Do we need a beltway?
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Elements of a long range transportation plan are beginning to take shape as elected officials plan for future growth. The Florida/Alabama Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) recently approved a resolution requesting Florida's Turnpike Enterprise conduct a preliminary study for a major future project.

The TPO's Long Range Transportation Plan through the year 2025 includes preliminary plans for a two county beltway in the vicinity of Beulah Road in Escambia County and State Road 87 North in Santa Rosa County. Local transportation officials want Florida's Turnpike Enterprise staff to conduct a report on what types of toll revenue such a facility could expect to generate and if it would pay for itself by calculating expected traffic counts.

"We approached the Turnpike and they are more than willing to work with the TPO and local government on some type of feasibility study," said Jim DeVries with the Florida Department of Transportation.

DeVries also explained to the TPO, which includes elected officials from Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties and their municipalities, that the study would be funded by the Turnpike Enterprise.

"It is a preliminary [study] and there are no ties to the [FDOT]'s funds or the TPO funds," DeVries said.

In other transportation news:

TPO members unanimously approved a resolution to endorse the FY2008-2012 Transportation Improvement Program.

TPO members also approved a resolution to endorse the 2007 Escambia County and Santa Rosa County Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan Updates. The document outlines the goals of the area's public transportation.