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FDOT Calls For Traffic Light, Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Intersection Redesign
December 23, 2013
The Florida Department of Transportation is recommending multiple change at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino — including a red light and redesign of a portion of the intersection.
According to James Barfield, District 3 secretary for FDOT, a full study of the intersection has concluded that a traffic signal be installed. The study also found that intersection should be redesigned to eliminate the “5-leg intersection configuration” caused by a driveway connection to the Tom Thumb by a combination of strong access control at the driveway connection and a reduction of the existing median opening width.
In October, the Escambia County Commission affirmed its support for improvements at the intersection and expressed a willingness for the county to pay for the red light at the Highway 29 and Highway 97 intersection.
The Florida DOT, Barfield said in an email, will begin the process to implement the recommend improvements. There is no timetable for completion.
The move came after residents of the all residential northern stretch of Highway 95A from Highway 29 to Highway 97 unsuccessful pushed commissioners to enforce a truck ban on that portion of Highway 95A. Trucks currently turn south on Highway 95A at Highway 29 to avoid the Highway 29 and Highway 97 intersection altogether over safety concerns.
“This is great news for the safety of the residents and commuters of Escambia County. It is an example of multiple municipalities and agencies working together for the good of the citizens. Assistant Escambia County Administrator Larry Newsom, and Colby Brown, director of Escambia Traffic and Transportation, worked closely and cooperatively with the professionals in the District 3 Florida Department of Transportation office in Chipley, headed by District Secretary Tommy Barfield,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steve Barry said.
Barry said Sen. Greg Evers, Rep. Clay Ingram, Rep. Doug Broxson, Rep. Mike Hill, Rep. Matt Gaetz and Senate President Don Gaetz also advocated for the DOT to make safety improvements at the intersection.
Pictured: Traffic crashes at the Highway 29 and Highway 97 intersection in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
29 Responses to “FDOT Calls For Traffic Light, Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Intersection Redesign”
I’ve said that intersection would be the death of me someday! It IS a very busy intersection for Molino and then pile on the inconsiderate drivers…. that’s kind of scary. Yeah for the light!!!
Will the new design stop vehicles, especially big trucks leaving TomThumb parking lot, heading north and they come across 29 south bound lanes stop in part of the lanes and the left turn lane that was designed for drivers heading north that have to turn from 29 onto 97? These irresponsible drivers stop until north bound traffic permits them to get into north lanes. This creates a dangerous situation for drivers traveling south, north, and those trying to exit 29 onto 97. Irresponsible drivers are also using the left turning lane to exit from 29 to Tom Thumb keeping traffic from exiting onto 97.
@ Walnut Hill Roy-”faster drivers attempt to pass slower ones in no passing zones. The older drivers who do 45 MPH on that road are going to get others killed.”
So it’s the older drivers doing under the speed limit that are killing people. Not the faster drivers attempting to pass in the no passing zones?
Did that really make since to you?
@ Kay Campbell ~ I live off 95a and have no problem with the trucks using this road. I do have a problem with the rate of speed that your drivers, and other truckers, travel on this road. They consistently speed and pass vehicles that are doing the speed limit and some that exceed it. I have seen your posts in the past about your company, but felt I had to respond today, especially after seeing how concerned you are for the safety of our community. Please speak to your drivers about obeying the posted speed limits. Thanks.
I always have my turn signal on, well ahead of where I turn. The problem is not the trucks, the problem is the trucks SPEEDING and not slowing down when they see someone turning. I have seen trucks run off the road on 95A into people’s yards.
Excuse me, I meant to say ” you need to go to the hardware store and buy you a new sign for your home.” By the way I am a CDL driver and most people in little vehicles never look twice for a big truck. They think we can stop or swerve on a dime.
Boy this funny. I have lived in Molino for over 36 yrs. and never had a issue at this intersection. These big trucks have been runnin up and down these roads for 50 yrs. and now all of the people that have moved to Molino in the past 5 to 10 yrs. want a redlight. Maybe u need to the hardware store and get you a new sign for your home. Or better yet, pay attention, sorry just my thoughts.
The answer isn’t a traffic light at every intersection…Local drivers just need to educate themselves better. I see idiots on these roads everyday that have defective equipment, bad tires, etc etc etc going 80 in the rain in a 40 mph zone…The list goes on and on and on but our drivers are the problem.
@ Ms. Campbell: While your trucks may not be trying to keep from being stopped on 29, I have seen trucks go pass Quintette Rd. and go on to the mill. I am a strong supporter of “good drivers” and well understand the problems they face. I also know that most accidents involving 18 wheelers is the fault of a driver in a car or pick-up. I hope you will admit that the “cow boy drivers” give all drivers a bad rap. When some of the drivers started putting what looked like a set of teeth in the grill shell of their trucks — it set the reputation for other drivers back. Wishing a safe year for you and your drivers.
It’s about time,yeah.I have lived here all of my life and have complained about that intersection,it is very dangerous
Trucks going down the very roads they payed for & helped build, now being targeted by the crybabies that purchased homes on that road . The trucks were there first. When the route needs repaving, use your own car trunks to haul the materials!!! Think i’ll contact Mr. Robertson, “Phil” that is, & get his point of view. You can never make everybody happy, happy, happy!!!!!
@ Henry Coe & Molino Jim…….My family owns a trucking company that sits at Quintette Rd. & 95A and I have campaigned for that traffic light for the safety of our drivers and the people of my community. It is NOT about dodging the DOT, believe me they stay on 95A. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE……when our trucks are headed south on Hwy. 29 and they stop to turn left onto Hwy. 97 , our trucks block the view of the northbound traffic trying to turn to go towards Atmore , which makes for a dangerous situation. Safety is our #1 concern , and should be everyone else’s. And last but not least….since 2008 when we relocated to the Quintette / 95A location we have been traveling Hwy.29 to Hwy 95A without incident , but the residents on the north end of 95A do not want trucks going by their houses. So their county commissioner is doing everything possible to make them happy. And one more thing Mr. Coe…..there is no stop sign at 97 & 95A it is a yield sign, so no one has to stop. Most people commenting on this must not be familiar with this area!!!
No matter which direction a person is traveling this ia a VERY dangerous intersection.
School busses loaded with precious children have to cross this intersection morning and afternoon. It is a miracle that a terrible bus wreck has not happened
Thank the Lord for excellent bus drivers.
The sooner the light is installed , the better. It cannot be any more hazardous than it is now.
Good! I pass their 2 to 3 times a day. We need a stop sign!
Good, glad DOT studied it and is doing something about it.This is a longshot but I wish passenger TRAINS would run again on the existing tracks.
Traffic signals don’t magically correct years of bad habits behind the wheel. This will make a few people happy, but it won’t stop idiots from being idiots.
I agree. A traffic signal is DECADES overdue at that intersection!
I went thru there twice this morning, a northbound semi turned onto 97 as I crossed 29 to go to old Molino. No problems at all. A traffic light will not fix BONEHEAD ACTIVITY!!!!!!!!!
“A combination of strong access control at the (Tom Thumb) driveway connection and a reduction of the existing median opening width.” This alone will go a long way to correcting the main issue. Its beyond me why someone would think its OK to turn left out of the Tom Thumb across Hwy 29.
@ Henry and some others. Some of the trucks trying to take 95-A are concerned about a DOT stop on 29 just south of the produce stand.
You can argue all day about drivers paying attention, not speeding, and not turning in front of traffic. With that rationale there would be no traffic lights anywhere. It does not change the fact that this intersection has a high rate of traffic crashes. The left turn onto SR 97 from US 29 is a long sweeping turn and many misjudge it. I think it will be of great benefit to have a redesigned intersection with a red light. This coming from someone that works crashes at that intersection on a weekly basis.
I cross that intersection 3 times a day & we have needed a red light there for years. unless you cross that intersection you have no clue what you are talking about. we have the school with busses trying to cross & my daughter is on 1 of them. sometimes they have to sit there way to long to cross the highway.
This intersection scares me no matter which direction I am going. When you are going straight, from 97, you can’t see anything if someone is beside you waiting to turn right. They can’t see if anything is coming from their left. I have never understood why they made that intersection like that anyway. So glad it’s going to be made safer.
I’ve said it many times before, now we’ll see, A red light at 29 & 97 will cause accidents further up 97 as faster drivers attempt to pass slower ones in no passing zones. The older drivers who do 45 MPH on that road are going to get others killed.
if people would watch what their doing an the other drivers on the road (maybe stop,look an listen ) then we wouldn’t need a red light. but there are just too many people in a hurry these days. an the laws about texting while driving,wearing your seat belt, drinking an driving, an no cell phone use while driving no law should have to be made it is common sense not to do these things while driving. but people do them anyway. so maybe if people would think before they act there would less death on our roads.
it’s about time!! I thought someone important or their children had to die there before this happened in my life time.
It’s called a “Turn Signal”…try it, you may save someone’s life…possibly your own.
With big trucks driving too fast on 95A if you need to turn and you are in front of them you are risking your life because they do NOT slow down. I have almost been hit twice when I needed to turn onto a road from 95A. They need to slow down.
The intersection at 97 and 29 is bad. There are accidents there all the time. People going north and south are going too fast, people trying to cross or turn onto 29 get hit because there is just too much traffic going in too many directions there. No matter how careful you are there is always someone who is in a hurry. I hope they hurry up and put in a traffic light!
“Trucks currently turn south on Highway 95A to avoid the Highway 29 and Highway 97 intersection altogether over safety concerns”
I totally don’t understand that quote.
I could understand that trucks turn south on 95A because that is a shorter path to Quitntette Rd than going through the intersection of 97 & 29 where they would also have to stop at a stop sign at 97 & 95A in order to get on 95A, but to suggect they turn down 95A for reasons of safety, that’s hogwash. It’s a shorter path and they avoid a stop sign by taking that path.
It probably is safer, but that’s not why they would go that route.
With this change to keep trucks off of Hwy 95a, the county is going to need to spend money improving Quintette Rd from 95A to Hwy 29 and they are going to need to install a light at Quintette Rd & Hwy 29