Dear editor,
Let's examine this FDOT study; where was it and why wasn't it used when that newly constructed-to-look-old two-lane bridge was just built east of [the] Blackwater at a cost of a four-lane bridge?
Did it improve the traffic situation? No.
Did it accommodate for any future added two lanes? No, because it was built centered up to the existing roadway.
What about an additional four lanes as they are just now mentioning? Absolutely not.
And this study cost $1.5 million!
If there isn't enough room (using a $15 tape measure) to four-lane Highway 90 through downtown, what makes you think there is enough room to expand it to six lanes without buying and destroying most or all of the downtown Highway 90 businesses?
Now back to what should have been plan A instead of a nonexistent plan. Downtown Highway 90 already contains turn lanes, so it will accommodate three one-way lanes going east, which negates the need for any turn lanes.
At the Fisher Hamilton building, removing both sidewalks on each side will accommodate that needed third lane between the buildings. As for a sidewalk, try the one three building down at the Veterans Memorial and riverwalk, tying it into the … bridge east of the existing buildings.
Now Highway 90 west can have another three-lane bridge connecting at Berryhill Street and with the state's already owned right of way property on both sides of Berryhill Street allows enough room to expand it to three one-way west lanes also not needing turn lanes.
At Stewart Street, the right lane will only turn right, the center lane can turn right, go straight to Berryhill Road or turn left back to Highway 90 and of course the left lane can only turn left also back to Highway 90.
Yes, you will only have two lanes from Berryhill Street back to Highway 90 at Burger King, but now there won't be a light that hinders the flow of traffic west by no longer needing to merge and now may allow two lanes turning right instead of one.
As I stated before, this will create a larger downtown business district by creating a City of Milton Square or Business District by changing all properties within it for future businesses only.
Now compare the actual cost of both projects and the cost of downtown businesses lost.
If we need to destroy (kick them out) anything, it is the city and county government officials. This isn't rocket science, but remember it was educated engineers who gave us the acceleration and de-acceleration lanes combined in one lane — another created disaster area.
STEVEN KING
Milton
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This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Fix U.S. 90 with these solutions