Whisper Bay light 'ready to go'?
BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News lisa@gulfbreezenews.com

Santa Rosa County Commissioner John Broxson said the county is "ready to go" with funding and Department of Transportation (DOT) approval for a new traffic light at the intersection of Whisper Bay Blvd. and Highway 98.

Now, the county is waiting for the property owner on the south side of the road, Moulton Properties, to relinquish the right of way on the west side of the vacant shopping center.

"We are very interested in the traffic light and our engineer is looking at the plan," says Mary Moulton, Vice President, Moulton Properties.

"We are most eager to get the light installed and we have the most impact. The road comes all the way along the west and behind the shopping center property. We are as interested as everybody else and are already working with interested businesses."

The light is designed to alleviate traffic congestion on Crane Cove Boulevard where movie theatre traffic backs up while trying to turn left onto Highway 98. Because of a curve in the road, there is low visibility to the west and there is traffic flowing in from the east, causing a potentially dangerous situation.

When the new light is in place, traffic will flow behind the shopping center to get to the Breeze 8 Theatre, The Club, a fitness facility, and the Crane Cove neighborhood.

"We've agreed on principal to make it happen," Broxson said. "We've got the financing and DOT's on line, we're just waiting on response from the owners."

The shopping center previously was the location of a Delchamp's grocery store, Eckerd Drug Store, dry cleaner and restaurant. Most of the tenants moved or closed before Hurricane Dennis damaged the roof in 2005, causing the remaining businesses to close.

The traffic light will also help the residents of Whisper Bay and Polynesian Isles neighborhoods have better access to Highway 98.

"I have one caveat, and that's the synchronization of lights from College Boulevard to Villa Venyce," Broxson said.