By DOTTY NIST
Walton County Public Works staff recently provided details on possible projects involving stormwater improvements and the addition of multi-use paths on Ellis Road and Driftwood Road south of U.S. 98 in Miramar Beach.
This was at a May 5 community meeting at Seascape Conference Center, at which information on the projects was provided and public input was taken. Approximately 40 people were in attendance.
Public works staff present included engineers Charley Cotton, Greg Graham, and Chance Powell, along with Buddy Wright, work program manager. Walton County District 5 Commissioner Cindy Meadows was present as well, speaking to the group briefly at the close of the meeting. Walton County Public Information Manager Louis Svehla was also present.
Cotton took the lead with a presentation on the plans, which are conceptual at this time, with input from the public the county’s focus for the present.
Stated goals include mitigation of stormwater runoff and reduction of inflow and infiltration into the sewer system, along with improvement of pedestrian safety.
There was broad agreement among attendees that stormwater improvements were needed in the area, with a number of attendees complaining of flooding problems on their property in the subject area.
“It floods every time it rains,” said Martha Goins of the Magnolia Park Homeowners’ Association. “We shouldn’t have to wade that water,” she told the county representatives.
Stormwater improvement envisioned include construction of under-road storm drains to convey stormwater to the north.
The two roads are used heavily by pedestrians and cyclists going to the gulf and back, especially during the beach season. One component of the project was aimed at improving their safety, since there are no sidewalks or paths alongside the two roads.
Since the right-of-way of the two roads is not sufficient to add multi-use paths, the project proposed a traffic plan to make Driftwood Road and Ellis Road 12-foot-wide one-way streets running in opposite direction—and put in eight-foot-wide multi-use paths along both roads adjacent to a raised curb and gutter.
The plans for one-way streets drew fire from almost all of those addressing the public works staff.
Ellis Road resident Lacey Meyer warned that the plans would cause traffic back-ups all the way to U.S. 98 and would cause accidents. “It’s going to be disastrous,” she complained.
Cotton responded that the staff were there to listen to the community.
A Blue Surf Townhomes Association representative also expressed concern due to buildings in his complex having been designed for the current traffic flow. The change to one-way streets would affect parking for some of the units, he noted.
Cotton commented that it would be possible to do the stormwater improvements without implementing the plans for the one-way streets.
Attendees also heard about plans by the state for intersection improvements providing for a left turn onto U.S. 98 from Driftwood Road, Ellis Road, and Professional Place.
Meadows commented that in a perfect world there would be bike/pedestrian paths on every street. She explained that as Driftwood Road and Ellis Road currently exist, there would not be room to put in sidewalks or paths unless property owners agreed to grant easements for them. She and staff agreed to pursue that option and others and bring back more information.
She thanked attendees for all their input, calling it “very helpful.”
“I think what we’re hearing is that drainage is number one,” Meadows said, adding that she thought, judging from the comments, that that should be addressed first before working on the pedestrian issues.
After public input and information gathering for the project, the next step is to be a preliminary engineering evaluation consisting of analysis of alternatives, cost/benefit analysis, and project scoring.
Cotton encouraged residents to continue to let him know their thoughts on the project. He may be contacted at 892-8108 or by email at cotcharles@co.walton.fl.us.