The "Panic Switch" Was Engaged this past Weekend...

Something very similar to the above concept that I brought to the board last month was actually implemented multiple times last weekend, with great effect I am told.....

We discussed the issue of the Beach Toll Booth on Thursday.  I personally complimented commissioner Bender for his leadership on the issue, his willingness to roll up his sleeves and tackle the matter, and for his commitment to pay for the cost of the lost toll revenue from his discretionary account for the weekend "no-toll" experiment he and staff conducted.

The following weekend, another "no-toll" weekend happened, this time funded by TDT funds.

We learned some lessons by these weekends--the most important of which (voiced by the Gulf Breeze Police Chief who came to our meeting)--was that this "flushing of the traffic" cleared the streets through Gulf Breeze and helped public safety.  In addition to this, the all electronic toll weekends also shortened the ride times from Gulf Breeze and onto the beach dramatically.

We also learned that by opening up the toll booth gates and flushing everyone through, in conjunction with syncing the lights through Gulf Breeze and at Fort Pickens Road on the beach via our remote traffic center---we have found the 90% solution to Beach traffic!  (Who says we need Roundabouts now?!?)  And those that espoused the mantra that "Lack of Parking is THE CAUSE of beach traffic--well those assertions were debunked by the last two weekends and what actually happened......

So what happened this past weekend, now that the board authorized staff and commissioner Bender to explore other options now that the all "toll by plate" and sun pass solution did not pass muster with the turnpike authority?

What happened was the "panic switch" I envisioned and discussed with the board last month, slightly modified,  was actually used this weekend with great effect.  I have confirmed it was used a few times on Saturday, and once on Sunday.  I'm glad this was done, and in my opinion this is the optimal solution.  Go to "zero fare mode", charge nobody (sunpass or toll by plate) --everyone goes through for free- in short bursts--until the traffic totally flushes.  (which it did). Then, go back to normal collection of the tolls (cash, sun pass, and toll by plate) once the traffic clears through.  Abracadabra--it works!

If it costs us a few thousand dollars --it is worth it-- and money well spent-- to improve safety and accessibility of ambulances and police vehicles.

In both instances this past weekend, I am told-the traffic flushed quickly;  I'm told that at one point the drive time from the Gulf Breeze Chic Fil A to the Toll Plaza dropped from 45 minutes to 10 minutes, when the zero fare mode was engaged and traffic was waved through.

Until we finally go all automated or get rid of the booth all together and make up the revenue with parking--I do believe the panic switch is the best way to deal with the peak times, maintain cash collections, promote good will to drivers stuck in traffic, and most optimally deal with peak volume.

We shall see how it goes over the last few weekends of the season....

Could Potential Revenue from Just a Portion of Casino Beach Parking Completely Replace Current Bridge Toll Revenue?

According to one first-brush analysis--paid parking could more than replace the existing toll-booth revenue the County receives--while preserving LOTS of free parking at Pensacola Beach.

...According to a knowledgeable source on this topic locally--the answer is yes.

I was contacted through staff by this veteran of the paid parking industry.  This gentleman knows the business and has been in the business for a long time.  He has key insight and knowledge of the local paid parking market.

So when I returned his call I asked him some specific questions:

"Could we eliminate the toll, improve traffic, disperse the crowds more evenly throughout Pensacola Beach and do this making up the revenue with paid parking at a portion of Casino Beach's lot while leaving a significant number of spots FREE for early-bird beach visitors?

The answer was certain and it was clear.  "Jeff, you could do this, it would more than make up what you are currently netting at the toll booth, and you might even find that you make more."

I told him from my perspective I'm not interested in making more--just replacing existing revenue.  Our Bob Sikes Bridge is in need of replacement over the next 10-15 years and the cost to do this will be borne locally.  So capturing lost toll-booth revenue is essential to the plan, so that the excess funds generated by this can add to the existing $6.4 Million in our Beach Toll fund, a portion of which should be dedicated to a sinking fund for the Bob Sikes bridge.

I asked him what that would look like, and he sent over a rough analysis.  I explained to him clearly, the following:

1.  I was only doing initial fact-finding and research
2.  I am only one vote on the board and only the full 5-member BCC can make this decision
3.  My idea would be to keep ALL parking outside of Casino Beach free, and utilize just 75% of Casino Beach's lot for premium parking---leaving 25% free on a first come, first serve basis.

Was the "Panic Switch" for Beach Toll-Booth Traffic Gridlock Engaged this Weekend?

Reports indicate that this past Saturday a modified version of the "panic-switch" was activated at the beach toll booth in order to clear traffic.  Unfortunately, though, all the cars flushed through will be billed if they are not on Sunpass, which will in effect quadruple the cost of the trip for the 1-time day visitor....which will make many folks angry......

Looking at some online sites this morning, and on some facebook chat sites, it appears that the county did, indeed, hit the traffic "panic switch" idea I proposed last week with great initial effect this weekend.

According to Andrew McKay's site, where he states he had an exclusive look into the issue in real-time, it says the toll-booths were opened-up and the lights synced, as I had envisioned, and the traffic flushed.  Bravo!  the plan works!  According to McKay--this modified "panic switch" was engaged a total of three times on Saturday--and each time it did as intended, it worked.

This is fantastic, and my hat's off to Commissioner Bender and the traffic division for taking action!

The ONLY tweak or modification that I'd suggest to their version of the "panic switch" is this:  Don't charge tolls at all when you have to flush the traffic through to ease the gridlock caused by the toll booth.

Like I said at last week's BCC meeting on this topic---If you charge drivers who are caught up in the traffic--when the gridlock is not their fault--this will create some anger among drivers;   If you open the booths up and usher traffic through WITHOUT going to zero-fare mode (and thus NOT charging)--the unsavory and unintended consequence will be that many in the line that waited to pay $1.00 are suddenly forced through and will eventually pay four times this much when they get the bill in the mail ($1.00 toll, plus $2.50 fee, plus $.50 cent stamp= $4.00---four times what the toll is).

Why not just "eat it" and give up a few thousand dollars in revenue on the rare occasions when the panic switch gets engaged--as I envisioned in my version above?   I think to pass them through toll- free at these times is the much more palatable option, and also the "customer-friendly" way to go--just as I stated at the meeting last week.  After all--we're grossing over $3 Million yearly in cash tolls--we could afford to eat $5,000.00 here and there for public safety and good public/constituent relations, right??

But hey, that's just my opinion.  Opinions vary.

"Panic Switch"-for Toll Booth Backups at the Beach

This picture, above, is the graphic depiction for what I envision as a traffic gridlock "panic-switch" This option for Pensacola Beach traffic issues related to back ups at the toll booth could be rapidly deployed when necessary and upon the outset of certain circumstances that could lead to conditions that threaten the life-safety of citizens.

Safety of persons trumps the revenues we would lose for brief periods when this process would be activated.

I will discuss this process with my counterparts on the board today.

We have the traffic infrastructure to implement this today--if we have the will to make it happen so we never again have a Saturday at the beach like last Saturday.