New Beltway Connector Could Link I-10, North Escambia, Santa Rosa

August 10, 2012

Escambia County is making new I-10 exit in Beulah a priority — an exit that is part of an overall plan that could greatly change the landscape of some parts of North Escambia.

The exit would serve a northern “beltway” connector proposed from North Escambia to Santa Rosa County.  The beltway would begin at I-10 somewhere in the Beulah area and extend north to intersect with Highway 29 in the vicinity of Quintette Road and continue into Santa Rosa County.

The project is planned with present and future growth in mind. It will serve as a hurricane evacuation route and is expected to enhance economic opportunities in Escambia County.

Any construction would be years away; the project must first receive funding.

Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission make the project a priority with the FL-AL and Northwest Florida Regional Transportation planning organizations.

Pictured top: A proposed beltway connector between Escambia and Santa Rosa counties is depicted in red on this map. NorthEscambia.com graphic.

Comments

42 Responses to “New Beltway Connector Could Link I-10, North Escambia, Santa Rosa”

  1. J W on November 27th, 2012 9:11 am

    Not a bad idea. If they did this and then just extended I-110 to 9 mile road instead of taking it all the way to I-65 I could see how this would work. Maybe even just extend it to the new beltway. It would be great for the growth of the north end of the county.

  2. 2 cents on August 14th, 2012 12:55 pm

    I did not read all the comments. Everyone needs to look at who has been buying all this propety up. It is funny how some people just start buying property before anyone knows of this projects. I still think the best idea is to extend I110 to 65 then you can branch off it to Pace and I10.

  3. Open Mind on August 12th, 2012 12:41 am

    First off, for the people who say bring in the jobs, then build the road; that just cant happen. Any business leader will tell you, it looks at a few tings when picking a location. 1. Police and Fire protection 2. population in area and surround areas. 3. and transportation. Alot of businesses wont even look at northern pensacola because the lack of quality fire protection and road ways for easy travel for workers and commerce. Its 2012 not 1812. You guys complain of no jobs. But complain when you get a chance for a little bit of infrustructue. Think of all the jobs it would make just to build the road. and with roads come businesses. You cant have your cake (open county and wood) and eat it too (more jobs with no source)

  4. Lisa McCann on August 11th, 2012 5:35 am

    Obama can’t take what he don’t about, years ago, people didn’t register guns.

  5. 1917 Enfield on August 11th, 2012 12:10 am

    At Lisa McCann: I’m not sure I got the complete translation of your comment…but it is a moot point. Prez Obama will have taken your guns and ammo long before this roadway opens up.

  6. Lisa McCann on August 10th, 2012 9:39 pm

    Pete, us small minded country folk are looking out for ourselves & you. For example: your driving on the beltway, in the middle of our shooting range& our huntin woods,thats right I said huntin not hunting,& we shoot & it hits you, the bullet on accident ? you gon b crying & praying to our GOD. Imagine that. Be careful what you say cause let me tell you something my friend everybody cries out to GOD,especially sinners on their way out.Some of us country folk is really not gonna worry ourselves over this article, chicks aint hatched yet. I could say more but i’m not. Nuff said, I think you might get the picture now.

  7. Dana on August 10th, 2012 7:45 pm

    They need to four lane 9 mile road out to Beulah first and have had the right of way for years. This area is not know for moving fast on transportation projects.

  8. Tom on August 10th, 2012 7:31 pm

    This is stupid ! Why not take I110 to I65 . It would make a great commercr rought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. To bama on August 10th, 2012 6:44 pm

    I agree with you. NARROW MINDEDNESS is why nothing ever gets built! You have to have these infrastructurs like roads and easy acesss to the interstate to bring in commerce. Maybe then you wouldn’t have to live in escambia county and drive to Alabama to work. I live in the prurposed area now and would welcome the project and development that will follow. Look at Navy Federal., they are already expanding to another 300 jobs!

  10. Wharf Rat on August 10th, 2012 6:31 pm

    Don’t buy any stock in this project. If the “future projects and planning,” are approached with the speed of four-laning nine mile road between US 29 and I-10 is an indication…after all, this work has been studied for over 30 years. And the right-of-way is vacant, except for some pretty old, as in neat, oak trees.

  11. C.O. Jones on August 10th, 2012 2:53 pm

    With the Foley Beach Exp. in the process of being connected directly to I-10, we also need to make it quicker to travel thru the only areas that have room to grow in our area. Beulah, and North Escambia will continue to expand in the coming years. Learn from the past, try some city PLANNING as opposed to REACTING.

  12. Rob on August 10th, 2012 2:42 pm

    Oh, I thought they had already made it a priority, didnt know that was new.

  13. William on August 10th, 2012 2:31 pm

    >>Im not even sure what the purpose of this article was really. Nothing has changed, this plan has been in the works for years.

    The Escambia County Commission passed a resolution making the project a priority at their meeting just last night. That was the purpose and timeliness of the story.

  14. Rob on August 10th, 2012 2:26 pm

    I live in the area off on Neal Road. I like the plan as well. It will make it much faster to travel out of Cantonment.

    Im not even sure what the purpose of this article was really. Nothing has changed, this plan has been in the works for years.

  15. E. Taylor on August 10th, 2012 1:47 pm

    I live off Muscogee, I like the plan.

  16. jeeperman on August 10th, 2012 1:42 pm

    Now show us where that gigantic development has been proposed by many of the local area movers and shakers.
    The one that is envisioned to be it’s own town.
    If I recall correctly it is right in the middle of that Beulah Triangle of I-10/Muskogee/Nine Mile and Hwy 29.
    What better way to get your traffic infrastructure built and paid for than by taxpayers.

  17. Kelley Williams on August 10th, 2012 1:32 pm

    This sounds like to me the same idea for the garcon point bridge, nobody uses it and what a waste of money, bring jobs in first and let us improve Escambia county and the crime rate before we build more roads just for people to leave town on.

  18. alice harris on August 10th, 2012 12:08 pm

    This road will enrich some people and destroy the nature and character of the rural areas. Suburban sprawl will be the result.

  19. Ray on August 10th, 2012 11:38 am

    Thank you Pete I couldn’t have said it better myself.

  20. could be worse on August 10th, 2012 11:12 am

    They could be planning to spend millons on some no name road in the far north end.

  21. TO: Pete on August 10th, 2012 8:31 am on August 10th, 2012 10:41 am

    There are NO JOBS in Pensacola either. That is why I live in Escambia County (FL) and drive Mon-Fri to Butler County (AL) for work. You talk about “All of these small minded kountry folks” if it were not for these exact people that you belittle you would not have food on your CITY table. Need to stop and think about what people just like you are doing to this country–the whole country!
    Think about this, the next time you or a person close to you goes to the hospital – it just may be one “of these small minded kountry folks” that takes care of your Mouth-opening, non-thinking self.
    Again, the next time you drive North on Hwy 29, your vehicle could break down, have a flat, etc it may be one “of these small minded kountry folks” that stops and helps you out because that is what we are taught. Where you know who you friends are and you do not have to worry about who to call to help because it is never too far for them to come.

    GOD BLESS THOSE GUN & BIBLE CARRYING COUNTRY FOLKS at the north end of Escambia County!!

    PROUD Citizen of NORTH Escambia County

  22. bama54 on August 10th, 2012 10:38 am

    Poor pitifully me it you narrow minded people on this forum can’t see the benefit of this project, then you’re blind, and the north end of the county will never have anything until everyone pulls together!! I for one am tired of not having anything in the north end of the county. We elect county commissioners and they promise us the moon, but when they get into office it is the same ole story (South of 9 mile gets the gravy and the north end get the crumbs).

  23. William on August 10th, 2012 9:46 am

    >>>This drawing reflects the beltway coming into 9 mile at Bridalwood. It was my understanding that the interchange has been moved to Beulah Rd and would basically take out Isaacs Lane. Is that no longer the case..?

    There is no 100-percent location yet….but the latest discussion is the exit location between the weigh station and rest area on I-10. That would basically line up with Bridlewood (again, not for certain).

    The drawing above was the latest I could find; it’s from the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization.

    Studies and public meetings would lead to the eventual creation of actual proposed location sometime in the future — if there’s funding.

  24. BubbaRay on August 10th, 2012 9:31 am

    This drawing reflects the beltway coming into 9 mile at Bridalwood. It was my understanding that the interchange has been moved to Beulah Rd and would basically take out Isaacs Lane. Is that no longer the case..?

  25. Ray on August 10th, 2012 9:27 am

    I agree with you Steve I like the idea of connecting I110 to I65 that makes sents

  26. Sager on August 10th, 2012 9:22 am

    I agree with Steve and all the reasonalble people out there. How does this help the heavier populated areas of escambia county evacuate? A north evacuation route connecting I-110 to I-65 would be more feasible. All this proposal would do is cause a bottleneck at quintette road if you make it that far north. What buisiness would benefit International Paper? I just can’t see the benefit for the people of Pensacola.

  27. Pete on August 10th, 2012 8:31 am

    All of these small minded kountry folks are why we will never expand and grow to attract more real paying jobs to Escambia and Santa Rosa county! Gun ranges might be impacted, that’s the lamest excuse I have heard! No one is going to take your guns and Bibles folks. Just open your mind up to growth and jobs for people who want to have a real career here, if you want to live out in the kountry or in a dying town just move up to Atmore or Brewton, people move out of those towns because there are NO JOBS!

  28. cmt on August 10th, 2012 8:24 am

    The only thing about the plan I like is the on/off ramp at Beulah rd. With all the traffic nowadays I hate even driving to town. An on/off ramp there would save time, gas, and maybe my sanity.

  29. Abe on August 10th, 2012 7:48 am

    I like it!
    My property values will go so high that I can move to the country again.

  30. Steve on August 10th, 2012 7:15 am

    It will serve as a hurricane evacuation route and is expected to enhance economic opportunities in Escambia County,
    HOW WILL IT BE AN EVACUATION ROUT EVERY ONE WILL BE LEVING THE GULF COAST AREA NOT GOING TO THE COAST ???????
    expected to enhance economic opportunities, HOW ?????? JOBS FOR THE ROAD WORK WILL ONLY LAST A SHORT TIME, THEN WHAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, WHY NOT CONNECT I-110 TO I-65 , OR HWY 87 NORTH TO THE EAST SIDE OF Brewton AL TO I-65, THAT WOULD MAKE A GOOD EVACUATION ROUT TO LEAVE THE COAST AREA ???????

  31. deBugger on August 10th, 2012 7:00 am

    I’m with joseph, Chuck, Debra, & CD on this one.

    Keep our rural/suburban area just that.

  32. Queenbee on August 10th, 2012 6:53 am

    It appears that they have decided to cut through the low income area around Muscogee and also Quintette Park area. Easy people to pick on, especially when “promises” are made to get the residents to approve it. That is how all the plants are getting built in that area; promises of jobs, paving their neighborhood roads and adding a park for the children to play in. Never mind the big picture. This will take away any part of country we have left in the north end of Cantonment. We will no longer be considered rural.

  33. Info on August 10th, 2012 6:50 am

    Like it or not, this has been on the table for 10 years and the land owners involved are donating the majority ot ROW to add value to their farm land. The concept was dead due to funding but soon FL will have 2B from BP fines and this money will largely be spent on civil projects, AL will have the same. The road construction business will be very good for a long time. This beltway is one of those; built it they will come concepts. I can’t say I am for it but who knows, it will open up many areas for growth that are now not accessible.

    The apex between Mobile and Pensacola will be benifiting from the ability to spend an almost unlimited amount of money on roads, bridges and community projects with this BP fine money.

  34. Tina on August 10th, 2012 6:40 am

    I heard about this project 13+ years back. Not sure why THEY think its a good idea…. big business or political hogwash… which ever it is. They will force you to sale them your property if it happens you are in the way of their progress. I have not put my heart and soul into grooming my property to make some Fat Cat a drainage ditch or holding pond. It has been so long I had hoped my husband was wrong….. guess not…. people dont let this happen!! Please!!!

  35. Jane on August 10th, 2012 6:07 am

    Seems like a strange way to connect…sort of out of the way and into an area where you have gun ranges, water management areas, etc. that will have to EPA studies done, etc. Why not go from Muscogee Rd. to the east? Besides, what they need is a northern escape route for hurricanes.

  36. 429SCJ on August 10th, 2012 3:17 am

    With 100 million Americans on welfare and the deficit, this pipe nightmare won’t be funded anytime soon.

  37. CD on August 10th, 2012 1:00 am

    All I can think of is “why”? Pensacola is not so big that it needs a beltway for traffic traveling thru this area on I 10.

  38. Debra Murray on August 10th, 2012 12:57 am

    Henry, as a Nature Trail resident, I AGREE!!!

  39. Blues on August 10th, 2012 12:50 am

    Great idea, it will definitely lighten the load on highway 90 when something happens on I-10.

  40. Chuck on August 10th, 2012 12:41 am

    This idea would never work. There are 2 gun ranges right where it would cross the Escambia river.

  41. joseph on August 10th, 2012 12:31 am

    This looks like a terrible idea. They definitely do not need to come out this way because that map makes it look like they are gonna be building it right through my front yard and I dont want interstate traffic ruining my way of living. I live in molino for a reason. Keep the interstate where its at.

  42. Henry Coe on August 10th, 2012 12:26 am

    They should at least connect I-10 to Beulah Rd now. That will take a big load of Landfill traffic off of Nine Mile Rd in all directions. That should be a no brainer. If nothing else, at least make a West Bound Exit ramp off I-10 to Beulah Rd and an entrance Ramp from Beulah Rd to I-10.