Ask most residents if traffic through Crestview is bad, and they'll likely agree.
But local officials say "bad" is a matter of perspective.
CRESTVIEW — Lifelong Crestview resident Kenny Campbell says State Road 85 traffic has only gotten worse over the past 10 years.
"They have all these stop lights as you're heading north," he said, referring to the drive home from his job at Eglin Air Force Base. "You have the stop light at John King Road that has to allow all those people to turn into John King, so traffic gets backed up.
"Then it happens again at Wal-Mart, and the same thing happens again at Redstone (Avenue). It just keeps getting more and more backed up."
Matthew Bryant — who retired here after working in the defense industry in cities including Washington, D.C., and New Orleans — says evening traffic is a minor inconvenience compared to gridlock he experienced before.
"It goes a little slower at rush hour, but it doesn't really just grind to halt," he said. "People who are always griping should try driving in some of the places I've lived to see what real rush hour traffic is like."
PERSPECTIVE
Judging traffic can be a matter of perspective, local officials say.
"It is definitely something that is relative to the area," Okaloosa County Engineer Scott Bitterman said. "People aren't used to seeing the delays around here. What may not be a traffic delay in a big city is an issue here."
"It's all a matter of perspective. That's exactly what it is," Okaloosa County administrator and former Public Works director John Hofstad said. "Those of us who lived here in the '70s and '80s remember there were fewer traffic (stop) lights and fewer cars in Crestview."
"A lot of people say, 'traffic's horrible — horrible,' but 10 years ago we had a quarter less of the population," Crestview Police Cmdr. Andrew Schneider said. "People started getting frustrated because the ease of getting anywhere in 10 minutes is gone."
In addition, drivers are more distracted and in bigger hurries than in the past, he said.
MORE CARS, MORE WRECKS
With the extra traffic comes more accidents, not all of which can be blamed on road design. Crestview police respond to five to seven accidents a day, many of them on 85, Schneider said.
Often, the accidents involve drivers taking risks, such as trying to scoot across two lanes of 85 from a side street or parking lot to turn left during rush hour.
"The road has a lot of intersections that don't have traffic signals, and a lot of businesses along the way that people try to get in and out of," Schneider said.
Drivers looking at phones instead of the road often crest a hill, such as the up-slopes from Live Oak Church Road or P.J. Adams Parkway, and don't notice until too late that traffic on the down-slope has stopped.
"Cars are just so close together," Schneider said. "What causes the accident is not leaving enough room to respond if the car in front of you stops."
More skillful drivers try to leave space between them and the vehicle in front, often to no avail.
"We were taught to leave a minimum of two seconds between us and the car ahead of us for a safe stopping distance," Janice Crose wrote in her latest column, which appeared in the Nov. 11-13 News Bulletin. "When I do this here, a car inevitably cuts into that safe space."
DISTRACTIONS
Many drivers simply don't pay attention, Schneider said.
"There has been increases in rear-ending accidents since texting has become so prevalent," he said. "There has been an increase when people have been distracted by texting or talking on the phone."
Though illegal in Florida, people who text while driving raise concerns among the News Bulletin's Facebook fans.
It's "not just speeders, but texting while driving," Lisa Bruning said on the social media site.
"I see (people) staring at their phone every time I get in my vehicle," Charlie Arnold said.
While county officials design, discuss and seek funding for bypasses, overpasses and interchanges, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office offers these tips to stay safe:
●Reduce distracted driving. Distracted drivers are the most significant causes of traffic slowdowns. Texting, talking on the cell phone, and other distractions in the vehicle affect good traffic flow.
●Quickly, safely remove traffic obstructions from roadways. Whether it is traffic crash vehicles or stalled vehicles, quickly responding and clearing up those obstructions is a priority. Contact your local law enforcement when you see an obstruction.
●Plan your trip. Know where you're going when you head out. There are many resources to help you plan your trip efficiently and make it to your destination safely.
News Bulletin reporter Brian Hughes timed the northbound drive through Crestview — on State Road 85 to the U.S. Highway 90 intersection — beginning at the Department of Juvenile Justice access road, on several occasions. Here are the results:
●Oct. 13: weekday, start 4:38 p.m. — 15 minutes*
●Oct. 24: weekend, start 11:15 p.m. — 8 minutes
●Nov. 10: weekday, start 4:31 p.m. — 21 minutes**
●Nov. 12: weekday, start 4:50 p.m. — 18 minutes***
*In daylight
**In light drizzle and Standard Time near-dark conditions
***In near-dark, clear conditions
POPULATION BOOM
Crestview has room to grow, unlike neighboring cities, such as Destin and Fort Walton Beach.
Although Crestview’s population has expanded, its major arteries haven’t.
Here's a look at the population boom:
●2014: 23,000 residents
●2010: 21,000 residents
●2005: 17,700 residents
●2000: 14,700 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Poor driving habits contribute to Crestview traffic woes, officials say
