 |
| District 1 citizens attempting to enter Sorrento Road from Doug Ford Drive will soon see something like this at the intersection---allowing for safe egress for these drivers |
Many people have worked for many years to get a light at Doug Ford Drive and Sorrento Road. I've spoken countless times to FDOT, been on the scene with residents, discussed it at TPO meetings, and sent this letter to FDOT District 3 Secretary Phillip Gainer in early July. I had the opportunity to meet with Secretary Gainer and FDOT secretary Jared Perdue again just this last Monday at NAS Pensacola. And the light at Sorrento and Doug Ford was discussed again.
I've brough it dozens of times now, like a broken record.
We now, as of today, have confirmation of what was rumored to have been true late last week.
FDOT has completed its latest signal warrant study on the Doug Ford Drive at Sorrento Road Intersection and the signal there is warranted.
In the past, studies have come back and such a signal has not been found to have been necessary.
But the most recent study has come back recommending a signal.
This location, where Perdido Bay Country Club exits onto Sorrento Road, is a jam packed roadway for traffic going to and from Perdido Key. Often the scene of wrecks--residents have reported to me over and over the difficulty in getting out onto Sorrento Road--especially if making a left (heading eastbound) on Sorrento.
Many simply make right turns then go into the Winn Dixie parking lot down the street to turn around safely and head eastbound.
So this light will serve to allow residents to safely exit this subdivision/country club and will also serve to slow down traffic that sometimes (oftentimes) comes speeding around this corner on the way to or from the beach.
A light at this intersection will also make it safer to make a left turn into the Perdido Bay Country Club from the west on Sorrento Road heading eastbound--which currently is very dangerous.
In addition to this light at Doug Ford and Sorrento--I am also told by staff that "...the striping along Sorrento Road will have an auditory profile to warn motorists of lane departures. These were previously included on Bauer to Blue Angel.....they are now included from Innerarity to Bauer [as well]."
This week I will work with county traffic staff and FDOT to see if this signal can be added to the currently underway project on Sorrento that FDOT is doing. If this can be done it will save tax dollars while also speeding up the completion of this signal.
There will be much more good news on Sorrento Road this week on Thursday. I plan on bringing a plan to the BCC to fund the PD&E for Sorrento Road's 4-lane widening plan--which will serve to shave as much as five years off of the timeline for us to completed this desperately needed widening project in District 1.
Much more to come on that later in the week.
