Saturday AM traffic.......WOW!

[kwalsh0001]

This morning, the right turn lane for 331 was backed up--with cars not moving--for 3/4's of a mile on 98 Westbound.....(!) Driving thru the 331 and 98 intersection (finally) I noticed 331 was backed up to at least Chat Holley (if not to the bridge, or Freeport, or I-10, or......)

Is this a typical Saturday Tourista Exodus, or was there an accident? If just typical summer "big week" traffic, where does the jam end--does to go all the way to I-10, or where?

(This doesn't give me any reassurances regarding "hurricane evacuation" during the season when everyone is supposed to leave in a quickly and orderly(?) fashion. I have images of Mad Max running thru my mind.........)

Thoughts?

 

[jodiFL]

Pretty typical busy summer Saturday. Seems the four-laning hasnt affected it much because the more road they build the more people that come down here.

 

[Kurt]

Yes - typical Saturday summer morning. Today and next Saturday will be the busiest of the year. It will be difficult to drive, park, get into stores, restaurants, etc.

Past evacuations have gone relatively smoothly because it is usually not all at once. However if a storm played out quickly, or changed course abruptly, it could be worse.

 

[SlowMovin]

Very typical. It's been going on since Memorial Day and will continue through Labor Day.

By the way--starting around 2 pm southbound becomes just as bad as northbound had been earlier.

 

[jwf67]

Today the places that bogged down on 331 were in defuniak springs where the lanes merge just beyond I -10 overpass and in Freeport area where state road 20 crosses 331 and the lanes again go back to 2 from 4 lanes. Not too bad though from the Birmingham area, 4.5 hours and did the speed limit the whole time. We left at 9:30 and pulled in to seagrove at 2:00. Memorial day weekend however was a 5 hour extravaganza.

 

[Paula]

All the more reason for people who aren't tied to the school year calendar to come down in the fall, winter and spring. Would love to see more people enjoy the fall here. Mid August and September are like the summer but not crowded at all. You can still enjoy the warm pool and ocean water, and the rental rates are so much lower. August is our favorite time of year to be at the cottages, and we'll try a bit of September, too, this year.

The few times we were there in peak summer, our scheduled went like this - porch in the early morning, pool in the late morning, nap in the afternoon, dinner on the porch, beach for sunset, then back to the porch and pool. We don't need to drive anywhere except to get groceries and we do that very early in the morning. We fly in, so we just have to get from Panama City Beach Airport to the cottages.

 

[Zebraspots]

Many owners now rent out their places for $$ during the hot and crowded summer, then enjoy the months before and after themselves.

The "off season" has all but disappeared.

 

[kwalsh0001]

Tsk, tsk--Paula and Z-spots......

"Us locals" have been telling the tourists that the SoWal temps PLUMMET right after Labor Day, and that the Gulf becomes clogged with seagrass and jellyfish..... PLEASE don't ruin it for us, by telling readers just how beautiful the Fall can be here!!!

 

[FoX]

:roll:

 

[Paula]

You're absolutely correct. That was my evil twin who had a lapse in judgment talking. SoWal in the fall is boring. September is when SoWallers break out their winter parkas and uggs. 'nough said and my lips are forever sealed...