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Highway 29, Highway 97 Traffic Light Due By Year’s End
November 9, 2014
Plans were complete months ago and Escambia County made a deposit of just over a quarter of a million dollars for the Florida Department of Transportation to install a new traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino.
In October 2013, 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 intersection. A Florida Department of Transportation study determined the intersection did meet the criteria for the light, with an agreement in place that FDOT would design and construct the upgrades with Escambia County paying for the construction.
FDOT has completed the design phase and determined that Escambia County’s estimated cost for construction was an estimated $265,400 for mast arms and signals at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97. The Escambia County Commission approved payment last August, with the payment made October 29.
Friday afternoon, moments after two Northview High School students were badly injured in a two vehicle collision at the intersection [read more], Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said FDOT was due to start construction by early October with a completion date by the end of the year. He said Friday afternoon that he did not know why the state had not started work.
A redesign of the Crabtree Church Road intersection with Highway 97, which is just feet from Highway 29, also also expected to take place as separate project.
Saturday night, the intersection was the scene of another accident, this one involving an Escambia County deputy and a passenger vehicle [read more]. There were no injuries in the crash.
Pictured top: Firefighters use the Jaws of Life to free a passenger in a vehicle (pictured inset) involved in a Friday afternoon collision at Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino. Pictured below: A vehicle involved in a Saturday night wreck at the intersection. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
12 Responses to “Highway 29, Highway 97 Traffic Light Due By Year’s End”
I agree with Walnut Hill Roy. He is right on point. Accidents are preceded by a series of events leading up to the accident. For example, speeding on 97, passing over yellow lines, tailgaiting, cell phones, etc. then when they reach 29….more disregard for traffic rules then BOOM … another wreck on 97. As Walnut Hill Roy has stated…cars turning left on Crabtree after a traffic light is installed is going to create more serious accidents along with the speeders southbound on 29 who will be running the redlight will most likely contribute to more serious accidents.
The time and costs are called “make work” in government talk.
If the government workers could visit the site and say yes or no, and use similar designs used at other intersections, there would be less government workers.
Hence as a government worker, you drag your feet and rack up hours and make changes for nothing.
To insure your job.
Here’s a thought…pay attention, look both ways, and stop pulling out in front of people. I’m just curious now of how many people are going to get rear ended on 29 from people running 70+ mph and coming up on a new red light. We shall see.
Putting a no turn on red sign will not help because people now a days think they are above the law and don’t have to follow the signs posted. I have witnessed so many people turning left at intersections that have a red light for the turn lane. People are in to big of a hurry to get somewhere that they don’t think of the consequences of there actions by breaking the law. Then if they do get caught they rant and rage of how unfair they shouldn’t have gotten action ticket then blame the police. Whatever people grow up and follow the rules. Prayers for the kids involved in the wreck.
I know there are many factors that I am completely unaware of that are involved with traffic studies and installation of traffic signals. But how can this cost a quarter million dollars? I know bureaucracies are expensive but this seems excessive.
Good thought EMD, maybe it will work better than the one that says STOP.
My thoughts and prayers to the families affected by these wrecks, right here at the holiday season. Regardless of fault.
I also hope a red light and road restructuring saves lives. We are growing much to fast as an area to support the current design.
Why would you have a no right turn on red when you have a dedicated lane in which to accelerate from 97 south, onto 29 south? One problem they have now is hardly no one uses it and pulls directly into the southbound lane of 29. No light will stop all accidents, but one here will help significantly.
Will need sign that says, “No right turns on red.”
Many thanks to Mr. Newsome for his role in getting this light.
I pray this light is installed soon before more people are injured!
A redesign of the Crabtree Church Road intersection with Highway 97, which is just feet from Highway 29, also also expected to take place as separate project.
Until they move the entrance to Crabtree Church Road (CCR) away from the area where it now intersects route 97 they are just playing games by installing the traffic light. It will only take one vehicle trying to turn left onto CCR against all of the stopped traffic on southbound route 97 to stop all of the left turn vehicles. The accidents will get worse, not better. I hope that I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.