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DeSantis Vetoes $2 Million For Elevated Pedestrian Bridge Over Nine Mile At Beulah Middle School
June 6, 2022
Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed $2 million in state funding from the state budget for a pedestrian bridge over Nine Mile Road at Beulah Middle School.
Local leaders announced last August their plan to work together to seek funding for the walkway, which has a preliminary cost estimate of $3 million. Rep. Michelle Salzman, Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh and Escambia County School Board Member Kevin Adams pledged to seek funding for the project.
Bergosh previously said the elevated walkway will not only be a safety improvement for the school, but also the surrounding community. Along with expanded sidewalk construction on the north and south side of Nine Mile Road near the school, the project would have allowed for increased pedestrian access and connectivity in the growing community.
The District 1 commissioner said last year that he would commit up to $500,000 in D1 Local Option Sales Tax funding over the next few years for sidewalk construction that will be complimented by the walkway.
There are nearly 1,000 students at Beulah Middle School. Currently, a bus transports students to and from the middle school. State statutes specify that two miles within a school is the walk radius. If no “safe path” exists, then busing is required.
The bridge was a proposed 180-foot span with American Disability Act (ADA) accommodations on both sides of the street. The bridge would have been completed in coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation and considered future widening needed for the Nine-Mile Road corridor.
Comments
43 Responses to “DeSantis Vetoes $2 Million For Elevated Pedestrian Bridge Over Nine Mile At Beulah Middle School”
How much being spent on free meals for All ?
Wow! So this is what gets people fired up around here!
I keep reading what if, what if about the people who got hit in front of west Florida hospital by a driver who ran a red light, what if west Florida didn’t make their employees park all the way across the street and provided parking on the property the hospital sits on. Point is no one can plan for every scenario possible.
Mr. Generosity strikes again!
Well of course he did that’s a ridiculous place to build a school!! Is the next school going to be built on the 110, I-10 interchange?? Seems like a planner or two need to be fired.
When was the last time anyone saw a student use the crossover in front of Ferry Pass Elem? Ill stand bye for reply’s.
@Rasheed I misspoke when I referred to the crosswalk in front of the school. I was referring to the raised crossover. It is directly in front of Ferry Pass Elementary. It is actually closer to the medical center clinic side than the hospital. Also, those people were hit because a driver ran a red light and hit them. People are supposed to cross in the crosswalk when they have the signal. The crosswalk is right by the parking lot.
I used the raised crossover to walk over to the school from the clinic and I wasn’t the only person doing so. I am curious to know when it was built. I doubt it was for the hospital. The school is probably over 60 years old. Surely, not costing the tax payers much if anything now.
The school district not only takes the largest portion of our taxes, they also receive lottery money. If it’s only 2 million, surely the school district can pay for it, why is the state responsible for a local middle school? Maybe if it was a state college, trade school, or state charter but a public middle school for Escambia County? FAIL!
@ Emom
The cross walk that was referenced in my comment and again referred to by @statingtheobvious, is the raised walk that is directly in front of the hospital at the middle school, not the pedestrian crossing at the light. Had the individuals used the raised walk they would not have been hit. As you pointed out, in your first comment, it has been there for years and does not get used. It was a waste of taxpayer’s money.
How does something this controversial, expensive and useless (IMO as someone who lives within the magic 2 miles) sail all the way through the budget and only gets stopped by the Governor? Is there no critical thinking anywhere?
@stating the obvious -the people that were hit in front of WFH were using the crosswalk and hit by a car running a red light, which happened constantly when I worked there unless a deputy was posted at that spot with flashing lights.
“Christian leaders” have been preying on kids for decades. Priests, Baptist ministers, Boy scout leaders and on and on. All covered up by those in authority. It would be great if people at least followed the Golden Rule.
Lastly, Disney isn’t trying to indoctrinate your kids! Last year, the far right’s bugaboo was Sesame Street and Dr. Suess.
There are several schools in Escambia County that kids have to cross a major hwy , or there are no sidewalks so kids walk along busy roads.
I know for Bellview Middle School people don’t like to stop for people out there directing traffic. I had one lady that kept yelling at me to come out but yet there were cars coming and not stopping I was almost t- boned several ti
mes. Beulah isn’t the only school with problems, but I don’t think it’s right that Escambia County schools,county employees, city employees, Dr’s, nurses are the lowest paid in the state.
Where’s the lottery money? I thought we needed the lottery for our schools, so where’s the money ey going from that? I know people are still playing and spending big money on it!
I have stood at this school in the morning and afternoon and other schools as well to see how many walkers there actually was, the number is zero. Yes there was walk overs built many years ago, but during that time most families had one vehicle which the father drove to work and the mother was a stay home mom so it was needed. You could sit outside a school or be driving to one and see many kids either walk or riding their bikes. Also check the bike racks out only a handful. This would have been a waste of money to build and maintain. Something else that don’t get used are sidewalks, drive down 9 mile road from 29 to pine forest rd , people walk on the edge of the road day and night when a sidewalk is literally 25 feet away, they will dart through traffic when a crosswalk is only steps away, makes zero sense. When this property was selected to build this school they knew the area was growing at a fast rate probably the fastest in the county so why act so surprised.
@ Mr. Thomas W. Rocheblave
Please refer your comments to East Hill and Downtown Pensacola where you reside.
As said before..people trying to alter a perception from reality is abundant on this forum of such.
You and people like you who are not near Beulah pollute the agenda.
As far as Desantis lining his pockets..did he show you his financial statements at brunch.
Stay classy..not trashy guy.
Shame the devil and tell the truth..if possible!!!
@Mr. Rocheblave, obviously the majority here doesn’t agree with you. Our Governor has Floridian’s best interests at heart. You might want to read up on those things. He has children of his own and he’s not one to “line his pockets” as you say. This administration would have been on that in a heartbeat!
I totally agree that the school could have been built in a much less busy area and why wasn’t the bridge considered to begin with if the area chosen was so great? Sounds to me like the original plan wasn’t such a great one with all they want to add on.
It’s a shame that people who live outside the area are commenting on something that they know NOTHING about!!!!
Bicycles have no reason to use a pedestrian bridge because Bicycles are supposed to follow the same rules as cars, not use pedestrian walk ways!!! Also, no one is walking in this area in numbers that would justify the expense of building and maintaining a pedestrian bridge, it’s also a shame that the governor had to be the one to see the waste, when people in our community have repeatedly said NO to a pedestrian bridge, because it’s NOT needed!!!!!!!
I agree with our Governor! A waste of tax dollars. Just like ALL the sidewalks that are being placed around school areas. Are any studies done to actually see how many are actually using them?? With all the “Helicopter” Parents chauffeuring their kids back and forth to school, I never see anyone/children using these sidewalks. Use these tax dollars for school security.
That governor we have for our state only cares about lining his pockets with tax payers money he does not care about our children’s safety that’s why he vetoed the request for funding for the walkway. I know that if something was to happen to one of the many children who attend the school was to get hurt crossing the road then he would feel guilty for vetoing the request for funding and if it was my son or daughter who got hurt I would sue him and the state for failing our children’s safety.
It’s too lat to consider now, but why in the hell did the School Board build a school on a major hwy to begin with?
Glad Salzman and the bunch didnt advocate for armed security at Florida schools..Im not talking about “A” resource ofiicer either.
That issue TRUMPS the flipping crybaby waste walkover.
AT JAMES…we do not live @ Pcola Beach.
Go home!
I think the issue is that due to needing to cross the road, it’s causing multiple city inefficiencies:
necessity of bussing for kids who normally wouldn’t need it (because that’s a big road / not a safe way to walk to school):
This bussing costs the school board money, and also causes additional traffic, as all cars need to stop at every bus stop until the kids are picked up.
People who do walk from the other side need to cross the main road, causing additional traffic (red lights for pedestrians to cross the road) and a dangerous situation for anybody who needs to cross that road.
Having this bridge will allow the kids within 2 miles to walk or bike like the rest of the kids in the state and country do, and save time and money for everybody (including their own parents who might need to leave to get to work, or atleast save the gas for two extra trips each day) it is also in a location that is proposed to open alleviate allot of pedestrian traffic for other people in the area, not just the students walking to/from school. This would completely eliminate the need for stopping for pedestrian traffic at this road!
Finally, one of the biggest issues i think (my pov): These kids are not that little (they’re middle schoolers, my daughter is in middle school now and my son is slightly older) many commenters here appear to be so over protective of their children that they are responsible for the “dumbing down of America”. I was riding my bike to school in 4th grade, about 1.5 miles each way. Kids need to be taught to not take candy (or rides) from strangers, and to fight like hell if someone was to actually grab them… Which is VERY VERY RARE (but does occasionally happen). Most kidnappings are due to non custodial parents who lost their case in court and not following the judges orders; not some random pedophile snatching your middle schooler (some of those middle schoolers are adult size kids!)
Parents need to teach their kids to safely live their lives in this world, and keeping them isolated from all the dangers until they’re adults is doing the whole community and generation a disservice!
Well, better get those kids to school somehow because apparently nobody knows how to use quantitative data to frame an argument. There are nearly 1,000 students who go to the school, but how many walk to school? The school should have info on walkers, right? Did anyone consider this in the argument? How many more could potentially walk within the two mile radius once the pedestrian bridge is built? How much is currently spent on busing the students annually within the two mile radius? (i.e., comparing current costs to potential future costs?) Anyone? …
Regarding the crosswalk in front of WFH: that crosswalk has been there for over 40 years. Does anyone here know when it was built? If you look at the location, it’s in front of…wait for it…an elementary school.
My opinion is, if the overhead walkway was essential for child safety, the cost should have been factored into the original building budget and whoever got the contract to build the school should have built it.
Yeah, he needs that $2mil to fund voter intimidation with his “state guard” come election time.
Very good job on vetoing something that is not relevant. This money can be used to build up and help the schools in urbanized neighborhoods
A pedestrian bridge is exactly what is needed on P’cola Beach. I’ve been advocating it for several years to ease the inefficient traffic signal. Thousands would use it, remove the pedestrian crosswalks, and improve traffic flow.
BTW, @Russel wreckless and wasteful spending is not predominantly favored by the GOP. Imagine the Disney tax dollars that could be used for this walkway you desperately need that will likely be used as much as the West FL hospital walkway….. Nil. All the hospital personnel use the traffic light crosswalk.
Great call on the part of our awesome governor!! @Russell, spoken like a true leftist there bud. Quite to the contrary, the GOP DOES care about our kids but also has enough common sense to know when to raise the BS sign. Common sense is something that vacated most leftist brains many years ago….when they became “woke”
Russell you should get your facts straight. The GOP has nothing to do with telling you what you can do with our body. Ohhh are you referring to abortion, is 15 weeks not enough time for you? Oh or are you referring to mandated vaccinations? Oh that’s right it was the left doing that. So what you are saying my body my choice only applies to killing unborn kids. Sounds like you’ve been watching to much CNN or watching the wrong paid Tik Tok influencers. js. So spending 3 million on a bridge people would rarely use sound good to you? You truly are a democrat, haha!!
Vote DeSatin out of office
Thank god this was vetoed. Poor planning by the BOCC and county engineers doesn’t mean the state picks up the bill. If you all wanting this crosswalk were so upset about this you’d be down at the county commission meetings demanding they raise your own taxes in Escambia County for this bridge.
How about they raise property and sales tax in Escambia to pay for the bridge? How about a one time fee of $100 to each Escambia homeowner to pay for the bridge?
Watch how fast Russell, cantonment resident complain about having to pay for it.
Trying to boondoggle the public with vaseline didnt work.
Great job Desantis!
I live within 1k feet from that school.
The most exaggerated lie ever told about everything to justify that crossover.
Busses drop the kids off at school..not across the street. See it every day.
Cantonment Resident..donr let the door hit you in the butt…
BTW..my grandchildren live 1/2 mile from the school..AND THEY GET PICKED UP AS THE LAST 5 YEARS BY THE BUS.
AT RUSSELL…
Your fired…we dont need another Goofy or Mickey Mouse here!!!!
I can’t wait to DeSatin out of office .
I still remember how he didn’t help during the unemployment/ pandemic website problems and he cancelled federal funding for Floridians during pandemic.
He seems to enjoy hurting people that are suffering the most
They should provide a bus REGARDLESS. Too many creeps in the world to say “if you live within 2 miles you need to walk.” These are children and are being snatched left and right by pedos. Kids walking to school should not be a thing! Kids are even being snatched at bus stops, but it’s ok for them to walk 2 miles to school? I think not. I’ve never understood this concept of a child walking any distance! My daughter has a year before high school in which is close enough to our home that it is under this rule. Luckily, I can change my work schedule around to be sure she can safely get to school, but not many parents have that luxury.
They should provide a bus REGARDLESS. Too many creeps in the world to say “if you live within 2 miles you need to walk.” These are children and are being snatched left and right by pedos. Kids walking to school should not be a thing. Kids are even being snatched at bus stops, but it’s ok for them to walk 2 miles to school? I think not.
Agree with @Rasheed. The West Florida Hospital one never got used. It attracted homeless people with a few occasional robberies. Still had pedestrians hit because wasn’t used.
@Russell – GOP aren’t trying to control you or your body. Republican Party is about small government control. Democratic Party wants Socialism to control the people. And if you’re worried controlling your body, get some morals. Abortion is murder. If you don’t want a kid, don’t have sex. This country needs to return to Christian morals. If more people raised their kids correctly instead of letting Disney indoctrinate them, most of the problems would improve. It’s the Left pushing the immorality that is ruining this country.
@Cantonment resident – if you don’t like it here, leave it. No one is forcing you to stay. Go on to New York or California where you can get everything you want, probably free as well.
I find it hard to believe they can’t figure out how to raise $3M to build this without raising taxes or getting a grant from the State (which is tax money). A few ideas include:
Incorporating electronic billboards into the design and selling advertising space.
Sell the naming rights to it and have them expire every 10 years so you can sell them again. Could probably sell naming rights to the part going over the road as well as to each end.
See if businesses in that area would be willing to contribute. NFCU being the biggest.
Setup a GoFund Me page and see what you can voluntarily raise from people. Every $100K helps.
Our County Commisioners seem to have no regard for wasting taxpayers money, but at least our Governor does. This project was/is a total waste of money and Gov. Desantis recognized it as such. Simple solution is to let one of the half empty buses that run every day make their last stop across 9 mile road from the school and take any eager students across the road that need to cross. Problem Solved
Our children truly don’t matter to the GOP. They just like to control you and your body but don’t give a damn. We need this elevated walkway for children to safely get to school. Stop playing with Disney and do some good
Good! just like the one at West Florida Hospital it most likely would not have been used enough to justify the cost. With busses and most parents driving their kids to school it would have been a waste of money. If the community feels they need one, then maybe they could have fund raisers and raise the money on their own.
Have there been any accidents, and or close calls, at this location that would point to a need for one?
Poor planning by the District on the school site and BOCC should not push the burden on to the state. Thanks DeSantis for keeping the budget in line.
A shame pedestrians and cyclists lose out again, well this is failure florida after all, keep on encouraging me to pull out of here as soon as I can. You really can’t expect to slap a bandaid on american suburbia anyways. Have fun continuing simping for the oil companies instead of demanding walkable, bikable, human friendly designed communities!
So the buses are dropping kids off on the other side of the road, having them walk across a highway to school? Or are 1000 kids walking to school every day needing bridge access? Has someone died trying to cross the road? I don’t get it… Exactly how many kids or adults would need this bridge on a daily basis? If it is just a couple dozen at best, I don’t blame DeSantis for vetoing the money. This is a time we must quit spending people. This seems like a nice project but not really needed at this time. Wait a couple of years.This money can be used to re-enforce our schools and get proper security in place, that is a much higher priority.