ONE DOWN Escambia Expwy FL beaten

ONE DOWN

Escambia Expwy FL beaten

Protests by residents of northern Pensacola around the University of West Florida and marginal economics recently halted plans for the Escambia Expressway, a toll road planned to relieve congestion and improve links to the Interstate system. The Escambia County Commission Feb 25 voted 3/2 against proceeding with the pike.

Congestion reliever:

The 15km highway to go north from the I-10/I-110 interchange located in the north-central part of Pensacola (metro pop 350k) to Cantonment on US-29 (with later extension northward to the AL-state line and I-65) was identified as a major transport priority by the local metropolitan planning organization. It was supported by local businessmen and by two of the five county commisssioners. The project was designed to relieve congestion on local arterials especially US-29, Davis Highway and University Parkway and to provide improved linkage with I-65 in nearby Alabama, the area’s major highway to Atlanta GA and places north. Pensacola is in the far western end of the Florida panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Feasibility study for subsidies:

Developers owning land at the northern end of the project were prepared to donate right-of-way in return for the benefits of the toll road and early studies showed it was financially viable. But a financial feasibility study by URS consultants suggested the project was unlikely to standalone, says David Rae and would have needed a substantial dollop of government funds. Also the highway required acquisition of some 50 houses at its southern end, and this was the basis for the successful political defeat of the proposal.

An alternative would be to move the highway eastward beyond the built-up area but it is unclear if such a highway could generate the traffic and revenues to be a viable toll road at th moment. One proponent commented afterward they would “just have to wait a few years until the congestion gets a bit worse and have another go around.” Pensacola’s need for an improved highway connection to the north from I-10 remains. (Contact David Rae, URS 904 942 6007)