I have been following the traffic issues on Pensacola Beach for the last 10 years and find that people miss some of the simpler solutions.

From my perspective I feel that most of the traffic issues (with a few exceptions like Blue Angel Friday) occur on Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the summer months; 14 or so weeks per year. Let's try a very inexpensive solution to solve the traffic problem by having a traffic policeman manning the traffic light during those hours. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have watched five or fewer cars pass through the intersection coming from Fort Pickens while several hundred sit between the stoplight and the toll booth. Surely a traffic policeman could speed the traffic during those times at the cost of only a few hundred dollars a day.

Next, I would place a sign on the road or beside the road on the turning to Fort Pickens saying "keep moving 2 lanes ahead." That would help the congestion and even make it safer as locals would not run into the tourist who stops when they could easily keep moving and turn.

I have reached 200 words, so the more-expensive solution will have to wait.

The more-expensive solution is noted below.

Last, and this should be done only after the other two ideas are tested, two pedestrian bridges need to be constructed and eliminate the stoplight crossings and two of the flashing light crossings. I have looked into companies that build this sort of bridge and think they could be constructed for less than $500,000 each. These would be similar to the one in Gulf Breeze. Yes, they would be very basic but we need function not fluff. Surely the state could come up with matching funds in the spirit of safety. Pedestrians would have to be reminded by signage and maybe some fencing to only allow crossing by the overpass.

Let's try the first two ideas for several weekends during the year and start pursuing the other. We need smooth traffic flow, and these ideas should greatly improve the deteriorating situation.

Mike Moran is a resident of Gulf Breeze.

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