FDOT Weekly Traffic Alerts – This Week’s State Road Slowdowns
January 7, 2019
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- · Crary Road Bridge Replacement - Crary Road is closed between Tedder Road and Byrneville Road as crews construct a bridge culvert. Motorists will be detoured via County Road (C.R.) 4 and Byrneville Road.
- · Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek - Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to Pine Barren Road and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will be detoured east on Bratt Road.
- · U.S. 98 (East Chase Street) Resurfacing from North Palafox Street to Bayfront Parkway – There will be paving operations from North Palafox Street to Tarragona Street from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the week of Sunday, Jan. 6.
- · U.S. 98 (Lillian Highway) Resurfacing from the Perdido Bay Bridge to Dog Track Road– Paving operations continue from the Perdido Bay Bridge to Dog Track Road. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Sunday, Jan. 13.
- · U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – There will be east and westbound intermittent lane restrictions on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, Monday, Jan. 7 from 11 p.m. to midnight as crews adjust and relocate overhead signs for the bridge’s wrong way detection system. In addition, bridge construction work will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Sunday, Jan. 13.
- · U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90 (Nine Mile Road) – The following traffic impacts will occur Sunday, Jan. 6 through Saturday, Jan. 12. Work requiring lane restrictions will take place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- · I-10 from Exit 5 to Exit 17- Drivers traveling I-10 from Exit 5 (U.S. 90 Alternate) to Exit 17 (U.S. 90/Scenic Highway) will encounter alternating and intermittent, east and westbound lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Thursday, Jan. 10 as crews repair lighting.
- · State Road (S.R.) 750 (Airport Boulevard) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- There will be alternating and intermittent east and westbound lane restrictions at I-110 from 8 p.m. to midnight Sunday, Jan. 6 as crews repair lighting.
- · I-110 (S.R. 8A) from Exit 1A to Exit 6- Motorists will encounter alternating and intermittent north and southbound lane restriction from Exit 1A (Gregory Street) to Exit 6 (I-10 to Davis Highway) from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Thursday, Jan. 10 as crews repair lighting.
- · S.R. 295 (West Fairfield Drive) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- Motorists will encounter alternating and intermittent east and westbound lane restrictions at I-110 from 8 p.m. to midnight Monday, Jan. 7 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- · S.R. 296 (Brent Lane) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- Motorists will encounter alternating and intermittent east and westbound lane restrictions at I-110 from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- · S.R. 752 (East Texar Drive) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- There will be east and westbound outside lane restrictions at I-110 from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8 as crews repair lighting.
- U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to 2,000-feet east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating traffic shifts will direct all traffic onto the westbound or eastbound lanes as crews continue construction of the new northbound bridge deck. Nine Mile Road lane restrictions are Sunday through Friday.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drainage and paving operations continue. Drivers can expect alternating lane closures Monday through Saturday.
- Detroit Boulevard will be closed on the east side of the U.S. 29 intersection from 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4 to 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7 as workers widen the intersection. Motorists may use Pittman Avenue and Broad Street as an alternate route.
- Northbound U.S. 29 at Nine Mile Road overpass: The following lane and road closures are scheduled from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Tuesday, Jan. 8, as crews pour the deck for the new northbound bridge.
- U.S. 29: The outside, northbound lane will be closed at the Nine Mile Road overpass to provide a safe work zone for bridge crews.
- Nine Mile Road: Eastbound Nine Mile Road traffic will be reduced to one lane, diverted to U.S. 29 South, and able to make a U-turn at West Hood Drive to return to Nine Mile Road. Westbound traffic will utilize U.S. 29 North and U-turn at West 9 1/2 Mile Road to return to Nine Mile Road. Traffic control officers will be on-site to help direct traffic.
Santa Rosa County:
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to C.R. 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) –Traffic between Hickory Hammock Road and the Eglin AFB boundary will continue to be restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is completed.
- · U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – There will be east and westbound intermittent lane restrictions on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, Monday, Jan. 7 from 11 p.m. to midnight as crews adjust and relocate overhead signs for the bridge’s wrong way detection system. In addition, bridge construction work will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Sunday, Jan. 13.
- U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to 2,000-feet east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – The following construction related traffic impacts are planned for Interstate 10 and Avalon Boulevard the week of Sunday, Jan. 6 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Drivers may encounter alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange from Sunday through Thursday.
- Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281, Sunday through Friday, as crews work to widen the roadway.
- Drivers will encounter new traffic patterns on I-10 east and westbound as crews reconstruct the inside and outside shoulders. This work will continue through spring 2019.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
County To Acquire, Demolish House In Pinoak Lane Flooding Project
January 7, 2019
A project is underway to eliminate frequent flooding on Pinoak Lane in Cantonment.
This project consists of acquisition and demolition of a single-family residence at 1000 Pinoak Lane. The land will be returned to natural open space with deed restrictions. This project is FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program project.
Pinoak Lane is a dead end residential street east off Highway 29 just south of Quintette Road.
Images for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Highway 95A, Kingsfield Crash
January 6, 2019
One person was injured in a two vehicle wreck Sunday just before 7 p.m. at Highway 95A and East Kingsfield Road. The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Rare Redhorse Fish Found In The Escambia River
January 6, 2019
A rare fish not seen for over 40 years in Florida has been found in the Escambia River.
Researchers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute captured a river redhorse during a night trawl, a fish not documented in the Escambia River since 1976. In Florida, the river redhorse is known only to exist in the Escambia River and is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
The fish prefers large, clean rivers with sand or gravel bottoms and swift currents. The river redhorse was implanted with an acoustic tag and released. The movement of thefish will be monitored to estimate site occupancy and assess population trend, according to the FWC. The fish was found as freshwater biologists were working on imperiled species trawl survey in the Escambia River.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP: Driver Threatens Family With A Gun; Arrest Made On I-10 Near Highway 29
January 6, 2019
A driver that allegedly threatened a family on the highway was arrested Saturday afternoon near the Highway 29 exit.
Gregory Welchel, age 57 of Panama City, was charged with aggravated assault and booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $7,500.
At approximately 1:50 p.m., the Florida Highway Patrol Communication Center received a report of an individual driving a Black Cadillac Escalade towing a white box trailer brandishing a handgun and threatening a family traveling in a minivan.
After updated reports of the black Escalade traveling west on I-10 in Escambia County, several FHP troopers responded and canvassed the interstate. The Escalade was intercepted and stopped just west of Highway 29 where Welchel was taken into custody. The handgun was discovered in the driver’s door console, according to troopers.
New Members Named To Escambia Extension Council
January 6, 2019
The Escambia County Commission has appointed several individuals to the Escambia County Extension Council.
Appointed for a two year-term:
Glenna Anderson, Molino
James E. Theisen, Cantonment
Jennifer Thorne, Cantonment
Sara E. Brake, Pensacola
Reappoinited for a two-year term:
Kevin Faircloth, McDavid
Shelby Johnson, Pensacola
Sonia Bush, Pensacola
Rotated off Extension Council:
Carla Gilmore, Molino
Tammy Penegar, Cantonment
Denise Mann, Pensacola
The individuals appointed were nominated by a committee and selected by the Escambia County Extension Council and reside in the zones for which they are nominated and are known to have an interest and concern for programs of Escambia County Extension. The persons appointed have an interest in and concern for the agricultural, family and consumer sciences (home economics), and youth programs of extension; in developing the rural and urban sections; and in developing the county and its resources.
Members may serve no more than two consecutive terms and be off the council for at least two years before becoming eligible to serve again.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: The Pitter-Patter Of Little Feet In The Governor’s Mansion
January 6, 2019
Tuxes and ball gowns are coming out of the closet. Custom-made boots are being buffed and shined. Babysitters’ calendars are blocked off.
Whether it’s a pizza party, prayer breakfast or posh gala, Tallahassee’s illuminati are preparing for a once-in-while glamfest known as an inauguration.
Two days of fetes will mark the advent of new administrations in the offices of governor, attorney general and agriculture commissioner.
Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis won’t take over as chief of the nation’s third-most populous state until Tuesday. But the former congressman, a Republican, this week continued to round out his brain trust, including naming some agency heads with ties to his predecessor, Gov. Rick Scott, who’s on his way to Washington after defeating U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
Next week’s pageantry sets the table for an administration headed by a fresh-faced governor who’s toting a crib to 700 North Adams Street.
DeSantis, 40, and his wife, Casey — a Jacksonville television personality — are the parents of a 2-year-old and an infant who won’t turn one until March.
Republicans will be celebrating with DeSantis, Attorney General-elect Ashley Moody and returning Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, but Democrats also will get a chance to kick up their heels. Haitian-born pop star Wyclef Jean will highlight an inaugural celebration for Agriculture Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried — the lone Democrat to win a statewide election in November.
Amid the pomp and circumstance, the Legislature is dusting itself off as lawmakers prepare to take on issues ranging from veggie gardens to school safety.
The state Senate this week also released details of a settlement that will close the books on a complaint related to the downfall of former legislative leader Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who left office amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Rachel Perrin Rogers, the Senate staffer whose complaint of sexual misconduct led to Latvala’s exit from the upper chamber he loved so well, agreed to a $900,000 settlement in December. Perrin Rogers leaves the Senate after years as legislative aide privy to the closely held secrets of elected officials, lobbyists and other insiders.
Perrin Rogers signed off on her Senate career in a short resignation letter last month to her boss, Sen. Wilton Simpson.
“I feel an immense sadness that at this time I am no longer able to do this work for you in the Senate,” Perrin Rogers wrote to Simpson, a Trilby Republican slated to take over as Senate president in 2020. “Thank you for your unwavering support.”
SCHOOL SAFETY ON THE SLATE
Nearly a year after a deadly shooting at a Broward County high school, a state panel created to investigate the horrific event and come up with ways to prevent future tragedies released its initial recommendations this week.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission found that “personal and system failures” culminated in the mass shooting on Valentine’s Day that left 14 students and three faculty members dead and 17 people wounded at the Parkland school.
The months-long probe also revealed that many Florida schools remain vulnerable to attacks similar to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas attack by confessed killer Nikolas Cruz, a former student at the school who legally purchased the AR-15 assault weapon used in the massacre.
State lawmakers responded to the mass shooting, which occurred during the 2018 legislative session, by quickly passing a sweeping law that raised from 18 to 21 the age to buy long guns, such as the rifle Cruz legally purchased; banned so-called “bump stocks;” and imposed school-safety requirements and mental-health screenings for students.
The new law also required all schools to have at least one school safety officer and allowed districts to hire armed “guardians” — school personnel whose primary job duties are outside the classroom — to supplement the officers, who are usually deputies.
In its report Wednesday, the state panel recommended that classroom teachers also be allowed to act as armed “guardians,” even though that controversial idea created an impasse before the school-safety measure passed last year.
Allowing specially trained teachers with concealed-weapons licenses to bring guns to classrooms was among the many recommendations offered by the commission, which was created as part of the law. The only commission member to vote against the armed-teacher proposal was Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among the slain students.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, chairman of the commission, defended the proposal.
“This isn’t about ideology. This is about reality, and this is about making sure that we can save kids’ lives,” Gualtieri said.
The report blamed the Broward County school system and sheriff’s office for being unprepared and for delays in responding to the volley of bullets from Cruz, who reloaded five times during the minutes-long assault at the high school.
“Anybody who thinks we’re going to get rid of guns is crazy. We’ve got to do something,” said Gualtieri, who at one time opposed allowing teachers to carry weapons but has since reversed his stance.
Teachers should undergo “an absolutely rigorous selection process” and training prior to getting permission to bring guns to schools, Gualtieri said, adding that Floridians “have to be realistic” about the threats schools are facing.
The “best possibility” to reduce the harm to students and faculty is to have someone trained with a gun on campus, he said.
“And that’s school staff,” he said.
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE YOUNG
DeSantis will be Florida’s youngest governor in more than a century when he takes office on Tuesday.
DeSantis turned 40 about two weeks after he won the Aug. 28 Republican primary. He will be the youngest governor on Inauguration Day since Park Trammell took the oath of office on Jan. 7, 1913, as a 36-year-old former attorney general.
The former congressman will be Florida’s first “Generation X” governor, succeeding three “baby boomer” leaders, including Scott and former governors Charlie Crist and Jeb Bush.
“The election of Gov. DeSantis is a generational shift in Florida politics,” said former Senate President Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican whose 36-year-old son, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, is one of DeSantis’ closest advisers.
“I think he comes with a fresh perspective. He’s not hamstrung or tied up in a lot of the decisions and prejudices of my generation perhaps,” Don Gaetz added.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Tallahassee insiders are preparing for the inauguration of Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis and new Florida Cabinet members, who will be sworn into office Tuesday amid two days of celebration.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “The reality of this is that it is going to happen again. The question is where. The question is when.” — Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, referring to the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that left 14 students and three faculty members dead and another 17 students and staff injured.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Troopers Find Meth, Spice, Cocaine And More During Highway 29 Traffic Stop
January 6, 2019
Florida Highway Patrol troopers found meth, spice, cocaine and more during a traffic stop Saturday morning on Highway 29.
Troopers said a white Cadillac sedan was stopped with a green traffic signal in the outside lane of Highway 29 at I-10. Traffic began to travel around the stopped vehicle at which time the trooper approached the vehicle and observed signs of criminal activity, according to a FHP report.
The trooper made contact with the driver, 33-year old Travis Montes Mitchell. The FHP said he began to resist and attempted to put the vehicle in drive. He was taken into custody with the assistance of backup law enforcement. A search of the vehicle found 5.2 grams of rock or powder cocaine, 56.3 grams of methamphetamine, 60 assorted pills, 62.4 grams of spice and additional drug paraphernalia.
Mitchell was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a harmful new legend drug, marijuana possession, habitual driving without a license and resisting arrest.
He also received traffic citations for obstructing traffic, a seat belt violation, open container and a learners license violation.
Mitchell remained in the Escambia County Jail Sunday morning with bond set at $41,500.
Drunk Driver That Slammed Into Deputy, Two State Troopers On Highway 29 Sentenced
January 5, 2019
A drunk driver has been sentenced to state prison after slamming into a deputy’s vehicle, two state troopers and another pedestrian on Highway 29 in Escambia County,
John Vincent Pluas of Pompano Beach was sentenced to five years in state prison, with credit for 574 days served while awaiting trial. He was ordered to pay $4,614.65 in restitution to the Florida Highway Patrol, plus fines and court costs. He was convicted of DUI with serious bodily injury, three counts of DUI damage to property or person, driving with a suspended license and no vehicle registration.
About 3 a.m. on May 27, 2017, Florida Highway Patrol trooper Sebastian Vo observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Highway 29 just south of Brent Lane. Trooper Vo initiated a traffic stop and pulled the suspect vehicle over. Trooper Chad Lynch and an Escambia County deputy arrived on scene to assist.
Trooper Vo and Trooper Lynch initiated a DUI investigation on the wrong way driver.
The unoccupied marked ECSO patrol car with emergency lights activated was occupying the center lane of Highway 29 when it was struck by a 2013 Chrysler 300 driven by Pluas. The ESCO vehicle was pushed into an FHP vehicle where Trooper Vo was working in the front seat. Trooper Lynch had just removed the wrong-way diver from his vehicle when both were hit by the ECSO vehicle.
Trooper Lynch and Trooper Vo were transported by EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital, where both troopers were treated and later released.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Convicted Felons In Escambia County Can Register To Vote Starting Tuesday
January 5, 2019
Convicted felons in Escambia County can register to vote beginning Tuesday.
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections will begin processing applications from previously ineligible voters beginning Tuesday, the effective date of the Voting Restoration Amendment approved by voters in the 2018 general election.
According to the ballot summary, the amendment to Florida’s Constitution “restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting unless the Governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case by case basis.”
Voters who have previously lost their voting rights due to a felony conviction but are now eligible must submit a new voter registration application. Individuals who are unsure of their status should contact the Florida Office of Executive Clemency, the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where they were sentenced, the Florida Department of Corrections where they were supervised or incarcerated, or the U.S. Probation Office if in the federal court system.
Voters may register to vote online at EscambiaVotes.com, in person at the Supervisor of Elections office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola, at any Florida Driver License office, and several other governmental offices and public assistance centers. Registration applications are also available for pick up at many locations countywide and can be returned to the Supervisor of Elections office by mail or in person.