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Northwest Florida Transportation
Corridor Authority
1000
Friends continues its tradition of advocacy in the Florida Panhandle.
Efforts included monitoring and commenting on the Northwest Florida
Transportation Corridor Authority master plan, including proposals
for a new beltway around Pensacola in Escambia County and new roadways
parallel to existing Route 98 in Franklin County. 1000 Friends remains
concerned the proposed roads could stimulate inappropriate growth
in the region.
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To find out more:
Northwest
Florida Transportation Corridor Authority
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Proposed Road Projects in Panhandle
Would Significantly Alter Landscape
From Escambia to Wakulla
The Northwest
Florida Transportation Corridor Authority is a quasi-governmental body
created by the Legislature in 2005 and empowered to initiate transportation
projects in the Panhandle. Such projects are intended "to improve
mobility on the U.S. 98 corridor in Northwest Florida to enhance traveler
safety, identify and develop hurricane evacuation routes, promote economic
development along the corridor, and implement transportation projects
to alleviate current or anticipated traffic congestion." Section
343.82(1), Fla. Stat. (2007).
The road
projects currently proposed by the Authority span from Escambia County
to Wakulla County, and a number of the roads threaten to encourage sprawl
development and irreparably harm important natural resources in this
bio-diverse region of our State. 1000 Friends of Florida has been actively
involved in monitoring the Authority's plans and advocating against
those projects that will induce sprawl and damage the environment. Of
great concern are plans for a beltway around Pensacola, the so-called
Gulf Coast Parkway in Gulf County, and a bypass along the southern border
of Eglin Air Force base with roads proposed to continue on from Freeport
through sensitive areas to the planned airport in Bay County. The communities
in the Panhandle still have the opportunity to guide development in
an economically sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.
Public participation in the Authority's decision-making process regarding
each of its proposed roads is critical to ensuring that transportation
planning in the Panhandle truly serves the public interest.
Maps showing
the Authority's current "Master Plan" for the Panhandle, as
well information regarding upcoming meetings, are available at www.nwftca.com.
Correspondence:
Letter
to the NWFTCA Consultant Engineer -- Letter
dated March 9, 2007.
Letter
to the Governor -- Letter from 1000 Friends of Florida, Apalachicola
Riverkeeper, Audubon of Florida, Clean Water Network of Florida, Defenders
of Wildlife, Florida Institute for Conservation Science, Florida Wildlife
Federation, The Humane Society of the United States, Natural Resources
Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy, Nokuse Plantation, Inc., and
South Walton Community Council dated May 2, 2007.
Letter
to the NWFTCA -- Letter to the Authority dated September 27,
2007.
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