THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION
BACKGROUND
On May 20, 2004, a new regional transportation planning partnership of the four western counties in West Florida was created. The new "Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization," a partnership of the then Pensacola Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), serving Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, and the Okaloosa - Walton Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), serving Okaloosa and Walton Counties, was created by interlocal agreement using Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, as its basis and written to comply with the new requirements for regional transportation coordination in Paragraph 339.175(5)(i)(2), approved by the Legislature in 2003. The new legislation authorized contiguous metropolitan planning organizations and individual political subdivisions to enter into agreements to coordinate transportation plans and policies.
This process began as a result of Census 2000, which illustrated that the Fort Walton Beach Urbanized Area extended westward, well beyond the Okaloosa County Line, resulting in an intrusion of almost 5 miles to Navarre in Santa Rosa County. Traffic patterns clearly indicate a high number of residents of Navarre head to Okaloosa County for jobs and shopping. Since much of the developed portion of Santa Rosa County is within the Pensacola Urbanized Area and Santa Rosa Commissioners have sat on the Pensacola Metropolitan Planning Organization since the mid-1970's, the Pensacola MPO and Okaloosa-Walton TPO each adopted a policy to maintain separate organizations, using the Santa Rosa-Okaloosa County Line as the boundary, during reorganization in 2003.
However, the Florida Department of Transportation also noted the overlap of urbanized areas, prompting then Secretary Tom Barry to write letters to each organization in February 2003, recommending two options: either merge into a single metropolitan planning organization spanning the four-county region; or establish a formal process to coordinate and develop a regional transportation plan and priorities. Creation of the Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization was the start of implementing a formal coordination process resulting regional transportation plan and priorities.
MEMBERSHIP
The members of the Northwest Florida Regional TPO are the Florida - Alabama TPO (formerly Pensacola MPO) and the Okaloosa - Walton TPO. Each organization appoints eight representatives to the Regional TPO, for a total of sixteen voting representatives. Non-voting representatives are the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation District 3 and the Chairman of the Eglin Air Force Base Encroachment Committee. Below is a table of the current members.
Escambia County Commissioner Kevin White
Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino, Chairman
Escambia County Commissioner Kevin White
City of Pensacola Councilman P. C. Wu
Santa Rosa County Commissioner Gordon Goodin, Vice Chairman
Santa Rosa County Commissioner John Broxson
Santa Rosa County Commissioner Tom Stewart
City of Gulf Breeze Councilwoman Beverly Zimmern
Okaloosa County Commissioner Sherry Campbell
Okaloosa County Commissioner John Jannazo
Okaloosa County Commissioner James Campbell
City of Ft. Walton Beach Councilman Mike Holmes
City of Destin Councilman Larry Williges
Walton County Commissioner Sara Comander
Walton County Commissioner Cindy Meadows
Walton County Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen
City of DeFuniak Springs Councilman Henry D. Ennis
MEETINGS
Meetings of the Regional TPO are held quarterly, normally the third Wednesday of the month in January, April, July, and October. Meetings start at 4:00 p.m. usually in the Fort Walton Beach Public Library on US 98. Agendas and action reports are posted on this website. Contact staff to confirm a specific meeting date, time, and location.
Northwest Florida Regional Transportation Planning Organization Agendas and Actions Reports
STAFF
The West Florida Regional Planning Council in Pensacola is staff to the Regional TPO. Staff can be reached at 850-332-7976, 1-800-226-8914 ext 212. Mailing address is NWFL Regional TPO, P. O. Box 11399, Pensacola FL 32524-1399.
ACTIVITIES
The Northwest Florida RTPO's activities include identifying regional significant transportation projects, which improve mobility across county and metropolitan planning area boundaries. A regional transportation network map and priorities were adopted on September 21, 2005.
A primary focus for the RTPO is the challenges along the US 98 corridor of encroachment, environmental protection, evacuation, and economic growth. A workshop was held on February 2, 2005 to address these issues. The workshop brought together federal and state transportation officials, state legislators, members of all the transportation planning organizations between Baldwin County, Alabama and Bay County, Florida, and other stakeholders. Click here to view Chairman's Goodin's viewpoint on the workshop.
PRODUCTS
Regional Transportation Network Criteria adopted 9/21/05
Regional Transportation Network Map revised 8/29/06
Regional Transportation Network Priorities adopted 9/21/05
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Meetings of the Regional TPO are advertised in the Pensacola News Journal and the Northwest Florida Daily News as a minimum, and press releases are issued to local media. If time permits advertisements are also published in weekly newspapers. Staff is available to make presentations to community groups. Translations into languages other than English can be arranged if requested. Reasonable accommodations in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act will also be made upon request. Meeting agendas and action reports are posted on the website. Public participation is welcome in the regional transportation planning process.