PORT ST. JOE — The Gulf County Board of County Commissioners stepped back to the future Tuesday.
During their regular bi-monthly meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that, with added information, restates the case for a preferred alternative for the Gulf Coast Parkway.
The resolution reiterates the BOCC’s long-held position that the best route is so-called Alternative No. 15, which is the most northerly and direct link among the alternatives between U.S. 231 and U.S. 98 in South Gulf County.
The resolution also spells out the original intent of the parkway to enhance economic development in an economically disadvantaged county and provide a safe alternative for hurricane evacuation.
The resolution was drafted and approved at the direction of Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Anand Persad, said Commissioner Warren Yeager, and stemmed from discussions following recent public workshops on the parkway and BOCC reaction to those meetings.
During those workshops the FDOT presentation emphasized two alternatives — which did not exist five years ago — which Gulf County officials saw as a benefit primarily to Bay County in contrast to the original intent of the parkway.
County officials said the process of designing the parkway and alternatives had been “hijacked” and instead of adhering to the purpose of the parkway the road was becoming a boom for citizens of the county who wished to travel to Wal-Mart in Callaway.
“There is nothing in there for Gulf County,” said Commissioner Ward McDaniel last month.
During a recent meeting with Yeager, who had traveled to Tallahassee to present the county’s argument on how the parkway routes had changed, Persad suggested the county formally present its argument through resolution.
That in turn would provide a foundation for FDOT discussions with federal highway officials about the parkway and funding, Yeager said.
An important part of the resolution was also providing a “preferred alternative,” Yeager said, and the BOCC approved alternative No. 19, also a northerly route, which provides an almost direct link to U.S. 231.
The Gulf Coast Parkway was also originally intended as a security measure as it would bypass traffic around Tyndall Air Force Base.
A $25 million federal earmark was provided for initial planning and development of the highway, which was to “promote and enhance transportation to economically disadvantaged counties,” the resolution reads in part, mirroring language in the original federal act creating the project.
In addition to providing a direct route for tourists and visitors from U.S. 231 to South Gulf County, the Gulf Coast Parkway is seen by local economic development officials as critical to development of the Port of Port St. Joe.
The St. Joe Company, a collaborator with the Port St. Joe Port Authority in developing the port, also sees the parkway as a boost to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and the parkway would provide a needed four-lane route for overland shipping.
The parkway also would provide freight connections to Enterprise Zones along County 386 and U.S. 98 in Gulf County from U.S. 231 and other major routes out of Bay County.
The resolution notes the Apalachee Regional Planning Council has long championed the parkway as a link from Gulf County to major transportation routes and the counties of Jackson and Calhoun have also weighed in in support of Alternative No. 15.
“This can help spur economic growth (in the region),” Yeager said.