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Costco, Escambia County Still Negotiating Chemstrand Road Improvements
September 29, 2025
Escambia County and Costco are still negotiating terms for improvements to Chemstrand Road, which has not necessarily delayed the project.
On August 20, the Escambia County Development Review Committee (DRC) granted approval for a new Costco store at the corner of Nine Mile and Chemstrand roads. The construction will require traffic and road improvements as directed by the Florida Department of Transportation on Nine Mile Road and Chemstrand Road. Chemstrand is a county road.
A Florida law allows Escambia County to enter into an agreement with a private company, such as Costco, to make improvements to a public road and allows for potential payment from the county to the private company after a public hearing.
The Escambia County Commission previously approved scheduling a public hearing for October 2 to discuss an agreement to outline the terms under which Escambia County would reimburse Costco for improvements to Chemstrand Road.
County staff has requested that the October 2 public hearing be canceled to allow for further negotiation. The BOCC is expected to approve the cancelation at their October 2 meeting, for which a public notice was not advertised.
Comments
6 Responses to “Costco, Escambia County Still Negotiating Chemstrand Road Improvements”
@Well
You said “But why would taxpayers pay for road improvements required as a result of the business building there ?
Costco builds should equal Costco pays.”
A basic class in economics would show that the increase in tax revenue from this business will more than pay for the road work. Under your logic, the county shouldn’t pay for roads in subdivisions, right? After all, that roadway is for you.
Where in the world are we going to put all of this new traffic on this end of town? Did anyone think this out? With all the new businesses opening up on 9 Mile we have too much traffic as it is. I’d love a Costco in Pensacola, but I just cannot imagine how we’ll contend with the gridlock this is going to cause.
I am excited about Costco coming to 9 Mile Road.
If Costco wants to pay for half of the upgrade of
Chemstrand and 9 Mile let them do it! Otherwise,
the Taxpayer will eventually pay it all.
The traffic is heavy and we could use
additional turning lanes and lanes. If you
don’t live in this area you would not
understand what I’m talking about.
There is 2 turn lanes going into the shopping center, One is by the bank and the other is by DQ going west on 9 mile. There is an actual lane going east to turn into the complex. There are 2 turn lanes on Chemstrand Road. Plus a red light right there at Nine Mile and Chemstrand. Where do they need another turn lane on either street?
Ok, I’m for Costco.
But why would taxpayers pay for road improvements required as a result of the business building there ?
Costco builds should equal Costco pays.
Chemstrand? Heck 9 Mile rd!!
This is a destination retailer, I don’t think anybody is prepared for the traffic that is about to happen.
That be said, its about time. How Tallahassee had one and we have 200k more people in our metro area is beyond me.
If Escambia county wouldn’t have sat on that 500 acres for 9 years they would have sent there, so this traffic disaster is on you, Escambia County!