Bridge Addition for US HWY 331

[Bob Wells]

Better State level Legislators, ie Patronis, Bense and the like. You'd be better off discussing the issue with Rep Drake, he is or was on one the Transportation comittee.

 

[Truman]

I am outraged. The state 4 lanes everything and lies in wait until the all important bridge needs to be done. "oops - we ain't got nuff money for that you local yocals have to pay up."

It's like a builder putting up 1 story and then telling you that he needs 12 million dollars to add the 2nd story to finish your home.

I understand the no toll no tax plea.

 

[Furthur]

No Bridge Now

If, as has been mentioned in a previous post, Greg Kisela in a Sept Email, initiated the idea to DOT, that Walton was willing to pay 75M for a new bridge; I would be very disappointed in our new county administrator.

Look at our reality.
Sowal has no community center.
Our seniors meet in an old used double wide.
Meals on Wheels has had to cut back because the county can't pay up.

And we are thinking of Quadrupling our debt for a bridge that does what?

We don't have Okey Dokey money over here Mr. K.
Show us quantitatively just how a quarter Billion dollar bridge is going to benefit anyone when 331 is still such a bottleneck and overall disaster.
Drive any mile on that road and count the skid marks.

It would be obscene not to fix that first. That is where people are being hurt and getting killed. It is the daily drive that we need to focus on.

 

[Misty]

If, as has been mentioned in a previous post, Greg Kisela in a Sept Email, initiated the idea to DOT, that Walton was willing to pay 75M for a new bridge; I would be very disappointed in our new county administrator.

Heres the email of which you speak.

From: Greg Kisela
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2011 3:32 PM
To: Starsky Harrell; Gerry Demers; Dede Hinote; Dawn Moliterno; Lynn Hoshihara; William Imfeld
Cc: Cindy Price
Subject: 331 Update

To all: Commissioner Pridgen, Kelly Beth Horton, and I met with Ananth Prasad, Secretary of FDOT and Tommy Barfield yesterday to talk about the plan to four‐lane 331 from I‐10 to south of the Bridge.

We explained if the County committed to providing a 20% to 25% match (cap of $75M) would the state provide the balance.

The Secretary liked the idea and tasked Tommy with coming up with a plan to accomplish this.

I told him we needed an answer within thirty (30) days. This assumes the work is completed within 5 to 7 years.

The earliest we could have the issue on the ballot is March 2012. We can also use the August and November 2012 ballots.

By copy of this e‐mail I am asking Cindy to set up a meeting for next week so we can discuss the next steps and develop a game plan to proceed.

This is far from being a done deal but I remain optimistic if we demonstrate our commitment by bring significant funds to the table than FDOT will exhaust every effort to do their part.

Gregory A. Kisela

County Administrator
Walton County

kisgreg@co.walton.fl.us
(850)892‐8155 Office
(850)333‐2227 Cell

 

[tsutcli]

Maybe a stupid idea but there are emergency lanes on both sides. Couldn't these be utilized in an emergency evacuation for additional north bound traffic, effectively providing one or two more lanes?

 

[Andy A]

It is really distressing to see so many with such short sightedness as to not realize this area will grow. 50 cents out of every $100 is a small price to pay for the progress that would be garnered over a period of time. But then, we can do as Walton County has done in the past. Stick our heads in the sand and continue down the road of mediocraty.

 

[Misty]

It is really distressing to see so many with such short sightedness as to not realize this area will grow. 50 cents out of every $100 is a small price to pay for the progress that would be garnered over a period of time. But then, we can do as Walton County has done in the past. Stick our heads in the sand and continue down the road of mediocraty.

So, because the area will grow....it's ok in your opinion for the County to Broker a deal with the DOT to build a bridge we can not afford, LIE to the public in order to effect the "deal" and TAX the people in order to accomplish the "deal"??

Thats democracy in action huh?

 

[buster]

So, because the area will grow....it's ok in your opinion for the County to Broker a deal with the DOT to build a bridge we can not afford, LIE to the public in order to effect the "deal" and TAX the people in order to accomplish the "deal"??

Thats democracy in action huh?

Is there anything about life in America that you like? It's so easy to be outraged. I recommend a chill pill.

Educate yourself about the complete issue, not just what you hear or read. Go to meetings, talk to the officials in charge and hear all sides of the story. Deals are made every day in government and politics, that's life and that's how business gets done when bureaucracy beds down with capitalism.

Personally i think it stinks that our road needs are not taken care of through our regular tax dollars. But I suspect the overall system is to blame, not a few individuals. Sometimes deals have to be made. It's only the shortsighted and quick to judge who are unwilling to see the big picture.

 

[Misty]

Is there anything about life in America that you like? It's so easy to be outraged. I recommend a chill pill.

Educate yourself about the complete issue, not just what you hear or read. Go to meetings, talk to the officials in charge and hear all sides of the story. Deals are made every day in government and politics, that's life and that's how business gets done when bureaucracy beds down with capitalism.

Personally i think it stinks that our road needs are not taken care of through our regular tax dollars. But I suspect the overall system is to blame, not a few individuals. Sometimes deals have to be made. It's only the shortsighted and quick to judge who are unwilling to see the big picture.

The big picture is a bridge we dont' need if it means making us the highest TAXED County in the State. if I want something I buy it if I can afford it. Not so the government...they just tax us to death to accomplish their agendas.

 

[idlewind]

I believe the bridge is needed long-term but I resent the means by which the BCC attempted to decieve the voters by implying the deal was the state's idea instead of their's. Deception leads to mistrust and mistrust leads to rejection. The toll would have been an economic disaster for the working people of the county. Raising our taxes to the highest level in the state connot be good for our businesses.
I cannot see the huge advantage to Sowal in building this bridge. People are going to come to the beaches, either through the airports or through an alternate ground route. And the current bridge could carry three lanes of traffic for evacuation purposes if properly marked. Four-laning 331 could help business in the north-end but I question how many will want to pay the higher taxes. So the people of Sowal are asked to pay higher taxes for something they could live without and those in Nowal who rarely come south are asked to pay higher taxes for something they do not use.
I cannot see the voters approving this measure and a little foresight on someone's part could have figured this out. So we will be left with no bridge and our BCC will have no credibility in Tally. The much better path would have been continued lobbying for the state to fund the bridge the regular way in the future.