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| One does not need a windsock to see which way the winds are blowing as it relates to the NFCU 9-Mile Road overpass project... |
I don’t disagree that a traffic solution for 9-mile road is
desperately needed. Everyone knows this. And everyone also knows that NFCU is
the greatest thing to happen in DECADES for the Pensacola area and Escambia in
terms of economic development and jobs diversification. And now that the vote has happened at the
BCC, the process to construct this solution will invariably move forward
through the TPO and into the design and PD&E phase. However, I do find it interesting that three
important issues were left out of this editorial.
Number 1—the current project to double the
capacity of 9-mile road by going from a 2-lane to a 4-lane road (the project
that has been under construction out here for the past two years) will be
completed next year. This, in and of
itself, will be massively beneficial at easing congestion in the near term in
this area.
Number 2-The Beulah interchange
project is moving rapidly and has the potential to be completed before this
overpass is completed (the southbound portion of the interchange at a minimum)—and
the Beulah interchange, if not “back-burnered” will spread the Beulah-area
traffic load between two I-10 freeway exits whereas this NFCU overpass simply
funnels all Beulah and NFCU traffic into one exit—which I do not believe is the
optimal solution.
And finally, number 3-
I notice the price-tag for this 9- Mile Road, NFCU overpass is also
conspicuously left out of the discussion in this editorial—but a $70 Million-dollar
project ought to be scrutinized heavily—particularly if it will leap-frog
(or has the potential preempt) many other very necessary and worthwhile
regional projects on the TPO list. These
were three important data-points conveniently absent from the editorial.
Now, I can read the tea leaves, I don't need a windsock to tell me which way the hurricane-force winds are blowing, I know there
is huge gravity behind this project, and I know it will be funded and will move
forward regardless what my constituents or anyone else thinks...
But I want to ---and I will ---set the record straight right here, right now on two things.
First--the number one project for the region
is the Beulah interchange, and whatever happens with this NFCU overpass, it is
not more important than the Beulah interchange --which is truly a regional project.
Secondly-- my no vote on this issue was
neither anti-NFCU nor anti-solution. I agree
we need a solution, but I simply wanted time to hear from constituents that
live in the area that will be impacted by whatever solution we eventually
implement. I do not think it was
unreasonable to request a brief delay of less than 30 days so that more input
could be gathered from District 1 constituents—most whom I heard from did not
support this overpass. We all know the
way that very reasonable request was handled at the meeting-- and so for
principle’s sake I voted NO.
But now we
move forward and I recognize the need to move forward. My goal from here on out is to be actively
engaged with the community during the PD&E phases to ensure this project is
the least onerous on residents, most efficient for the commuters, and the most
beneficial for the significant taxpayer dollars that will be invested to build
this overpass.
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