Highway 98 gold mine for Walton County

[Everytime]

A 5- or 6-second yellow light would probably be a good idea for a multi-lane divided highway with a 45- to 65-mph speed limit range. I do know ticket revenue can be good for the community and an attractive reason for a shorter light, but as someone who has been rear-ended after coming to a yellow-light stop at a short yellow on a 50 mph road, I'm not sure it's the most safety-centric solution. I guess the tickets for violators are also a better solution than making it a toll road. What would increasing it to 6 seconds hurt? Statistics show that this decreases accidents and red-light violations.

I've noticed the changes in speed limit in that part of 98 but never really thought much of it; I figured it had to do with intersections with the N/S roads. It would probably be best to keep 98 west of 331 at 45 or 55, and everything east of 331 at 55 or 65, with the yellow "advisory" mph signs approaching each intersection.

There are some areas around the southeast that do seem like the speed fluctuates either to get your attention or maybe your fines... U.S. Highway 280 from Birmingham to Auburn is almost entirely 55 or 65 MPH. Then there is Harpersville. The road and traffic conditions are the same as (and even lighter than) comparable areas along 280, yet in a 1.5 mile stretch, the speed limit goes 65>55>45>35>45>55>65. The local police force is (or used to be) very attentive, although the current mayor said something awhile back about getting rid of the speed trap image. The issue with Harpersville is this: No one is going TO Harpersville; they are going TO Lake Martin, Logan Martin Lake, Talladega Speedway, Auburn (students or football games). You won't stop in Harpersville and spend money/sales tax unless you need gas or are hungry for a combo meal at Jack's. They need the money, they don't have a toll road, they don't have a Wal-Mart, so they establish a "speed zone" unlike any other on Hwy 280 (although there are several of these on U.S. 331: numerous small towns in Alabama and a bit of a MPH roller coaster in dFS from U.S. 90 to I-10).

How is this for creative revenue? Gulf Shores Parkway/Hwy 31 in Bay Minette is 55 & 45 MPH. There is a school just on the northern edge of town with a "35 MPH When Flashing" sign. School operation hours (extended) are 7:15 AM - 3:30 PM, Mon - Fri. Baldwin County Schools (along with Mobile area) had Spring Break this past week, while the rest of Alabama and much of the southern and eastern U.S. had theirs in March. So in March, the city, county, whomever, left the "flashing light" on 24/7, to get people to slow down or produce revenue, regardless of whether school was in session. In this tight economy where governments in our state (Alabama) are struggling, I can't say I blame them. Perhaps the logic is that if people can afford to go on "Spring Break," then they can afford a ticket.

There's a green light near me, here, in Marietta that is so short from the time it goes green to yellow you can't make it all the way across the intersection before the change. This is only late at night but good grief!

There are probably two reasons for this - the traffic in that direction is so light at that hour, that a full green sequence isn't deemed necessary, or, possibly to initiate probable cause for DUI offenders who may be out at that hour.

 

[ShallowsNole]

Are concerns about the timing being taken to the Department of Transporation? That is the agency that sets up the signals; Walton County has nothing to do with it...trust me. :roll:

DOT's local office is in Chipley, unless they've opened one closer, and with budget cuts, I doubt it.

 

[ASH]

I'm more frustrated with the inconsistencies of law enforcement on the roads than the stop lights. Going East out of Sandestin you hit a 55MPH near the Donut Hole that turns back to a 45 near the post office, then back to a 55 near the new Publix.

I've aggressively been passed by Walton County's finest while going 51 in a 45 like I was standing still. Then an hour later coming back, the highway patrol is pulling people over in that very same stretch for speeding.

I wonder how often the highway patrol pulls over cops (or vice versa) for speeding or do they just understand that when you need a donut...you need a donut.

 

[ShallowsNole]

I'm more frustrated with the inconsistencies of law enforcement on the roads than the stop lights. Going East out of Sandestin you hit a 55MPH near the Donut Hole that turns back to a 45 near the post office, then back to a 55 near the new Publix.

I've aggressively been passed by Walton County's finest while going 51 in a 45 like I was standing still. Then an hour later coming back, the highway patrol is pulling people over in that very same stretch for speeding.

I wonder how often the highway patrol pulls over cops (or vice versa) for speeding or do they just understand that when you need a donut...you need a donut.

Or perhaps the highway patrol understands that emergency response only qualifies for a 10-18 (lights and siren) when it is in fact a dire emergency.

I've seen LEOs speed too, some simply because they can...but most of the time, they are responding to a call, and the general motoring public hasn't a clue that is why they are purposefully driving faster than everyone else.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I commute said stretch of HWY daily. I too wonder why the eastbound lanes from Mack Bayou to near the post office are 55 MPH while a larger stretch of westbound 98 separated only by a neutral ground from the eastbound lanes is 45 MPH? My only complaint about the lights is that it seems that some mornings if you don't haul boogie from the red light at 30-A/98 you will miss the green light at one of the Hewitts, and subsequently hit reds at Mack Bayou, Grand Blvd, Sandestin, etc.

I for one wish that the lights would be programmed to blink before 7AM on HWY 98. This is how it works once you pass through Sandestin (headed west) in the mornings and there is no trouble.

Or we could lower the speed limit to 45 MPH and all drive LSVs

 

[Miss Critter]

I commute said stretch of HWY daily. I too wonder why the eastbound lanes from Mack Bayou to near the post office are 55 MPH while a larger stretch of westbound 98 separated only by a neutral ground from the eastbound lanes is 45 MPH? My only complaint about the lights is that it seems that some mornings if you don't haul boogie from the red light at 30-A/98 you will miss the green light at one of the Hewitts, and subsequently hit reds at Mack Bayou, Grand Blvd, Sandestin, etc.

I for one wish that the lights would be programmed to blink before 7AM on HWY 98. This is how it works once you pass through Sandestin (headed west) in the mornings and there is no trouble.

Or we could lower the speed limit to 45 MPH and all drive LSVs

Love it! For those who don't speak New Orleans, that's a median.

 

[Everytime]

Or we could lower the speed limit to 45 MPH and all drive LSVs

Please, no!

 

[Everytime]

I'm more frustrated with the inconsistencies of law enforcement on the roads than the stop lights. Going East out of Sandestin you hit a 55MPH near the Donut Hole that turns back to a 45 near the post office, then back to a 55 near the new Publix.

I've aggressively been passed by Walton County's finest while going 51 in a 45 like I was standing still. Then an hour later coming back, the highway patrol is pulling people over in that very same stretch for speeding.

I wonder how often the highway patrol pulls over cops (or vice versa) for speeding or do they just understand that when you need a donut...you need a donut.

I don't usually question the speed when it's a marked patrol car or an obvious but unmarked car (such as a Crown Vic, Tahoe or Charger with "bowl" hubcaps). I live in the Birmingham area, and there's a vehicle I've seen in evening rush hour a few times leaving downtown, northbound on I-59 towards Trussville. It's a silver Chrysler 300 (NOT a Charger like law enforcement agencies use), with a University of Alabama spirit license plate, but it does have red & blue lights in the front windshield and in the rear window hatrack. In congested 5:00 traffic, I've seen him turn on the red & blue lights to get cars in front of him to move over, then he continues on northbound, never keeping the lights on or going at an "emergency response" speed, only turning them on to clear his path. Sometimes I wish I had such lights to encourage "slower traffic (to) keep right." But if this is just some detective or assistant prosectuor or such on his way home from a 9-5 shift, would it be an abuse of his emergency lights?

 

[ShallowsNole]

I don't usually question the speed when it's a marked patrol car or an obvious but unmarked car (such as a Crown Vic, Tahoe or Charger with "bowl" hubcaps). I live in the Birmingham area, and there's a vehicle I've seen in evening rush hour a few times leaving downtown, northbound on I-59 towards Trussville. It's a silver Chrysler 300 (NOT a Charger like law enforcement agencies use), with a University of Alabama spirit license plate, but it does have red & blue lights in the front windshield and in the rear window hatrack. In congested 5:00 traffic, I've seen him turn on the red & blue lights to get cars in front of him to move over, then he continues on northbound, never keeping the lights on or going at an "emergency response" speed, only turning them on to clear his path. Sometimes I wish I had such lights to encourage "slower traffic (to) keep right." But if this is just some detective or assistant prosectuor or such on his way home from a 9-5 shift, would it be an abuse of his emergency lights?

That does sound suspicious to me. :scratch:

Legend has it that ShallowsFuzz (who drives an unmarked vehicle) once had a little old lady follow him to a bank robbery in Freeport to scold him about passing her on the 331 bridge.

 

[Everytime]

That does sound suspicious to me. :scratch:

Legend has it that ShallowsFuzz (who drives an unmarked vehicle) once had a little old lady follow him to a bank robbery in Freeport to scold him about passing her on the 331 bridge.

He probably drives one of the "obvious" unmarked cars like I mentioned; and responding to a bank robbery is definitely a legitimate reason to travel like that. I just couldn't help but wonder if this guy was just using the dash lights to get home a little sooner.