Former District 4 County Commissioner Gordon Goodin in 2006 worked with state officials to get tolls removed from Navarre Beach Bridge. Today County Commissioners approved spending $385,665 toward the design of a Toll-by-Plate system and a rate study in a move toward reinstating tolls on the bridge for southbound traffic.
The board approved a design task order to Jacobs Engineering for the engineering design of the Navarre Beach Bridge toll system and rate study in the amount of $385,665, authorizing Commission Chairman Kerry Smith to sign all related documents.
The project includes the design of a new tolling system at the north end of the Navarre Beach Bridge. The new system will consist of a new toll gantry with applicable toll-by-plate equipment to toll southbound vehicles only. A tolling revenue study will be conducted to provide information to the county so they can decide the magnitude and frequency of the toll. The task order will include geotechnical services, subsurface utility exploration, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) & tolling technology design, electrical systems designs, structural design, minor roadway design, permitting, and post-design services. Surveying services will be provided by county staff.
It’s estimated that money generated by those traveling onto Navarre Beach will generate around $2 million per year in tolls which the county plans to use to replace $1.5 million previously allocated for a planning, development and environmental (PD&E) study toward a future bridge plus existing bridge maintenance.
District 3 Commissioner Rhett Rowell and Navarre businesswoman Tamara Fountain both expressed concerns about using the monies generated by tolls for bridge maintainence, considering the county doesn’t impose tolls on any other bridges for maintenance.
