Readers Ask: What’s Happened To Jacks Branch Road Paving Project?

September 29, 2014

A project to widen and resurface Jacks Branch Road from Muscogee Road to Barrineau Park road started a year ago. But following the April flood and into the summer, most of the work on the project seemed to stop, according to area residents.

“It’s been so long that some of the driveways and other work will have to be redone due to washout, and it’s really looking bad with the trash and overgrowth,” one resident wrote to NorthEscambia.com. “I am just really curious as to what happened to the project and would like it to get moving again so our roads can get cleaned up. They are truly a mess.”

NorthEscambia.com posed the question to county officials, and we learned the contractor, Roads, Inc., is now back on the project:

“The contractor is on site working on forming and pouring the mitered end sections for the driveways,” Senior Project Coordinator Elizabeth Bush of the Escambia County Public Works Department, Engineering Division. “The contractor did some widening a couple weeks ago on the north end of the project and they should be back clipping the shoulders for widening in a couple weeks.”

After drainage structures are replaced under residential driveways to meet current safety standards, the construction team will focus efforts on widening the shoulders of the roadway. Once widened, the road will then be resurfaced, according to Escambia County.

The $2.6 million construction project is funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and is managed by Escambia County. The expected completion date of the project is November 28, 2014.

Have a problem or concern you want NorthEscambia.com to investigate? Email news@northescambia.com today.

Pictured top, inset and below: Washouts and damaged construction work along  Jacks Branch Road. Pictured middle bottom: A driveway that’s been repaired multiple times along Jacks Branch Road. Pictured bottom: A construction debris pile in place so long that weeds are growing out of it. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.


Comments

25 Responses to “Readers Ask: What’s Happened To Jacks Branch Road Paving Project?”

  1. g on October 21st, 2014 8:17 am

    nice week for road work

  2. greg on October 15th, 2014 7:51 am

    still no work . whats up with that?

  3. Frankie L. Lewis Jr. on October 2nd, 2014 9:30 pm

    you never see more than 4 people working at a time.foe at least 2 months there was no work done.but they did resurfaces the road in front of the elite and those with money.the good ole boy system alive and well.

  4. g on October 2nd, 2014 12:32 pm

    Projects in this county are still a bidding process. Anyone who thinks a contractor is handed work with out a sealed bid are misinformed. Tell the people all over the county who couldn’t even get their cars in their neighborhood because of the giant sinkholes and the roads washing out that that your landscaping if more important than the safety of their families.

  5. well on October 1st, 2014 9:16 pm

    Lots of extra came as a result of the April rains. All local contractors moved to emergency work and are slowly making it back to the work they already had, important but not considered emergency.
    For those upset with Roads Inc. you can feel better knowing Panhandle has Barrineau Park road.

    @me, I think it should possibly be poor poor pitiful me.

  6. Pcolasunshine on October 1st, 2014 5:45 pm

    I am a home owner on Jacks Branch as well. I have to look at this mess they created daily! They abondoned this project to go do another job they started without completing. Not weather! If you’ve been an Escambia county resident for any amount of time you’ve seen this vicious cycle time and time again. The reason our county continues to hire ONLY Roads, Inc Is due to the “Good ‘Ole Boy” system! Yes, this exist! When it comes time to vote just remember what a great job our county commissioner, Steven Barry did for us!!!
    As far as the speed limit goes, I have never seen it enforced! Any given evening 7pm and on the normal speed is 70+!!! I’m sure all the home owners on Jacks Branch would like to see some “reminders” given!!!

  7. Home Owner on October 1st, 2014 10:45 am

    I also live on Jack’s Branch Road. I, along with the rest of the residents, I agree. This has been going on long enough. My drive way is completely destroyed. We can’t even mow the area. Weeds growing tall and the ditch is torn up by the machinery driving in it. Afraid snakes may be living in the muddy ditch with tall weeds and checking the mail is a chore! I see where they did some paving on the north end of the road, but if that’s ALL they are going to widen it… then the county is wasting their money. It needs to be widened more thank two and 1/2 feet on each side. Some people just don’t get it!

  8. ECSO Deputy on October 1st, 2014 10:37 am

    Yes the posted speed is the speed limit. When workers are present the fine doubles. Please drive safe.

  9. Becky on September 30th, 2014 2:41 pm

    Is the speed limit still 35mph when they’re not doing construction? Thats a long ways to go considering their hardly ever working on it. It seems like the cops kinda ride your tail if you go under 45.

  10. Reen on September 30th, 2014 9:33 am

    It doesn’t matter who gets the contract it takes time, a lot of factors are involved (weather being the major one) to me my place will never look as nice as it did before Panhandle widened, resurfaced and fixed the drainage in front of my home. To them it looks like a major improvement, to me not so much.

  11. danielle on September 30th, 2014 7:41 am

    Maybe Roads Inc can come clean the 5 inches of mud in my driveway!! This project has ruined my yard, my carpets in my house and my car due to the mud in my driveway that collects where my car sits. Theres times I have to climb through the back seat just to get in my car! Ive called and complained and they’ve came out twice to clean this mud up out my yard and then they never came around again until I was in my driveway shoveling it out when they passed by and had to holler at them. Im thinking another call needs to be made.

  12. me on September 29th, 2014 7:29 pm

    Nothing like a threat from one of the “good ole” boys of the south. WOO HOO Posted speed limits WOO HOO

  13. Sage 2 on September 29th, 2014 7:15 pm

    @Me…you should get back on your meds. It’s not the South, as you claim. It’s an attitude that needs to be changed. Greyhound has a bus or two that will assist you to leave the problems behind…and start anew.

  14. JDG Molino on September 29th, 2014 7:06 pm

    @Me
    I guess then go back home.

  15. ECSO Deputy on September 29th, 2014 11:34 am

    Please remember the posted speed limits are 35 and 45. If you can’t remember I will remind you.

  16. Molino resident on September 29th, 2014 10:52 am

    What about the Barrineau Park Road that runs into Alabama over the river? Will they also finish that? It is just a small area of red clay, but it would be sure nice when they get it done. Thank you.

  17. me on September 29th, 2014 10:11 am

    That “good ‘ole boys” thing is the reason why I never got to play any sports and the reason I cant get a job. I hate living in the South. Just because my Dad doesn’t know Billy Bobs Grandpa who went to school with Maggy Sues niece who is friends with Old man Rivers on the North Side of town where Jimmy used to deliver the mail, I cant get a job, wasn’t allowed to try out for football etc. I HATE THE SOUTH!!!

  18. cygie on September 29th, 2014 10:06 am

    @ bartender: How is BP money eligible to fix roads? Did the oil spill travel that far inland?

  19. greg on September 29th, 2014 9:48 am

    They have alot of work to do to be done by the end of Nov. hope we have good weather the next couple of months so that they can complete this project soon . Thanks North Escambia for keeping us updated

  20. Hmm on September 29th, 2014 8:37 am

    I live in this area and they rarely work on the roads. There’s construction material along the sides of the roads but that is it. Just fix it already! It could have been done by now.

  21. Wendell on September 29th, 2014 8:36 am

    If they are waiting to widen the road before resurfacing, how do they explain the 1/2 mile of resurfaced road between Perdido Lake and Vantage? It hasn’t been widened! I think they are full of baloney.

  22. bartender on September 29th, 2014 8:18 am

    if the county would hire another contractor besides the same old one,might get done quicker.they use the same old one and they got so much work in the county they cant get one project done. its a good ole boys again.give some work to other contractors.this work been going on to long anf they always got an excuse why its not done.i live their and its mpnths before they come fix my driveway back just to drive across it. look at rockaway creek road that the county done.terrible road and they wont even fix it like it should be.always said they run out of money,yea right. what happen to fema money and bp money?

  23. Curious reader on September 29th, 2014 6:03 am

    November 28th !!!! That’s great to hear. Thank you William for getting the information.
    When it’s all finished I’m sure it will be very nice and safer.

  24. troubled on September 29th, 2014 4:14 am

    I drive this road everyday and the only time they work on it is when someone complains. They will work for a couple of days then stop work. Or when working, the traffic controllers will Not pay attention. If you drive this road be carefull.

  25. Jane on September 29th, 2014 3:25 am

    That is a terrible mess. I feel sorry for the people who live along this road and those who have to drive on it. The county should be ashamed.