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Gulf Coast Parkway
08/21/08 - 08:38 PM
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The future of transportation in the Panhandle is on display as talk of the Gulf Coast Parkway continues.  Representatives from the Department of Transportation along with the company PBS&J met with residents to answer questions and get feedback about 12 possible routes.

Construction of the road will create an alternate connection between Bay County and Gulf County.  Right now there is just U.S. 98.  Bud construction on the road is still very far off.  Currently they are in the environmental study stages of the project.  During the next two years those routes will be narrowed down and the design phase is slated to begin in the spring of 2010.  That, too, is about a two year process.  It’s safe to say we won’t see any construction for at least six years, and that’s if the money is available.

The cheapest option is route 15 at a cost of $346.83 million dollars, and the most expensive is route 16 at $447.48 million.  It’s an expensive venture that concerns some people.

“The wildlife.  The endangered species and the habitats that are on there.  They haven’t even considered the manatees that are on Wetappo Creek,” said Gulf County resident Tim Stein.

He’s not opposed to all of the routes; he likes corridor number 17.

“It doesn’t affect us on Wetappo Creek.  It brings tourism into Mexico Beach in large quantities.  It will bring tourism into Port St. Joe.  It will help us with our new port facility to get freight in and out of St. Joe,” Stein continued.

Department of Transportation officials say even after determining an exact route the project may still not have a green light.

“The funding depends on the Legislature.  The Legislature appropriates funding to the DOT for projects.  So out in the future when the economy picks back up there may be a possibility,” DOT Public Information Office Tommie Speights said.

Project officials stressed that they will not close down highway 98 going past Tyndall Air Force Base.

The next public meeting about the Gulf Coast Parkway is scheduled to take place sometime in the fall of this year, but officials haven’t hammered out a date just yet.

For more information on this road and it’s alternative corridors, or to take a public opinion survey click here.