Garcon Point toll $3.50 July 1
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Heading across the Garcon Point Bridge? After July 1, make sure to have an extra 50 cents. After the first of next month the toll will increase from $3 per car per trip to $3.50. Toll prices for vehicles with additional axles will also increase.

According to officials with the Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority, the toll increase was recommended in April of 2004 by the authority's traffic consultant, URS Corporation.

"We'd rather not raise the toll, but we don't have a choice," said the authority's Chairman, Garnett Breeding. "The bond holders have to be paid."

The bridge project, which consists of 7.5 miles of roadway including the 3.5-mile bridge and 100 acres of retention ponds, cost close to $95 million to construct. Breeding said the actual bridge and roadway cost $55 million and the remaining $40 million went toward environmental improvements required by the state. Breeding said the total now due for the structure is over $149 million, adding that the authority was paying only interest for the first couple of years the toll facility was in operation.

Despite the cost, none of the construction was paid for with tax dollars. Individuals who purchased bonds actually paid for the project's construction, Breeding said.

"In 30 years, we will finally pay back the [original] $95 million," Breeding said of the bridge, which was first opened to traffic in 1999.

The authority makes a payment of close to $5 million every six months. According to numbers available on the authority's website, the toll facility collected just over $5 million last year. Breeding said the authority generates additional revenue from interest on its reserves and renting space for utilities such as coaxial cable.

Breeding said the authority has paid over $2 million in interest and close to $480,000 toward the construction cost as of July 1 of 2006.

"Most of it has gone toward interest," Breeding said. "We couldn't pay the bond holders at first. We went four of five years before we could pay the complete [bi-annual $5 million] payment."

Breeding added that the State of Florida and the Bank of New York handle all financial transactions and records.

The last toll increase was from $2.50 to $3 in 2004. An official from URS Corporation feels this year's increase will not have a negative impact on bridge traffic.

"With the 20 percent increase in toll [in 2004], revenue productivity has been good: toll revenue in the fiscal year ended June 30,2005 (FY 2005) amounted to $4.6 million, up 28 percent from the $3.6 million collected in FY 2004. This corresponds to a 1.2 percent increase in traffic despite the toll increase," URS Vice President Arthur Goldberg wrote in a letter posted on the authority's website.

Despite the increased toll, Breeding and Gulf Breeze Mayor Lane Gilchrist believe the bridge is worth the money for commercial traffic.

"With the price of gas being what it is commercial people can figure out that saving a few miles may be worth it," Gilchrist said. "$3.50 is almost the price of gas now."

Breeding said the toll for vehicles with three axles will increase from $6 to $7, four axle tolls will increase from $9 to $10.50, five axle tolls will increase from $12 to $14 and six axle tolls will increase from $15 to $17.50.

"In my opinion, the effect of the toll increase on Garcon Point bridge will be minimal," said Santa Rosa County Commissioner John Broxson. "Those who use the bridge everyday would be hard pressed to justify the fuel costs for taking an alternative route. Therefore, there should be no significant change in south end traffic patterns. Fortunately or unfortunately toll roads in Florida will continue to be an extremely viable alternative. In other areas of the country motorists pay very high toll rates in order to save time and experience greater efficiencies and safety in travel." Garcon Point Bridge

Toll schedule as of

July 1:

Two axles . . . . . . .$3.50 Three axles . . . . . . . .$7 Four axles . . . . . .$10.50 Five axles . . . . . . . . .$14 Six axles . . . . . . .$17.50