ashleigh Smith, mentor Freida Nichols, Ferry Pass Middle
- Kiplin Smith, mentor Charity Hamilton, Workman Middle
- Taylor Smith, mentor Sandra Durr, Tate High
- Austin Witt, mentor Bob Hoyt, Woodham Middle
- Ashten Wright, mentor Ray Sellers, Ernest Ward Middle
Money for each scholarship is donated locally and a dollar-for-dollar match is received from Florida Prepaid College Foundation when scholarships are purchased.
Beulah Volunteer Firefighters Practice Tanker Operations
September 23, 2014
Volunteers at the Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue learned about tanker truck and drop tank set up procedures during a Monday night training session. Tanker trucks, and the pictured 2,500 gallon drop tank, are used to shuttle and supply water to firefighters when there is no or an inadequate water supply from a fire hydrant. Photo courtesy Capt. Mike Aaron for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge
Sheriff’s Office Seeks Woman For Questioning In Convenience Store Murder
September 23, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking to talk to an Escambia County woman in connection with the murder of a convenience store murder.
Investigators are looking for 39-year old Willie Mae Thornton for questioning only concerning the September 13 homicide of 50-year old Phuong Nguyen Truoug, who was found deceased behind the counter at his place of business, the T M Food Mart located in the 1000 block of W. Michigan Avenue.
Volleyball: Northview And Central
September 23, 2014
Central defeated Northview in high school volleyball action Monday.
Junior Varsity
JV 25-15, 12-25, 8-15. Chipley wins
Varsity
17-25, 15-25, 8-25. Chipley wins
The Lady Chiefs will back in action Tuesday at Pensacola Christian Academy and will host Freeport on Thursday, with the JV playing at 4:00 and the varsity to follow at 5:00.
‘Stand Your Ground’ Motion Denied For Molino Mom Accused Of Killing Husband
September 22, 2014
An Escambia County judge has rejected a Molino mom’s “stand your ground” defense in the murder of her husband.
Judge Linda Nobles refused to dismiss the second degree murder case against 44-year old Rebecca A. Rogers for allegedly shooting her husband, 42-year old Jason Lee Rogers in August 2013. Her attorneys made a motion to dismiss the case, saying Rogers acted within the parameters of Florida’s self-defense “stand your ground” law. Nobles denied that motion.
“She can still raise the stand your ground defense before the jury,” State Attorney Bill Eddins said. “We will continue to prosecute the case and move forward.”
Rebecca Rogers allegedly shot her husband twice in the back and once in the head inside the couple’s home in the 3400 block of Highway 29 in Molino. She told a 911 dispatcher that her husband choked her and then she shot him.
Deputies arrived to find Rebecca Rogers standing outside the home. They found Jason Rogers lying unconscious in the back bedroom of the home on his stomach with what appeared to be a gunshot to his head. According to the report, he also suffered two other gunshot wounds to the back. He died at a local hospital about two days later.
The couple had four daughters, one of which testified last year at a preliminary hearing that her father had several guns in the home. “As far as I know, he was going to get them and he was…my mom believed he was going to kill her. So, she was protecting herself,” she said.
Rogers remains free on a $300,000 bond.
Jay Woman Killed In Highway 4 Crash
September 22, 2014
A Jay woman was killed Sunday in an accident on Highway 4 in Santa Rosa County.
The accident happened about 11:10 a.m. near Hidden Trail Circle, just east of the Highway 4 bridge over the Escambia River from Century. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 32-year old Caitlan Irene Bonds was traveling west on Highway 4 when she over-steered coming out of a downhill curve. She crossed the oncoming lane, and the vehicle was spinning as she ran onto the shoulder of the road. The vehicle struck a group of trees.
Bonds was pronounced deceased on the scene by a Lifeguard paramedic. She was wearing her seat belt, and alcohol was not factor in the crash, according to the FHP.
The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
RV Fire Shuts Down Highway 29
September 22, 2014
Fire destroyed a RV on Highway 29 north of Champion Drive in McDavid Sunday afternoon. The occupants reported that the fire began in the engine compartment about 5 p.m., but they were unable to contain the blaze.
The fire blocked southbound Highway 29 for about a half hour. There were no injuries reported.
The McDavid, Century and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were dispatched to the blaze.
Reader submitted photos by Lisa Brooks and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
All West Florida Libraries Closed Tuesday
September 22, 2014
All West Florida Public Library System locations will be closed to the public Tuesday. During this time the libraries will undergo a new software migration featuring expanded services to better serve the community. All library staff will receive training on these days.
While the libraries will be closed, patrons will be able to view the library system’s website, MyWFPL.com and online databases accessible through the library system.