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Escambia Beaches Reopen Friday. Here’s What You Need To Know.
April 29, 2020
Here’s what you need to know about the reopening of beaches in Escambia County:
- The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday, April 28, to reopen county public beaches to allow citizens access to all beach activities beginning Friday, May 1
- Public county beaches, including the sound side, Gulf side, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key, will open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset, daily.
- Beaches in the Gulf Islands National Seashore are not open.
- Pavilions, the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier and the area around and under the fishing pier will remain closed.
- Pensacola Gulfside pier will reopen Saturday, May 2 for fishermen only – no pedestrians. Fisherman must maintain six-foot separation.
- Beach bathroom facilities will be closed and portable toilets will be used to maintain social distancing. Hand-washing stations will be provided.
- Dog parks will be reopened and permitted in designated areas.
- Groups are limited to 10 people or fewer. Beach goers should adhere to CDC social distancing measures by keeping a six-foot distance between others who are not in their immediate household.
- The toll on the Bob Sikes Bridge to Pensacola Beach is all-electronic. The new tolling system on the bridge went live on March 20, which was earlier than anticipated to adhere to social distancing for toll booth workers. The toll remains $1, and cash and change are no longer accepted at this location. Motorists can use either SunPass®, another interoperable transponder or be billed utilizing the TOLL-BY-PLATE system. TOLL-BY-PLATE customers will be charged a $1 toll, plus a monthly $2.50 administrative fee and will receive a bill by mail.
“The health of our citizens is our number one priority,” Commission Chairman Steven Barry said Tuesday. “The decision to reopen the beaches came primarily after thorough discussion with our health care professionals, including all three hospitals and probably most importantly, Dr. Lanza’s comments at the board meeting today. We believe, based on the public’s willingness to adhere to CDC guidelines and social distancing measures, that we can successfully open our public beaches and allow citizens to take advantage of this great resource while enjoying all beach activities.”
Comments
26 Responses to “Escambia Beaches Reopen Friday. Here’s What You Need To Know.”
Please remember to take your trash home and respect our nesting wildlife who have enjoyed a human free few weeks.
Super excited about the beaches opening super thankful. However why would an outhouse be the most sanitary option. A septic tank w/a seat on it verses running water. That is the worst idea ever. Can you explain how a bathroom that can be cleaned verses a porta potties that doesn’t get cleaned is a better option. Please help us understand the common sense in this decision?
Miss Chelsea you chose to live at the beach, just like hurricanes deal with it.
The pier opens Saturday with the same hours of operation as the beach. Port-a-potties equal social distancing by nature of the design. Also ridiculous was the amount of taxpayer money spent on lifeguards to man a closed beach for the last several weeks.
We reside at Beach Club Resort &Spa which is on the beach. I would like to know if we can sit on the beach and go swimming in beach. Thank you
Will the beach chairs and umbrellas be out and can we go into water in front of our condo which we live in full time. Thank You
@2 cents
My comments are based on personal experience. I was at the beach in a boat Tuesday, and yes there were people on the sand. People may not be on the gulf side but they are running jet skies Kayaking and boating in the intercoastal and people were on the sand with their children. Last time I checked that is a beach by definition. My comment clearley stated,” maybe not the public one where you would drive to and park but you can get to a beach”. When I make a post it is factual not opinion.
I understand the need to open the beaches for local tourism, but this is a very irresponsible move for the safety of the people that actually live here. This is going to invite a flood of tourists and the irresponsible spring break crowd considering many outside state schools and colleges are out of session. The good that was accomplished with local social distancing and the beaches being closed will soon be lost. Pensacola is still on the rise and this is inviting more spread and likely the start of even more hoarding when the grocery stores are still struggling to keep basic items on the shelves for the locals. Considering last week another Floridian and I encountered a woman from AL who apologized for her overflowing cart of toilet paper in Perdido Key -even staying “we can’t even buy this stuff where I’m from,” as she stock piled her cart.
As someone who lives here permanently, more than anything I wish to get out on the water and enjoy the beaches… but allowing travel of out of state residents to flood the beaches will make it challenging for the rangers managing the crowds, put locals at risk and it will likely keep other locals home to avoid the irresponsible crowds.
More often than not our family is picking up close to a bag or more of trash at the Perdido Key Beach during tourist season. To expect the same population to social distance that can’t even manage to pick up after themselves and keep the beaches clean is a joke. I wish Escambia County would be a bit more responsible for the safety of their residents and slowly open the beaches to residents of the state first and mildly integrated a soft opening before this becomes another Hot Spot for COVID-19.
I would be interested to know how y’all think the portapottys are so much dirtier than the bathrooms.
Same nasty people using them.
Groups from out of state can go and relax on the beach but as a local I can’t fish the pier? How is that fair at all? We are more responsible with social distance than the people on the beach and in the water! Whoever made this decision didn’t think this through! Open the pier and let the locals fish!!!!!!!!!
We need bathroom open. Is Ft. Pickens going to be open?
You’re outside in the wide open, why so many conditions. I agree why close restrooms. I think spending our tax $$ on Porta Johns is ridiculous. OPEN THE BUSINESSES before there are no businesses. For you that think the businesses should not be open don’t have one. If Walmart and convenient stores can be open then so should restaurants.
Does this mean people from out of state can go to the beach as well? I know they were having check points at one time.
Everyone wanted the beaches opened, including me. Be grateful that they opened them instead of complaining about the tolls, the bathrooms not being opened. There are reasons why they can’t open the pavilions. I guess you can’t satisfy everyone. I think they should have opened small businesses first….but just my opinion
Love that 3.50$ fine for occasional beachgoers
Will the bars at the beach be open too?
Just how does opening the beach but not opening the restrooms accomplish anything remotely resembling sanitary conditions? I suggest that those who voted to add the porta potties to the Pensacola Beach environment should participate by actually using said porta potties. We have all been going through these troubling days and the idea of a walk on the beach temporarily lifted my spirits…until I read the part of closed restrooms and ports potties. Highly unsanitary and costly decision, in my opinion.
Make sure you take your trash with you! I sure hope I don’t see gloves and mask on our beach. The supposed sanitized carts at Wal-Mart have mask and gloves in them. So gross!
Clarifying Rasheed’s post, the beaches have been closed to all including beach residents and boaters. If you step on the sand your kicked off of it. Asphalt walking and biking and boating A-OK….but do not try stepping on the sand south of the asphalt….We look forward to using our incredible beautiful beaches once again using common sense separation techniques, thank you Escambia County Coms!
One wonders who will ensure that people aren’t endangering others.
@ Anne,,,, What are you smoking??
The portable toilets sound like a horrible idea. No way those things are going to be sanitized frequently, and I bet over half of the people won’t even use the hand washing stations.
they did not say what would happen to the ones that did not obey the rules??????
should fine them and then restrict them from the beach for a month
The closing of the beaches only affected the local residents who would use the public beaches. If you own a boat you have access to the beach, maybe not the public one where you would drive to and park but you can get to a beach. Also people who own comdos with beach access are still enjoying the beaches. The only ones that are not allowed access are non boat owners who do not own property on the island. Time to stop th insanity and open them back up. When I say open I do mean the facilities as well as the beach. Not portable toilets, they are not fitting for this envirnoment nor are they sanitary.
Everyone enjoy those portable toilets. One in and one out means more touching and possible spreading of the virus even more. But, don’t worry with the electronic toll the state can know who went out there and let them know if they have come into contact with the COVID-19 virus.
Y’all that are going have a lot of FUN and keep all these rules in mind.
Obey the lifeguards and the flag system and be Safe.
We don’t have anything at all to go over to the beach for so will hang close to the homestead and keep making our family stronger.
God Bless us ALL in this mess from that country over there.
USA Strong.