City of Gulf Breeze, FL


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Chief of Police commits to traffic issues in Gulf Breeze.

By City Councilwoman Beverly Zimmern

Driven by his desire to decrease crashes, save lives, reduce property damage, and facilitate smooth traffic flow throughout the city of Gulf Breeze, Chief of Police, Peter Paulding, developed a task force to address traffic crashes within the city. Statistical data from 2003 collision reports indicated there was a 30% increase in auto crashes within Gulf Breeze city limits. Through Chief Paulding's efforts, the community task force was formed in January 2004. The past two months the group began investigating and analyzing possible causes and effects of these crashes, as well as, developing a plan of action to facilitate changes, which should diminish traffic crashes.

With the approval of the City Council, Chief Paulding implemented his vision. In order to make safety improvements and execute change, the situation has to be studied in depth; this was the very daunting task which was presented to the group by Chief Paulding in their kickoff meeting in January. Over 60 committed community volunteers, school administrators and students, city employees, and law enforcement officials (from Gulf Breeze, The National Seashore, Santa Rosa Sheriff's Office and The City of Pensacola) joined forces and met. Sub-committees were formed during that initial meeting. The sub-committees are: Education, Reporting, Enforcement, Roadway, Traffic Flow, Data Analysis, and Median. One can see from this list, the issues will be explored in depth from numerous points of view.

A major contributor, from a statistics standpoint, is Dr. Julie Kunselman from the University of West Florida. She is assistant professor of Criminal Justice specializing in policy and data analysis, research methods and juvenile justice. In conjunction with Dr. Kunselman, students from UWF are currently creating an extensive database, which will bring all the traffic crash statistics together which will be available for each committee's analysis. This information will enable each group to pinpoint problematic areas and develop strategic responses to the situation.

Throughout January and February, the sub-committees have met and discussed the "WHAT" do we need to do and, "HOW" are we going to implement the ideas into action. Matters discussed were too extensive to list but included: traffic volume, median cuts with attention to their spacing and locations, deceleration lanes, signage, causes of crashes, and targeting an educational campaign to local residents (both young and elderly) as well as the motoring public through Gulf Breeze. These issues will be studied through a variety of ways, some of which are: review of crash data, creation of a crash data overlay, visual viewing through time lapse photography and digital photos, analysis of data from FDOT, and other traffic resources, for supplementary bench marking data. Additionally, through education, we hope to create the promotion of community awareness to garner a safer driving environment for the public.

The traffic task force meets again on Wednesday, March 3, 11:30 a.m. at the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center. They will discuss the development of a response to the issue and a timetable for action. Between now and then, action items will be identified and members will be assigned tasks to complete. As the committee moves forward to accomplish the responsibilities at hand, we will provide progress reports through our City of Gulf Breeze web site and our community news letter. The City of Gulf Breeze, and our law enforcement team, is committed to decreasing traffic incidences within the city limits. We are steadfastly enforcing our 35 mph speed limit with the slogan, THIRTY FIVE means THIRTY FIVE! The web site of the American Automobile Association has labeled Gulf Breeze an enforcing community (www.aaasouth.com/acs_news/9203.asp). Please be mindful, as you drive through our city, safety is our number one concern. Help us achieve our goals by wearing your safety belts, observing the speed limits and, being a safe and mindful driver.

The following web sites contain resources for your educational pleasure and safe driving consciousness.

www.cityofgulfbreeze.com/index.html
Should one wish to contact the Traffic Task Force to make suggestions please use the city web site and respond either to Chief of Police, Peter Paulding or, City Manager,
Mr. Buzz Eddy.

www.hsmv.state.fl.us/hsmvdocs/cf2002.pdf
The web site of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles report entitled "Traffic Crash Facts 2002". It is a 54 page compilation of motor vehicles crash data.

www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/systems/sm/accman/default.htm
This site is full of information and resources that will benefit sub-committees as well as educate the general public on crash data.

Public Hearing : Pensacola Bay Bridge Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study : Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has scheduled a Public Hearing to present the proposal of alignments for the replacement of the Pensacola Bay Bridge located in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

The purpose of the Hearing is to afford persons the opportunity to express their views concerning the location, design and social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed improvements.

The project consists of the development of a new replacement bridge that begins at U.S. 98 in Pensacola and terminates at U.S. 98 in Gulf Breeze in the vicinity of the existing bridge.

The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility, location and conceptual design of a replacement structure for the existing Pensacola Bay Bridge.

The hearing will include an open house period for review of project information, and for a period for public comment. Project information will be on display. FDOT representatives will be on hand to explain the project and answer questions.

We invite and encourage all interested persons to attend this Public Hearing to review and discuss the proposed improvements.

Date: December 7, 2004
Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Place: Pensacola Civic Center
201 E. Gregory St.
Pensacola, Florida

Agenda: Informal Open House 6 to 8 p.m.
Opportunity for Public Comment 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle! By: Stephanie Pataky

Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle! Everyday garbage is accumulated and dumped into landfills instead of being recycled. By recycling you have the opportunity to save thousands of trees, reduce pollution, and clean up Gulf Breeze. Nina, Ted, and Cody Cobia, residents of Gulf Breeze, care about the environment and recycle on a daily basis. Motivated by the recycling bin given to them and the convenience of piling everything into the bin, Nina could not resist recycling. She recycles everything the City's contractor, Browning Ferris Industries (BFI), will take including the normal cans, bottles, plastics, and even to the extent of Cody's old schoolwork. Knowing the bin is light and easy to carry every time she places it next to the curb puts a smile on her face. Nina is concerned about the landfills being filled and even questioned, "Where will the trash go?" Recycling gives Nina and her family an opportunity to dispose of wastes and make a positive impact on the environment. When checking out at the grocery store she requests paper bags, because they hold two to three times the amount of plastics bags. Nina's recycling even carries over to her career. She is employed at Recycled Paper Greetings; the first card company to print on one hundred percent recycled paper.

The City of Gulf Breeze provides recycling bins for Gulf Breeze residents to use. They accept newspapers (dry), cardboard (please break down), junk mail, tin alloy and aluminum cans, and clear or colored glass containers. They also accept plastic beverage containers, such as milk jugs, but they must have the number one or two stamped on the bottom of the container (this is to protect a different type of plastic from ruining a melt). On the other hand, BFI does not accept scrap metal (including propane tanks and auto parts), bleach and detergent containers, paint or aerosol cans, mirrors or auto glass, phone books, magazines, motor oil/antifreeze containers, plastic wrap and tin pans, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, plastic bags, envelopes with plastic windows, and plastic items with metal staples. For further information please call City Hall at 934-5100 or BFI at 433-7425.

A separate truck picks up recyclable goods on designated days. Recycling bins placed by the street between Shoreline and Fairpoint west of South Sunset will be included on the Monday route. Homes located north of Fairpoint and on the south side of Shoreline will be picked up on Tuesdays. If you live between Shoreline and Fairpoint, east of South Sunset along with homes on the east side of U.S. Highway 98 will be collected on Fridays. If you have any questions about your designated recycling day please call City Hall at 934-5100. If you are not a city resident or if you have a great deal to recycle you may also go to the Waste Transfer Station Recycling Center at the corner of South Sunset Boulevard and Shoreline Drive to recycle materials at no charge. They are open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 7:30 A.M. to 4 P.M.

When you are shopping be sure to look for and purchase recycled products to save our environment. Next time you are about to throw something away, such as junk mail or an aluminum can, why not take a few extra seconds to do the right thing and RECYCLE! ”