Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Panama City public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
7 issues in roads
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.
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.
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.