Navarre Pass Deathtrap

Navarre Death Trap - A letter to the editor originally appearing in the Northwest Florida Daily News, April 27, 2008

The proposal to cut a new pass across Santa Rosa Island at Navarre has generated several questions. But the main issues so far seem limited to a simple comparison of economic growth versus environmental damage.

On the economics side, we know the channel will cost at least $10 million to construct. Then there’s the cost of regular dredging to keep it open. By law, federal funds cannot be used for construction on a barrier island, so these costs will have to be met from local sources. This means the pass must stimulate enough growth and development to make local expenditures worthwhile.

Environmental costs are not so easily measured but will be significant. Normal east-to-west sand movement along the coast will be interrupted, salinity changes in Santa Rosa Sound will modify plant and animal regimes, and prime nesting habitat for turtles and birds will be lost. And with an open channel to the Gulf of Mexico, any storm protection the island now affords the mainland will be reduced.

This brings up a third major issue: hurricane evacuation. To pay for itself, this new waterway must bring significant population growth to an area already deficient in hurricane evacuation routes, and Eglin Air Force Base ain’t gonna look kindly on requests for additional roads across its ranges.

So, picture another Destin. Then picture the traffic jam on State Road 87 when the next Ivan, Camille or Katrina hits.

Yes, economics, growth and the environment are important factors to consider, but the likelihood of building a death trap trumps them all.

— BOB REID, Niceville
Past Chair, Florida Wildlife Federation

NOTE: A wealth of information can be found on this subject by going to Google.com and typing in "Navarre Pass".