Escambia County is inviting the public to weigh in on two draft proposals designed to improve a one mile stretch of South Navy Boulevard that extends from Barrancas Avenue to the Sam A. Lovelace Bridge, just outside the main gate of Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The project is part of the South Navy Boulevard Improvement Plan, which is intended to enhance safety and mobility of the roadway and give it a facelift.
The corridor serves as a key gateway to NAS Pensacola and supports nearby neighborhoods and businesses.
Thousands of naval aviators, support personnel, civilian contractors, government and civilian dignitaries, and tourists travel the road to access the base.
However, the historic area in Warrington has been plagued by blight in recent decades, and the busy road is lined with a mix of bustling businesses and quaint older homes, as well as shuttered businesses and other run-down properties.
The South Navy Boulevard Improvement Plan aims to improve it by enhancing the safety and mobility of the roadway and making it more visually appealing with new lighting, landscaping and a more modern design overall.
What is Escambia’s plan for S. Navy Blvd. in Warrington?
Currently, the corridor is a six-lane asphalt road with two southbound lanes, three northbound lanes, and a center dual left turn lane.
There are no bike lanes, and the county says many driveways that line both sides of the corridor do not meet spacing or width standards for safely getting on and off the road.
Other issues include little street lighting. The county said there’s typically only a single light at the intersections, including the three intersections of Barrancas, Winthrop and Sunset.
There are sidewalks throughout the corridor that were recently completed on both sides of the road thanks to a Florida Department of Transportation resurfacing project, but Escambia County says more comprehensive improvements are needed.
The South Navy Boulevard Improvement Plan is intended to do that by collecting and analyzing data on the corridor, then using that information to create a plan that will make the road safer and more attractive for drivers and pedestrians.
Escambia County kicked off the year-long project last fall. The goal is to have a final report completed by this August, according to a website the county created for the project.
The current phase calls for public input on the two proposals created with information the county has gathered over the past nine months.
“Following a comprehensive assessment of existing conditions, the project team has developed two draft concepts and is now seeking community feedback to help guide the final direction,” Escambia County said in a press release.
The county is encouraging commuters and residents who live and work in the area and drive the corridor to “help shape the future of South Navy Boulevard” by providing feedback at a public workshop with the project team.
The effort is being spearheaded by Escambia County District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler who has been working to clean up blighted properties and make improvements along South Navy Boulevard for the betterment of the community and to support NAS Pensacola.
The meeting will be held May 14 from 5-7 p.m. at the Lexington Terrace Community Center, located at 700 S. Old Corry Field Road. The county says there will be no formal presentation.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Wanted: Your input on Escambia County’s plans for S. Navy Blvd. in Warrington
Reporting by Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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