331 Traffic Advisory 7/5/08, 11:30 am

**ShallowsNole** · 07-05-2008, 11:39 AM

Moving at a CRAWL up 331 per ShallowsFuzz. ShallowsSquirt is getting practice in not rear-ending people. From the house, I can see it moving across the bridge but not quickly at all.

He also advised of an accident on westbound 98 between Bay Drive and 331. He didn't advise about injuries, etc, just 40 minutes to get from our house to the Sheriff's Substation.

Travelers may want to seek alternate routes, or if you don't HAVE to go, just stay home and/or go to the beach instead.

**seagrovegirl** · 07-05-2008, 11:42 AM

Mass exodus this morning............new wave coming in this afternoon. 331 is not the place to be!!! Either direction.

**Smiling JOe** · 07-05-2008, 12:26 PM

why doesn't the Sheriff's Office direct traffic, opening up the lights so that people can zip on thru? I remember last July 4, there were cop cars at 30A/283, and traffic was backed up to WaterColor, leaving the fireworks show. The cops weren't even directing traffic. They were just sitting there with their lights flashing. Are they not trained in traffic duty? They should be, just like the cops who direct traffic around sports venues when the games are over.

**beachyteachy** · 07-05-2008, 12:34 PM

Tim and I ran into this on the way back from Freeport. I snapped some pics but I'm too lazy to post right now...trying to cool down!

**jodiFL** · 07-05-2008, 12:37 PM

I happened upon this after the ambulances had left, tow trucks were arriving, both west bound lanes open to traffic etc, yet there were 5 sheriffs sitting in their cars at the crash site. But the traffic was at a complete stop just west of there with people trying to get into the right lane to turn north @ 331. Why one of those guys couldnt be up there directing traffic? I mean they dont have to be "dancing cops" like you see in big cities but at least get out of the car and make the traffic FLOW.

**florida girl** · 07-05-2008, 01:36 PM

There are 2 detours on 331 across the bridge that I know of, could eleviate traffic if they used them.
1st: 3280 East to Blackcreek Blvd. North to Hwy 20; if going to I-10, after reaching 20, turn east to Bruce, then go North to Ponce de Leon.
2nd: Bay Loop followed all the way to West Hwy 20.
I'd rather be moving than sitting in that traffic!

**ShallowsNole** · 07-05-2008, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by florida girl

There are 2 detours on 331 across the bridge that I know of, could eleviate traffic if they used them.
1st: 3280 East to Blackcreek Blvd. North to Hwy 20; if going to I-10, after reaching 20, turn east to Bruce, then go North to Ponce de Leon.
2nd: Bay Loop followed all the way to West Hwy 20.
I'd rather be moving than sitting in that traffic!

I can see 3280 (other than the issue of putting people who think they can speed on 3280; miss that sharp curve and hit a tree, or be flying around it in the wrong lane and meet a log truck

). But how is Bay Loop going to help? It begins and ends on West Hwy 20.

**florida girl** · 07-05-2008, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by ShallowsNole

I can see 3280 (other than the issue of putting people who think they can speed on 3280; miss that sharp curve and hit a tree, or be flying around it in the wrong lane and meet a log truck

). But how is Bay Loop going to help? It begins and ends on West Hwy 20.

Doesn't Bay loop connect from the bay and go by the ship building place? I enjoy taking curvy roads, but could be some statistic rollovers on the blvd!
Ok, looked it up, Bay Grove and Bay Loop. We'd take the boat into LaGrange Bayou and no, there's no bridge across it.

**seagrovegirl** · 07-05-2008, 02:10 PM

You must be thinking of Bay Grove (1st left after the 331 bridge)...but it doesn't connect to the ship yard on Bay Loop. (both entrances on hwy 20)

**John R** · 07-05-2008, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by smiling joe

why doesn't the sheriff's office direct traffic, opening up the lights so that people can zip on thru? I remember last july 4, there were cop cars at 30a/283, and traffic was backed up to watercolor, leaving the fireworks show. The cops weren't even directing traffic. They were just sitting there with their lights flashing. Are they not trained in traffic duty? They should be, just like the cops who direct traffic around sports venues when the games are over.

qfmft

**seagrovegirl** · 07-05-2008, 03:37 PM

Any report on the 98 wreck????? Locals involved?

**InletBchOwnr** · 07-05-2008, 05:17 PM

WE just leave on Sunday, early Sunday before the exodus on that day, and before bthe Sunday school/church crowd has gathered. We usually get at least to DeFuniak Sprngs before any traffic trouble. Course we are on the way to Memphis, so any, even the least bit of hinderance sets me off.......

**ckhagen** · 07-05-2008, 09:30 PM

I had the unfortunate pleasure of having to go to Niceville at around 11:30 this morning, with the need to be back to Sandestin by 2ish. Suicide may have been less painful.
It didn't take all that long to get to Niceville (traffic was bumper to bumper, but moving at at least 20mph)... but we knew that we would have to leave Bluewater ASAP to get back on time. It took about an hour to get from the Commons area to Sandestin and at that point traffic was far better headed east that it had been a couple hours earlier.