Analysis: Did too little information coming too late doom the toll road?

Was it a case of too little, too late for supporters of the limited-access toll road through Washington County? It certainly appeared to be a major reason for widespread public opposition to the project that the Washington County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-2 not to support Monday night.

SCROLL DOWN TO COMMENT

The project broke in local media just days before a May 15 public hearing on the project, and the issue sparked considerable controversy from the start. A tumultuous Chipley City Council meeting was the first sign of public opposition as Mayor Linda Cain and Council voiced their opposition to the project that they believed would bypass Chipley and hurt local business.

Bits and pieces of information about the project were pulled together over the next several days. Basically, the toll road was the Florida extension of the long-discussed I-10 connector that would begin in the Montgomery, AL area, travel through the Dothan area, and come through Florida to Panama City’s new international airport.

Originally the project was just that, a connector to I-10. The project evolved, however, through the 1990s and early part of the new century. A non-profit public/private organization, Focus 2000 of the Wiregrass, was formed to collect investors, build the road and administer it in Alabama. The road would be financed by tolls that would pay off 30-year bonds, upon which the toll road would be turned over to the counties that sponsored it. That end of the project was approved by resolutions passed in Alabama counties on May 27.

By the time of the May 15 public hearing in Chipley opposition to the project had jelled. A large number of people was on hand at the hearing, and almost all that spoke voiced their opposition to the project. One reason was lack of information about the road.

Supporters provided very little information about the project except that it would go through Washington County if the BOCC passed a resolution of support. Supporters said the route was not chosen (this for a project that had been at least 15 years in discussion), although three possible routes were under consideration.

While supporters said they would be reluctant to ask the BOCC to use eminent domain to obtain land for the road, they reserved the use of that measure if necessary. While supporters said the road would support economic development, they offered little in the way of possible projects.

The Board of County Commissioners set a second hearing with the possibility of action on a resolution. A draft resolution was presented to BOCC for its review, but after much discussion the Board voted 3-2 no to proceed with the project.