Navarre Beach road to be repaired
An emergency route will connect Opal Beach and Navarre Beach
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News While the road is planned to be repaired for emergency use from Pensacola Beach to Navarre Beach, plans are still being considered for a route to Fort Pickens. A ferry service is being considered as a stopgap.

The roadway connecting the communities on the island may soon be partially repaired. J. Earle Bowden Way, the roadway between Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach, has been closed since Hurricane Dennis in 2005 and officials say it will be repaired within one year. It will be operational from Opal Beach to Navarre Beach, and a one-lane emergency access lane will be completed from Pensacola Beach to Navarre, but not open fully to the public.

The road is located on federal property maintained by the National Park Service (NPS). Gulf Islands National Seashore Superintendent Jerry Eubanks said it would receive a temporary repair to open the road between Navarre Beach and Opal Beaches to public access and the remaining portion of the road toward Pensacola Beach would be for emergency use only.

County Commissioner Gordon Goodin was glad to know that one of the area's evacuation routes would be available for emergency use, but wants to see the roadway fully repaired.

"The temporary plan is not good and we're not happy with it," Goodin said of the more than $5 million project. "That's public land and the public should have access to it."

Although thankful to see some progress, County Commissioner John Broxson of Gulf Breeze also remained skeptical about the temporary repair work.

"Unless they repair the road fully and make it operable, I don't see the benefit unless it fully connects Navarre and Pensacola Beach," Broxson said.

There are not plans for a permanent fix as of yet, as several environmental issues must first be resolved, Eubanks said.

Fort Pickens road, also under the jurisdiction of NPS, is another hurricane ravaged roadway that has yet to reopen.

"We're focusing on J. Earle Bowden Way because there is not as much damage there," Eubanks said.

Eubanks was unable to discuss a timetable for Fort Pickens road but was able to point out other areas of progress on the federal property. Eubanks recently announced plans to offer a ferry service from Pensacola to historic Fort Pickens, which is currently open to pedestrian and boat traffic only. Eubanks said the ferry service would remain operational once the road is fully repaired and that idea had been in development even before the hurricanes handicapped the site.

Eubanks also said at least one campground at Fort Pickens should be open by April 23. Eubanks said the campground located on Loop A would be operational with running water.

April 23 coincides with the beginning of the National Park Week celebration which recognizes the contributions of parks to the preservation of America's cultural and natural resources. The cost for a camp site is $10 per night with a 50 percent discount for Golden Age/Interagency Senior and Golden Access/Interagency Access Pass holders. Campers will have access to running water, grills, picnic tables, and bathrooms with cold showers.

For additional information on programs or storm recovery at Gulf Islands, call the Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center at 850-934-2600.

"The challenge was getting the dead trees out," Eubanks said in reference to the recovery effort for the park and campgrounds. "We had all the trees clear after Ivan and wanted to reopen it by spring but the trees kept dying."