Some GOP just don't get it

[Lynnie]

I don't remember saying that.

My point is that the current debacle that is the Mid-bay bridge doesn't need to migrate East. That bridge has turned into an 'authority' that is never going to simply repay the bonds issued and operate within it's original intent.

I guess big government is bad, but big government/private partnership is good?

And, it is sooooooooooo NOT the quickest way to Destin. I only fell for that once.

Toll roads and bridges generally have this issue after the debt is paid: should it then be free? So, the 'authority,' who has salaries to pay, claims they need to maintain the toll for maintenance. In my opinion, Mid Bay Bridge toll is expensive. Ours is still only fifty cent.

 

[beachmouse]

They actually got rid of the toll on the Navarre Beach Bridge after a study came to the conclusion that the only thing the $0.50 toll did was pay for the toll collector. So the question was whether they should up the toll to pay for bridge maitnence or just get rid of it and fold everything into the greater Santa Rosa County road budget, and they went with the remove the toll booths options.

Which actually makes sense in terms of developing beach businesses because, while the real cost of the toll was marginal and could be shaken out of pretty much anyone's floor mats if need be, there's still the mental barrier of having to pay to go out to the beach and eat dinner, swim, etc which probably did discourage a few people here and there.

 

[poppy]

I guess liberals can be vague too. These goals are from John Kerry's PAC.

About Us | Campaign for Our Country

Does the source change your mind Poppy?

WTF? Who is touting John Kerry's PAC as an answer to the country's problems, certainly not me.

 

[BeachSiO2]

If it's a private toll bridge, private funds would foot the bill. Why would federal money be involved?

My point was that without federal earmarks, this will have to be a toll bridge. Typically, a toll bridge has been a non-starter for most people while almost everyone believes it needs to be done as quick as possible. If a segment of the local population is going to argue against federal earmarks but for a quick bridge fix, then they need to start getting the toll bridge idea moving forward. You can't have it both ways- no earmarks and a 4-lane bridge. At least not if you want it done anytime soon.

 

[Matt J]

While spending a couple of days in Tallahassee this year or last, and House member from Pensacola asked our delegation what we thought of a toll bridge for 331. After expressing opposition, personally, he advised me that representatives from Walton County had been there discussing it. Whether it was the private group or someone from our local elected contingent I do not know, but it has been discussed in Tallahassess. Still does not change my opposition to earmarks and this is infrastructure improvements and should be based on merit not on politics.

Great, when will the earmark be done?

Walton County is dead last in the state for evacuation time.
32459 is consistently listed as one of the richest zip codes in the country (all these rich people are paying the bulk of the taxes right?).

Can we have our 4 lane bridge now?

 

[idlewind]

My point was that without federal earmarks, this will have to be a toll bridge. Typically, a toll bridge has been a non-starter for most people while almost everyone believes it needs to be done as quick as possible. If a segment of the local population is going to argue against federal earmarks but for a quick bridge fix, then they need to start getting the toll bridge idea moving forward. You can't have it both ways- no earmarks and a 4-lane bridge. At least not if you want it done anytime soon.

There is a difference between an earmark and a legitimate infrastructure expenditure. I firmly believe if transportation funds were awarded based on need then SoWal would have our four lane route to I-10, including the bridge. But influential senators and representatives appropriate those dollars to unneeded projects in order to buy votes.

 

[BeachSiO2]

There is a difference between an earmark and a legitimate infrastructure expenditure. I firmly believe if transportation funds were awarded based on need then SoWal would have our four lane route to I-10, including the bridge. But influential senators and representatives appropriate those dollars to unneeded projects in order to buy votes.

And what metrics would you use to decide which infrastructure projects are appropriate? Who would make that decision? Would it be done behind closed doors by an administration official or through hearings in Congress? I don't know if the the bridge is even number one on the local TPO list, which means we can't even convince our local area it's the most important transportation project.

IMO, the wholesale "ban earmarks" discussion is throwing the baby out with the bathwater as I don't believe people really want all of the appropriations decisions being made by the executive branch. It would become the least transparent option and the most damaging to medium and small communities.

Keep in mind that at the end of the day, someone in DC has to oversee the expenditures. If you worked for a federal agency, would you want to manage 10 projects for a billion dollars or 100 projects for a billion dollars. I would be willing to bet that the approach by the agencies would be like they were in 2007, they would fund fewer projects with more dollars. This approach would almost certainly leave Walton County out.

 

[Kurt]

Looks like an expressway is being built around Niceville connecting mid bay bridge and 285?

 

[Rita]

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Thank you Beachsand! It is interesting to find out how these things work.



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[beachmouse]

And what metrics would you use to decide which infrastructure projects are appropriate? Who would make that decision?

BRAC actually manages to work fairly well when you've got a specialist, time-limited group asked to provide an 'all up or all down' sort of list in order to try to make a specific process less packed with pork & entitlements. And they get pretty nit-picky down to relocation of groups of fewer than 20 people. Not sure how well that same structure would work with highway and mass transit money though.

Looks like an expressway is being built around Niceville connecting mid bay bridge and 285?

Instead of, like, actually paying down the bridge debt, the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority is using revenue from the bridge to secure bonds for an auxilliary toll road that IMO just doesn't make sense from a revenue standpoint. I can actually understand the logic behind moving the bridge access road eastward to Seminole in order for it to make easier for local traffic to get down White Point Road, but I really don't think that enough of the people who commute southward from Crestview on the MBB are going to think it's worth the extra money to be able to bypass Niceville proper on the way to the beach areas.

And I'm annoyed by the extended project because I think they're going to end up raising bridge fares again in order to effectively subsidize a Niceville bypass that doesn't live up to the revenue projections they used to get bond funding.