Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Panama City public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
9 issues in roads
West Beach Drive road improvements and Chevron contamination
Residents again urged the city to repurpose the Beach Drive path grant to 11th Street, where they say a trail would serve more people safely; the city notes the state appropriation requires a waterfront path.
Ten-year paving program
A local contractor told the commission the city's paving-in-house numbers omit skilled labor, equipment maintenance, testing and materials shelf life. The commission asked for his questions to be answered and for a transparent cost comparison.
Frankford Avenue and South Discovery Loop road reconstruction
A small fix with big everyday impact: the new westernmost section of Discovery Loop gets renamed so its addresses stop colliding with the original street — ending years of crossed deliveries between two 1421 addresses.
Robinson Bayou Bridge refurbishment
A $700,000 state grant plus $149,515 in local surtax money will rehab the bridge for another 15-20 years and add a pedestrian bridge.
Frankford Avenue Trail design grant
The city picked an engineering firm to design the rail-trail from Hathaway Bridge through multiple phases, connecting the port, FSU, Gulf Coast State, schools, and parks for bikes and pedestrians.
FEMA Roads Group B design
Engineering design is starting on the first 32 of 287 hurricane-damaged road segments, with FEMA covering the $218,000 cost. More roadwork is coming.
Public Works capital funding and grant dependence
Public Works has almost no capital money — everything relies on grants and surtax, and that grant wave ends soon. Commissioner Hughes wants $500,000 a year dedicated to road resurfacing; the RMT road-rating system is being installed to build a data-driven paving plan.
Road paving interlocal agreement (Downtown North, Millville, St. Andrews)
The CRA will pay the city's Public Works crew to repave roads in Downtown North, Millville, and now St. Andrews instead of hiring private contractors. St. Andrews adds $250,000 a year for four years, and not everyone agrees CRA tax money should cover road maintenance.
Pedestrian safety on Harrison Avenue at Bay High
The state is funding safer crossings on Harrison Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets, right next to Bay High School, at zero cost to the city. The commission endorsed it unanimously.