The Intelligent, Cost-Neutral Way to Decrease Beach Traffic Gridlock

Now that the concept of traffic circles on Pensacola Beach is dead on arrival--are there other revenue-neutral ideas that can be implemented to help address beach gridlock?  Answer:  YES 

It is not about getting more revenue out of the beach as was inaccurately portrayed in the PNJ last week.

It's not about "making people pay" for parking--per se

A plan that I discussed at the joint BCC/SRIA meeting last week and also yesterday on Channel 3 is about trying to take steps to address beach traffic congestion in an intelligent, thoughtful manner.

Now that the $25 Million dollar roundabouts are dead and they are not going to be constructed---we can do nothing about the traffic gridlock out at the beach or we can be proactive and do something that reduces traffic while maintaining our revenue stream.

I’m looking for the way to maintain a revenue-neutral position while helping the congestion that is bottle-necked at the toll-booth.  Whether it is eliminating the toll, or reducing the Sun Pass toll to $.50 cents and keeping one, far right lane a cash lane only (at $1.00) combined with the addition of some paid parking at Casino Beach—there are different levers that can be adjusted up and down, back and forth, to find the sweet-spot from a revenue perspective as it pertains to a toll/parking fee mix.

And my plan is to leave roughly 30-40% of Casino Beach as “free parking” while the front 60-70% pay an hourly, premium market rate.  The other areas of the beach would maintain free-parking status. 

And I would never suggest ugly meters—no way.  There are kiosks that can accept

 cash or debit cards that are low maintenance. 

Currently the toll booth gross is $3.2 Million yearly, and the net is $2.3 Million roughly.  Experts with whom I have spoken believe the $2.3 Million net can be recouped with premium, metered parking at a portion of Casino Beach closest to the beach.

I go to the beach every Saturday morning—I get out there at 8:30—never any traffic or problems finding parking.  But when I leave at 11:30—especially during the summer—the traffic is ALWAYS bottlenecked from the toll booth all the way back through Gulf Breeze.  Consistently.

Sometimes the traffic is backed up all the way to the middle of the 3-Mile bridge.

Everyone knows that the toll booth is a huge part of the problem. 

So I’m trying to intelligently offer a solution to the problem while simultaneously creating a savings for the 70% of toll-payers who, on a yearly basis, are Escambia Residents! (while also maintaining a way for these local folks to find a free parking spot if they so choose and arrive at the beach early.)

But those persons that want to sleep in or not come to the beach until 12 Noon or 1:00 PM—those folks would more than likely have to pay to get a parking spot. (which would essentially be their decision based upon when they come out to the beach for the day.)  It’s all about timing--- Let’s face it—if you skip happy hour and the early-bird deal at your favorite restaurant on a Saturday---and instead show up at 7:00 PM---you will probably wait for your table and pay extra for your food and drinks.  And you probably know this already as I do.