Growth factors are used by the Florida DOT to estimate future traffic on 

 roads located outside of areas having an ongoing Urbanized Area Transportation 

 Study (UATS). For example, to determine the estimated 1997 traffic volume on 

 SR-20 in Bay County, the 1977 values should be multiplied by 4.204 (Table 14). 

 In Northwest Florida, the only UATS is in Pensacola. Documentation of UATS 

 data collection, modeling, and network assignment procedures and results is 

 maintained by the Florida DOT and the Pensacola Metropolitan Planning Organi- 

 zation. 



Table 14. Traffic growth factors at five year intervals (Florida Department 

 of Transportation, unpublished data, 1981). 



County 



5-year 



Traffic growth factors 



10-year 



15-year 



20-year 



Bay 



Escambia 



Frankl in 



Gulf 



Okaloosa 



Santa Rosa 



Walton 



3.264 

 2.780 

 1.912 

 2.886 

 2.780 

 3.108 

 2.578 



4.204 

 3.499 

 2.257 

 3.653 

 3.499 

 3.976 

 3.207 



The seven counties in Northwest Florida are served by Greyhound and 

 Trail ways intercity bus routes. One local public transit system also serves 

 Escambia County. No information on the intercity lines was available other 

 than fares and schedules readily available anywhere. 



Local (in city) transit services in Northwest Florida are difficult to 

 justify and maintain due to high operating costs and low demand. Transit 

 services in Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County, and Panama City during the 

 1970's are now out of business. 



In 1979, the Escambia County Transit System operated 29 motor buses and 

 carried 1,475,376 passengers. There were 951,860 revenue miles of service and 

 52,728 vehicle hours of operation. Base fare for Escambia Transit was 

 $0.30, with a half fare discount for elderly and handicapped persons. In 

 1980, the system carried 1,578,814 passengers, and traveled 927,292 vehicle 

 miles for 63,802 vehicle hours of operation. The fare schedule remained 

 unchanged (Florida Department of Transportation 1980). 



A recent modification in Federal funding leaves the future of public 

 transit uncertain. Under the modification, the operating cost subsidy cur- 

 rently funded through the Urban Mass Transportation Administration on half of 

 the local revenue-cost deficit will be phased out during the next three years. 

 Local government options to this funding change are (1) local revenues from 

 other sources will be used to subsidize transit costs, (2) an increase in 



51 



