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Escambia Considers Widening 2.16 Miles Of Dangerously Narrow Highway 164; Barry Promises More
April 21, 2024
Escambia County is set to consider a $1.25 million project to widen about 2.16 total miles of dangerously narrow Highway 164 in two locations in what one county commissioner promises is part of the first phase of work.
Highway 164 has been the scene of several near head-on crashes and sideswipes attributed to the narrow roadway. Some of the roadway has approximately 8-foot travel lanes — not wide enough for large vehicles like a fire engine from the nearby McDavid Fire Station (pictured below).
The project would widen Highway 164 to 11-foot wide travel lanes two-thirds of a mile east from Highway 97 and a 1.5 mile stretch that is three-quarters of a mile either side of the Pine Barren Road intersection. (See maps below.) Highway 164 is about 11.5 miles long from Highway 97 to Highway 29.
“I’m excited about the first phase of widening improvements for the most narrow part of Hwy 164,” Barry said. “I promise it’s not the completion of the project, only the first phase including the worst area, and I will keep working diligently to secure the funds needed for additional widening of Highway 164 and for other roads which need these type improvements as well.
On Monday, the Escambia County Commission will vote on awarding a $1,254,955.88 bid to Panhandle Grading and Paving, the lowest lowest, most responsive, and responsible bidder for this project.
According to Escambia County Engineering, the two areas had seven sideswipes and other accidents between May 2018 and May 2023– the highest concentration areas on Highway 164. NorthEscambia.com has covered several other crashes on Highway 164 outside the proposed widening zone — including a fiery two pickup crash last April, and a pickup truck and school bus last year (detailed in photo descriptions below).
If approved, the project will be funded by Local Option Sales Tax funs and is expected to be complete in 150 days.
Pictured above and first below: A near head-on crash in April 2023 on Highway 164 about a mile west of Pine Barren Road — outside the area currently proposed for widening. Pictured second and third photos below: A pickup truck overturned in February 2022 after sideswiping a school bus on Highway 164 1.3 miles east of Pine Barren Road — outside the area currently proposed for widening. Pictured bottom two photos: A school bus and ECUA sanitation truck sideswiped in June 2022 just east of Pine Barren Road — our records do not indicate the exact distance from Pine Barren Road, but it was very near the three-quarter mile mark. NorthEscambia.com photos and graphics, click to enlarge.
Comments
13 Responses to “Escambia Considers Widening 2.16 Miles Of Dangerously Narrow Highway 164; Barry Promises More”
WE PAY THE SAME TAXES AS EVERYONE ELSE IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY AND GET NOTHING IN RETURN. WHY? BEULAH GETS ALL THE GOOD STUFF AND WE GOT THE PAPER MILL AND THE SEWER TREATMENT PLANT. SAD WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE SEPTIC TANKS.
COMMISIONER BARRY STINKS. WHAT HAS HE DONE TO IMPROVE ANY THING IN HIS DISTRICT. SO WHY WOULD WE EXPECT HIM TO DO THE BEST FOR US. HWY. 164 IS MAJOR CUT ACROSS ROAD FROM HWY. 29 TO HWY. 97. YOU MIGHT SAVE MONEY NOW BUT IT WILL COST MORE LATER. JUST DO THE RIGHT THING THE FIRST TIME.
I agree that that all 164 should be paved, my husband hates to travel that road.
Log trucks are running us off the road up here.just a matter of time before another bad wreck.pot holes every where.you vote a man in an he sits up high with a big pay check.remember this voting him in again.if he or his family has a wreck on this road it will all be paved.county has the money just don’t want to spend it up here.what a shame
The county is constantly spending money on wages, fuel and materials to go out and patch the potholes on 164 and I am sure several other HIGHWAYS. This not a road, but a highway with a speed limit of 55. How in the world can you not pave it all? But again, I’m sure there are other highways that need the same. Very dangerous so I hope this gets done from 29 to 97 as well.
WELL, WELL WILL WE EVERY SEE PHASE 2 OF HWY 164? MAYBE IT WILL COME SOMEDAY LIKE THE REST OF HWY 4, IF EVER IT HAPPEH. WE WILL SEE
This sounds great, but “phase 1” is not good enough and we all know the remaining phases will likely never come. This entire road from Hwy 29 to Hwy 97 needs widening and resurfacing. Children travel this road every day to school by buses that can’t safely pass most oncoming vehicles without running off the road deliberately. Log trucks fly up and down and run oncoming vehicles off the road, as do many high school students. The north end is frequently forgotten completely or given “half” a thought… hope this isn’t one more instance. Astronomical amounts of money being spent to widen Hwy 29, again, in Pensacola and reroute the interstate… seems like a waste.
That’s really nice.
Anyone with a memory can remember when they widened Highway 4 by Northview High School as Phase 1 of Highway 4. When do you suppose phase 2 of it will start.
The article states this is just the first phase of what we hope is a complete repaving of the entire road. At least add to the edges on both sides of entire road like they did on 99 with a complete resurface later on. Just don’t wait years on end to finish the project…..like hwy 99. This would help tremendously. It should be against the law to construct a road with such a minimum width in the first place.
Please, please pave this road from hwy 29 to hwy 97. The whole thing is dangerously narrow. I appreciate what is being done but not quite understanding such a small portion of it being done when this rd has had so many bad wrecks and even taken lives. At a minimum from pine barren rd back east to Wilma rd. Basically from hill top to hill top crossing pinebarren creek. Those curves are really bad going down the hill . The picture of the truck upside down in the ditch is in the area but yet there not doing it now. ???? Mr. Barry please continue to push for it. Thank you . Land owner off hwy 164.
Need to widen 4A as a bypass around Century and divert traffic from the foot of the overpass. Encourage traffic to go that way.
At least Barry is looking at roads in his district. That’s a plus.
I live down from oak Grove church. We travel 164 regularly. I’ll take anything at this point. Tired of riding the edge of the road. But I agree entire road needs repaving
Well isn’t that just dandy, appreciate the widening but really is it gonna break the bank to do the whole road? I mean if county representatives travel this road daily as me and my family does they would see why not just the curves need to be widened. When driving you spend more time off the edge of the road just to keep from colliding with others.
Need to widen the entire 64 not just a small portion. 2 full size vehicles can not meet on that road without one or the other having to leave the road, not to mention if you meet a big truck/ trailer or school bus.