Ocala gets a bridge to handle traffic from the Winter Haven ILC but Polk County is told traffic won't increase. Why a new bridge then? By Joe CallahanStaff writer
Published: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 6:30 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 5:49 a.m.
OCALA - Westbound traffic will finally get a chance to cross over the 17th Street bridge tonight, the first time the public will drive over the busy CSX railroad line.
Last-minute shoppers looking for those final gifts - and more importantly, emergency vehicles - will be able to head west without fear of being delayed by a passing train.
Karen Kersey, a Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said the project, which is scheduled to be completed by July 27, is ahead of schedule, though by how much will depend on weather.
But if all goes well, it could be done as early as mid-April.
That's because the contractor, Kiewit Corp. of Orlando, has a $750,000 incentive to get done quickly. It will get $7,500 per day - for up to 100 days - for each day it is ahead of schedule.
To Ocala officials, residents and store owners in the area, the final product can't be done soon enough. The $25 million project is essential to allowing for smooth traffic flow in the area.
The bridge spans a CSX railroad line, a line that connects port cities Jacksonville and Tampa that will likely see an "increase" in traffic in the coming years.
Ocala Mayor Randy Ewers said 17th Street, which is also State Road 464, is essential in keeping traffic moving from one side of Ocala to the other. Without a bridge, train traffic creates absolute gridlock.
The bridge was designed to keep traffic along 17th Street flowing. Right now when a train passes, traffic backs up in both directions, especially impacting the U.S. 441/17th Street intersection.
And if even more trains begin impacting the area, the bridge will be the lifeline in keeping drivers safe and sane in the years to come, Ewers said Monday.
"It's a must now that CSX is planning to increase traffic," said Ewers, adding that the bridge will also help keep Ocala residents safe during medical emergencies or other types of emergencies.
The railroad crossing is about a mile from two hospitals and a bridge will allow ambulances and emergency vehicles a faster way to cross, even when trains are passing through the area.
Wendell Rora, Ocala Fire Rescue spokesman, said because of the potential of train delays that fire trucks have been routed away from 17th Street for years to prevent delays caused by trains.
But once the bridge opens, those routes could be important.
"In our profession, a few seconds could mean life or death," Rora said. "It could be the difference in saving a life."
Capt. Joel Matthias, an Emergency Medical Services supervisor for Marion County, said the bridge will give rescue personnel a much more reliable route to hospitals.
He said trains have led them to reroute, causing extra minutes to pass before getting patients to the hospital. The bridge will definitely help in that regard.
Ewers said that crossing is the main concern, though there are others.
With the possibility of higher train volume, Ewers is also concerned about the increased train traffic in other areas of Ocala, especially at the Northeast 36th Avenue and Northeast 25th Avenue crossings.
And right now there are no plans for bridges at those crossings. "If something happened at either one of those crossings, there would be quite a bit of travel to get around those [north/south streets]," Ewers said.
Ewers said the city is negotiating with CSX in hopes of coming up with a plan that is a win-win situation for both area residents and CSX.
Ewers hopes increased CSX traffic could mean attracting industry. "It would be great if we could get a spur line into some industrial areas," said Ewers, adding the trick will be balancing increased train traffic so that it doesn't cripple other traffic routes.
CSX spokesman Gary Sease said Monday that increased train traffic is a possibility, but only if the state purchases tracks in the Orlando area for a commuter rail service.
A decision on whether the state will purchase the tracks should be made in the first half of 2009.
If approved, then Sease said freight that once was moved trough the Orlando area will end up on the "S" line, the route through Ocala from Winter Haven to Baldwin, hubs for the port cities.
He said that if that happens, there will be side tracks added along the route, including some in the Ocala area, that will allow trains to safely pass. Those will be necessary if train traffic increases.
"We're hoping to do this in a way that it doesn't impact the way of life for Marion County and Ocala," Sease said, adding the side tracks could mean train traffic may be less noticeable.
