Beulah Interchange/Beulah Connector Road Veto: Good News from Staff

In the wake of last week's veto of $1 Million Dollars for the Beulah Connector Road Project by Governor Scott--many people have had questions about what this means for the project going forward.  Staff has prepared a lengthy email detailing where we are with this project, and most importantly, what the veto does to the timeline.  Luckily-this veto does not affect our timeline for this project.  This project is moving forward.  From the email:



"Staff has had a few conversations with FDOT District 3 Staff since the Governor's veto of the $1M design phase request for the Beulah Interchange Connector Project (aka Beulah Beltway), more specifically regarding the Governor's statement about "circumventing the Transportation Work Program," and wanted to provide you an email hopefully providing some clarity and briefly detailing the project's history. 

It appears that there may be some confusion as to which project had the funding veto, and the confusion may be do to the similarity in project titles (Beulah Interchange (FDOT project) and Beulah Interchange Connector Project (County project)). It was the Beulah Interchange Connector Project that had the $1M funding request vetoed, not the Beulah Interchange. 

Maybe referring to the Beulah Interchange Connector Project as the US29 Connector, which is how it is titled in the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization (FL-AL TPO) Project Priorities, moving forward would provide a clear differentiation between the two. So, at least for the remainder of this email, I will refer to the Beulah Interchange Connector Project as the US29 Connector Project.

As for the Governor's comment, below is a statement I received from District 3 Work Programming Staff:

"The Beulah Interchange Connector was one of about 22 projects listed in the Governor’s announcement/press release as being vetoed “because these projects circumvent the Transportation Work Program evaluation process.” 

Through my conversations with Department Staff, I take it that the Governor made a "general" statement about the multiple vetoed projects, and that it was not intended to be a specific statement towards the US29 Connector Project individually. 

As for the project status and history, please see the below:

• The original idea of an "Outer Beltway" from Beulah to Milton via US90 with connection to US29 dates back to at least 2005, and was included in the FL-AL TPO 2025 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

• It appears that the Outer Beltway was originally "segmented" into 4 different "projects;" I-10 at Beulah Road Interchange, US90 Connector to US29 Connector, US29 to SR87 Connector, and SR87 Connector to US90.

• Out of this, two actual projects have proceeded to date: 1) US29 Connector Project and 2) Beulah Interchange

• The US29 Connector was eventually added as a FL-AL TPO Project Priority to both the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) and Non-SIS Lists 

• Currently #4 on the SIS List (titled US29 Connector), and #13 on the Non-SIS List (titled US29 Connector) 

• The I-10 at Beulah Road project, mentioned above, was eventually added as a FL-AL TPO Project Priority to the SIS List

• Currently #2 on the SIS List (titled Beulah Interchange) 

• The Department has a current contract with Parson's Transportation Group for the Beulah Interchange Project for the Interchange Justification Report (IJR), and expects completion of the IJR in FY 2019/20.

Affirmed: Escambia's TPO Members Prioritize Beulah Interchange as Area's #1 Priority Project

I've said all along that the Beulah Beltway/Beulah Interchange is the area's #1 priority.  Other commissioners have echoed this sentiment.

Yesterday at the TPO meeting in Gulf Breeze, several important issues were discussed and members voted on several important issues.  But most importantly--several members of the TPO  spoke up and stated that the Beulah Interchange is still the area's #1 priority--this was affirmed.  FDOT also spoke of the importance of the second exit on I-10 for Beulah.

When the subject of the Navy Federal Credit Union,  9-Mile Road Overpass came up, there were several speakers.  A host of NFCU employees spoke out in favor of the overpass.  Some speakers expressed concern about the way the project was rushed through--one speaker characterizing the whole episode as a "Public Relations Disaster" for NFCU. I agree it was a black eye for NFCU, and a demonstration of "hard-power" that was unnecessary.

However, recognizing the tremendous political weight behind moving forward with this overpass concept-- and knowing it would pass no matter what--it should not be surprising that I voted with the rest of the group to make the vote unanimous.

My reasoning for voting to move this forward was threefold:

1-Once the project hits the LRTP and Cost-Feasible lists, it will move forward to a PD&E phase where other practical alternatives must be considered and resident input will be taken into account.

2-there is no doubt that some independent, non-county funding will be coming along with this push to move this project

3--most importantly--This project will not leap-frog any other projects on the work plan--it was placed on the bottom.  Also, this NFCU overpass project will neither detract from the funding and momentum toward completing the Beulah Interchange at Beulah Road and I-10--because this interchange is truly a regional project, it will alleviate traffic gridlock in Beulah, and it is once again affirmed that this is the most important project for Escambia County's future going forward.

Beulah Beltway Meeting Redux

The next Beulah Beltway meeting will be well-organized, well managed, and will be much more orderly than the first one..

.....The first meeting on this subject did not go so well.  We're doing it again.

This time, we are having the meeting in a large venue, with air conditioning, an agenda, and an opportunity for citizens to submit specific questions that can be addressed by the assembled staff.

 Q and A information on this project here

Beulah Interchange Meeting to be Postponed

Due to Hurricane Irma's impacts on Florida last week--the FDOT presentation to the BCC that had been scheduled for the Committee of the Whole Meeting on 9-14-2017 has been pushed to this week's Agenda Review Session at 9:00 AM.  This report from the FDOT was to be on the subject of the Beulah Interchange.

After the meeting this week, a subsequent, evening town-hall style meeting will be scheduled.  We had tentatively scheduled this town-hall for Monday, September 25th at Hillcrest Baptist Church--however this date will need to be changed and a new date will be announced soon for this evening meeting.

Once we have the date, we will post it on myescambia.com as well as other social media platforms.

There is a lot Going on in Beulah!

Take a look at the map above.  There is a lot of building going on in Beulah--tons of it.  Right now, our infrastructure is not sufficient to handle everything that is happening.  Some folks are angry, they do not like the growth and wish things could be the way they "used to be."

Unfortunately, growth has come to our area, and so long as it is managed properly, growth is good.  Navy Federal Credit Union bringing 10,000 jobs to district 1 is a GREAT THING!

Developing OLF 8--will be a great thing!

I just want district 1 to know I am working hard to get the infrastructure modernized to accommodate the growth;  There is much to do but once we do it, we will all be better off for it. Making 9 Mile road a 4-lane road, adding the interchange in Beulah, finding another north-south connector road between Mobile Highway and 9-Mile road, getting the exit out of NFCU through the visitor's center.  All these things and more are being worked.

We will have more jobs, a larger tax base, more amenities, restaurants, and retail facilities.  This is all coming, and once we have it, our community will be even better than it is already.

We just have to have patience and get through the construction and planning phases.

We Already Have 100' of Right of Way (ROW) on Beulah Road--We need 104.5

I have asked staff for the map and they have provided it.  We need 104.5 feet total to upgrade Beulah Road from a two-lane road to a four-lane connector that will eventually tie into I-10.  The segment of  this roadway that will be constructed south of I-10 and north of 9-mile road will require just 104.5 feet---and we have 100 feet already!  We will not be swallowing subdivisions or homes to build this.

Here is the map and overlay (not precisely to scale, but much more so than the DOT/Atkins renderings) that shows the county already possesses nearly enough ROW to do the project.

What is the Truth About the ROW Needed in Beulah between I-10 and 9 Mile Road?

Many residents were enraged the other night for a number of good reasons as it pertained to the Beulah Beltway project.  Many were upset about the crowd size, the small venue, the AC that didn't work, and many other legitimate reasons.

One reason several were upset was that mixed messages were being given, by staff and others at the meeting,  regarding just how much ROW will be needed to construct the southbound portion of the interchange from I-10 to 9-Mile Road.

Therefore, I have asked staff to go on record so that we are speaking with one voice as it pertains to this aspect of the project.  We need 104.5 feet.  We have 100 feet already.  These are the facts as it pertains to the southbound section of this project....See the County Attorney's Email below....

Here is What I Want Beulah Residents to Know

The project to connect the interstate to 9-Mile road at Beulah road will require a total of 104.5 feet.


104.5 feet total.  See the diagram below, from the DOT study....

The southbound artery from the I-10 to Beulah road will be 104.5 feet in width total.  Currently, Beulah road and associated ROW encompass 100 feet.

So to all of those who are concerned that the 4-laning of Beulah Road from the I-10 to 9-Mile road will "Swallow" entire subdivisions, I want you to know that we currently have 100 feet with the existing Beulah Road, and we need a whopping 4.5 feet more to do what is pictured above.

No Subdivisions swallowed, no homes demolished---particularly if we choose alternative 5--the #1 rated alternative.  For more information visit www.beulahbeltway.com

Alternative 5 is the highest rated option of the 7 alternative corridors for the Beulah Beltway project....

Misinformation Creates Panic, Confusion, and Anger

Although the swath depicted in this map might look like a "subdivision swallower"--in reality the additional width needed, over and above what we already have with Beulah Raod, is 4.5 feet.......

"We are thinking of selling our home and leaving Escambia County"  came the exasperated voice on the other end of the line.  "How could this be allowed to happen?--we love our home and we have already had to move once due to noise encroachment--are we going to have to move again?" he continued.

The issue is the southbound connector from the Beulah Beltway project.  Multiple alternatives for the location of this proposed route are presented at the website www.beulahbeltway.com.

The drawings are not to scale.  "Sir--we're not going to tear your house down, these drawings are not to scale."  I explained.

Apparently, someone was handing out flyers in a few Beulah neighborhoods lamenting the potential that 300 homes and families might have to be "re-located" as a result of this new southbound artery being constructed.

Here is the deal:  for the southbound artery--we need only about 104.5 feet to construct this connector.  Currently, Beulah road and existing ROW equals about 100 feet----so yes we may need to acquire an additional 2.25 feet from both sides of the existing Beulah road to accommodate the new southbound road.  I think we can get 2.25 feet from both sides without tearing down any
subdivisions.

The project will be discussed at a meeting this coming Monday afternoon--here are the details and additional contact information about this project for all interested persons:

The Beulah Beltway Alternative Corridor Evaluation Public Meeting from 5:30-7 p.m.

Plainview Baptist Church

1101 W. Nine Mile Road Monday, Aug. 7

For more information, visit the project website at www.beulahbeltway.com.

If you have any questions regarding the proposed project or this meeting, please contact Atkins Project Manager Gregory Allen, P.E. at 850-466-4113 or gregory.allen@atkinsglobal.com, or Escambia County Project Manager David Forte at 850-595-3404 or dvforte@myescambia.com.