North Okaloosa County traffic — particularly, how to relieve it — is this week's hot topic.
But it seems like Maria's not the only problem no one can solve. Disagreements on how to solve a problem like State Road 85 abound. (You like that "The Sound of Music" 50th anniversary reference?)
Reporter Brian Hughes recently brought two potential proposals to the area's attention, and the public's feedback was mixed.
MILEAGE TAX
A statewide, mileage-based user fee may fund road maintenance and construction, but it would also deal a heavy blow to household budgets.
If the 8-mile drive through Crestview on State Road 85 could cost motorists 48 cents — based on a 6 cents per mile estimate — that could add up pretty quickly.
One reader averaged that a daily, 40-mile round-trip commute across the county could cost $12.50 per week, $650 per year.
"And that is just counting your commute to work! Heaven forbid if you decide to go on a trip to visit relatives or for leisure activities!"
And, I would imagine, the result would be families from different Florida counties and regions spending less time together for that very reason.
Family matters aside, there also are serious privacy concerns. Having a monitoring device track your miles seems like Big Brother's continued infringement on civil liberties.
In addition, it's a monitoring device, and who typically wears those? Well, people on house arrest sport ankle bracelets so they can't leave a stated radius.
With that in mind, conspiracy theorists who rail against a so-called police state aren't off the mark on this one.
To his credit, Florida Transportation Commission assistant executive director Mark Reichert concedes that the fee is, understandably, unpopular, according to Hughes' report. (And that was evident on the Crestview News Bulletin's Facebook page, where 37,000 people viewed the story, and most of the comments were criticisms of the proposal.)
So perhaps that's reason enough to drop the idea all together?
Maybe not.
Two bills in the state Legislature propose funding a study to see whether to implement such fees. Stay tuned!
RE-THINKING ROADS
In less eyebrow-raising news, Department of Transportation District 1 Secretary Billy Hattaway suggested re-thinking subdivision design. In his vision, neighborhoods would connect with each other and local traffic wouldn't have to mix with commuters on major arteries.
His common sense plan also called for improved driver education — removing cumbersome language in state statutes that could actually hinder motorists' understanding of the rules of the road — and re-imagining traffic control options.
To that last point, he suggests replacing street lights at major thoroughfares like S.R. 85 with roundabouts, which provide no interruption to the steady flow of vehicles.
In addition, roundabouts don't require power, so there's a lighting bill saved.
But it seems residents' biggest concern and, rightfully so, is whether a significant number of motorists would know how to use the so-called traffic circles.
Would well-meaning motorists not just yield to traffic already in the circle, but actually stop and wave people through, out of courtesy, when the whole purpose is to keep traffic moving? (Meanwhile, ticking off a whole lot of other motorists just wanting to get where they need to go.)
Either way, the risk seems to be worth the reward.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration believes in roundabouts, citing up to a 90 percent reduction in traffic-related deaths and a 76 percent reduction in injury crashes.
The reason for that is actually quite simple.
"Because the only movement allowed upon entry or exit from a roundabout is a right turn, the occurrence of crashes that result in injury is substantially reduced," an FHA pamphlet on roundabouts states. "Small-angle collisions, the type of collisions that can occur as a result of a right-hand turn, are typically less severe than other types of collisions."
That makes sense, doesn't it?
And it makes cents, according to the FHA, which estimates $5,000 in annual savings from a street light's electricity and maintenance costs.
It's nice to hear solutions — however unpopular they may be — being brought the table. Discussion shows at least one part of the lengthy government process is happening, and that offers hope for a better tomorrow.
One with less congestion on the roads, and less frustration overall.
What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EDITOR’S DESK: Discussion on roads brings hope for the future