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District 5 Town Hall Discussion Dominated By Roads, Traffic And Growth
August 16, 2022
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry held a District 5 town hall meeting Monday evening in Walnut Hill.
Most of the questions and comments centered around infrastructure issues — roads, traffic and developments.
Several people expressed concerns about the width of Highway 164 where a school bus and ECUA sanitation truck sideswiped mirrors in June and school bus and pickup truck collided last February.
“It’s a very dangerous road,” one citizen remarked, noting that the lanes are about eight feet wide while his pickup truck is 8.5 feet wide plus the mirrors.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Other areas of concern included the school zone at Jim Allen Elementary School, the area of Highway 97 and Crabtree Church Road, and Juniper Street.
One a positive note, one woman stated that a new traffic light at Highway 95A and Old Chemstrand Road is a “delightful” improvement to the traffic situation there.
And, as happens at almost every town hall in Walnut Hill, there were comments about speeding on Highway 97.
Other topics of discussion included concerns about the encroachment of growth and subdivisions in rural and agricultural areas, and growth leading to the need for more space at the Molino Ballpark.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
9 Responses to “District 5 Town Hall Discussion Dominated By Roads, Traffic And Growth”
The commissioners don’t do the work, they manage budget and pass items the staff brings to the agenda. Familiarize your self with the county web site and report to the appropriate department yourselves.
They only employees that have a direct report to the commission is the attorney and the administrator. They are not allowed to direct staff.
Remember to do one thing come election time…send him out to pasture like Valentino.
I made a recent call to this so-called commissioner recently. What did he do? He pawned the problem off to a County division, who did nothing either, and Barry never followed up on it. Your vote is your own personal strength people.
Dear Citizen, If our elected officials were showing good faith/diligence toward issues like road conditions, infrastructure and out of control growth as well as they do their own personal gain, perhaps we wouldn’t have a need to roar. Enough already! Growth is happening too rapidly with little infrastructure being planned and implemented. Our current road system is woefully inadequate for the amount of new developments coming to a neighborhood (too near) you! Not to mention the water systems, schools and other necessary public service facilities that are in dire need. We have needed an extra lane for Jim Allen School for many years, and it has yet to materialize. As most people realize, anything worth doing is worth doing right….a good foundation keeps a building from falling. Same principle for building a county infrastructure; our foundation is weak.
As soon as they sell OLF 8 it will free up LOST for more of these projects. Thanks for Commissioner Barry coming out to hear these concerns. I’m sick of angry people disrespecting leaders in public.
I pray they do something about HWY 4 A and HWY 4 W these roads are so dangerous . You get run off the road a lot because there isn’t enough room now days with all the big pickup trucks. Much less meeting a school bus or a big 18 wheeler. So thankful that I haven’t been pushed off in a gully. Please Steven Barry do something.
“What were the concerns about Crabtree Church Rd. And Highway 97”
The poor design of the intersection
What were the concerns about Crabtree Church Rd. And Highway 97?
He was also asked about why he thought taking a 57% retirement benefit was ok for him to take when so many needs in the county were unfunded.
Comm. Barry tried to rationalize this money grab as “saving money” in the long run for the county. He pretended that spending 57% of his salary inside FRS or outside were the only choices, but of course, taking a more modest percentage outside FRS system would have saved more for the county taxpayer (Even Comm. Bender admits that!) never mind his attempt at a back settlement for his previous years out of the investment plan, when he claims he didn’t know about it (though he voted for and signed paperwork acknowledging the plan but opting into FRS.) That fake “settlement” would have cost more.