Escape Routes Planning & Design

[OleBeardy]

My wife and I had a tough time coming to a decision the past couple of days. Earlier in the week it looked like Tampa was going to take a direct hit from Hurricane Ian. We live just outside of Tampa, close to Clearwater and the question of when to leave, plus how to leave came up a lot.

Today it occurred to me that it might be helpful to compile or create sets of alternative routes for those looking to get out and evacuate but who don’t want to get trapped on the interstate. If you’re not familiar with the Florida peninsula, the west side of the state we really have one main major artery running north, which in a situation like we just had could get clogged up pretty quickly.

Would anyone here like to help me work on routes that we could save and make available to people in Florida, or other states that could be affected by these storms. During Katrina I had friends and family who couldn’t get out of New Orleans due to I-10 being basically a parking lot.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Meet up spot and I’ll buy the first round of beer?

 

[grubworm]

i moved to south louisiana just months before hurricane andrew hit. i worked offshore in the oilfield and andrew wiped out a lot of the shallow water oil wells...freaking brutal storm. i evacuated since it was my first hurricane, but it was a total shit show trying to get out when there are only two roads in or out of the area. it was grid locked for many hours and cars were running out of fuel all along hwy 90. katrina hit 12 yrs later and same thing. i got to where i just hunker down and stay put. hurricane Ida hit last year and we were out of power for a month and one of my strip malls in town got nailed pretty bad...a little over $400K in damages. trees and powerlines were down everywhere and we were pretty much trapped where we are because the downed lines and trees had all the roads blocked. even with all that, i would much rather stay put and deal with the storm than to try and leave and get stuck in that crazy ass traffic. people wrecking and being stupid and the roads are in the swamp, so there is only the one lane and no shoulder to drive on, so when a car wrecks...traffic is blocked for many hours.

i would rather deal with 200 mph winds and flying debris than deal with ignorant ass people out on the roads...
been there and done that and i will gladly take my chances with a storm LONG before i'll jump into a crowd of scared and unorganized sheeple

 

[OleBeardy]

i moved to south louisiana just months before hurricane andrew hit. i worked offshore in the oilfield and andrew wiped out a lot of the shallow water oil wells...freaking brutal storm. i evacuated since it was my first hurricane, but it was a total shit show trying to get out when there are only two roads in or out of the area. it was grid locked for many hours and cars were running out of fuel all along hwy 90. katrina hit 12 yrs later and same thing. i got to where i just hunker down and stay put. hurricane Ida hit last year and we were out of power for a month and one of my strip malls in town got nailed pretty bad...a little over $400K in damages. trees and powerlines were down everywhere and we were pretty much trapped where we are because the downed lines and trees had all the roads blocked. even with all that, i would much rather stay put and deal with the storm than to try and leave and get stuck in that crazy ass traffic. people wrecking and being stupid and the roads are in the swamp, so there is only the one lane and no shoulder to drive on, so when a car wrecks...traffic is blocked for many hours.

i would rather deal with 200 mph winds and flying debris than deal with ignorant ass people out on the roads...
been there and done that and i will gladly take my chances with a storm LONG before i'll jump into a crowd of scared and unorganized sheeple

I get your point, which is why I posted looking for interest in putting together routes that don’t rely on the interstate…

 

[backcountrymedic]

I get your point, which is why I posted looking for interest in putting together routes that don’t rely on the interstate…

It’s a good idea. A concept we applied when I worked in the fire service when fighting wildland fire. Having an escape route was critical for safety so you could bail out when conditions became too crazy.

 

[John and Mandi]

Florida has too many people, especially concentrated in the southern corridors. Even trying to work inland to Brooksville gets jammed up. The main problem is 85% wait until the last minute to make a run for it. I was not born in Florida, I lived there for over 30 years, so I understand that waiting to see the true path of the storm is appealing but that's why the hordes get jammed on the highways. Factor in school/office closures (or lack of since they wait too) and limited paid time off and the only outcome is jammed roads. We too just rode them out at home but we didn't live on the coast, about 30 minutes away. I know many probably wonder why so many people stay put but it's just a part of living near the Gulf of Mexico. More than once I was at work when a hurricane hit nearby, category I-II, and by the time work said we could leave it was safer to stay and work instead of attempting the drive home in the storm. Most Floridians don't even pay much attention until a storm reaches cat III unless they live on the coast/river and/or it is projected to roll in with high tide. It's like grizzlies or alligators. Easterners go west and we are all concerned over grizzlies, everyone up north that goes south is all concerned about alligators but those that live near each just see it as a part of living.

 

[Flipper]

Unless you have been thru a cat 4 and above and had their ass’ handed to them you can’t truly get a grip of the power of these things. Having to shelter behind your cement brick garage wall because the rain stings your face watching your shingles blow off your roof. Looking at the fear and panic in your Wife’s eyes is not a fun experience. The roar of the wind is unreal. The after effects were the worst part. No electric for 2 weeks. Can’t go anywhere, there no where to go, all the roads are blocked with downed trees and power lines. Debris everywhere, nails all over the roads. All the food stores and fast food closed now all with rotting food. Gas stations can’t pump gas because no electric. Can’t go to work, so 2 weeks of lost pay. Now
Over 6000 homes are flooded along the St. John’s River into Volusia Co. and still rising. NSB and Daytona hit hard and we were the lucky ones. The SW coast will never be the same, years to rebuild.
I’m a big time prepper but 2 years ago we had an eye opener. We are good up to a cat 4 above that we will probably lose the house. We are on high ground but the wind will take us out. The Spinners, small tornadoes that drop out of the bands. Being inland I never considered having to bug out. I forget which storm it was but it looked like we were going to take a direct hit. We made the call to bug out. I had no plans on what to take, prep the house, what supplies, Relatives agreeing or disagreeing to go, important papers, where to go with thousands of others. Weapons, fuel, 100 things were racing thru my mind. At the last minute storm made a little bobble to the west and we were saved!
After that experience I made Prep and Evac plan. What gear, food, the whole circus and what it takes to get out of Dodge. The most important thing would be to leave 1-2 days before they make the official call. IF NOT you will sit in gridlock traffic for the storm. If your going North there are basically only 5 roads, 18, 75, 19, 95 or 1. An other thing is where are all the people going to go. We will head for the Smokys but then again the storm could follow us up, so now what? Just stay fluid.

 

[grubworm]

as with everything in life...do whatever lets you sleep good at night. if you want escape routes...you should do escape routes. if you want to build out and stock up on stuff and ride out bad situations,...then by all mean, do that.

in this day and age, we really cant say too much because it will definitely offend others. i think the only safe and rational thing to do is whatever floats your boat and then find like minded folk to get ideas from and then be quiet about it so not to upset folk with different ideas.

everything is right and everything is permissible...just gotta find the right echo chamber to align with. simple!

 

[John and Mandi]

Unless you have been thru a cat 4 and above and had their ass’ handed to them you can’t truly get a grip of the power of these things. Having to shelter behind your cement brick garage wall because the rain stings your face watching your shingles blow off your roof. Looking at the fear and panic in your Wife’s eyes is not a fun experience. The roar of the wind is unreal. The after effects were the worst part. No electric for 2 weeks. Can’t go anywhere, there no where to go, all the roads are blocked with downed trees and power lines. Debris everywhere, nails all over the roads. All the food stores and fast food closed now all with rotting food. Gas stations can’t pump gas because no electric. Can’t go to work, so 2 weeks of lost pay. Now
Over 6000 homes are flooded along the St. John’s River into Volusia Co. and still rising. NSB and Daytona hit hard and we were the lucky ones. The SW coast will never be the same, years to rebuild.
I’m a big time prepper but 2 years ago we had an eye opener. We are good up to a cat 4 above that we will probably lose the house. We are on high ground but the wind will take us out. The Spinners, small tornadoes that drop out of the bands. Being inland I never considered having to bug out. I forget which storm it was but it looked like we were going to take a direct hit. We made the call to bug out. I had no plans on what to take, prep the house, what supplies, Relatives agreeing or disagreeing to go, important papers, where to go with thousands of others. Weapons, fuel, 100 things were racing thru my mind. At the last minute storm made a little bobble to the west and we were saved!
After that experience I made Prep and Evac plan. What gear, food, the whole circus and what it takes to get out of Dodge. The most important thing would be to leave 1-2 days before they make the official call. IF NOT you will sit in gridlock traffic for the storm. If your going North there are basically only 5 roads, 18, 75, 19, 95 or 1. An other thing is where are all the people going to go. We will head for the Smokys but then again the storm could follow us up, so now what? Just stay fluid.

I agree, once a cat III starts approaching a IV it's time to go. Everyone that lives along a river, water basin, floodplain etc pay attention to every storm. As stated above though, most don't have the leave or the convenience of working remotely so they end up having to stay put or get jammed in traffic. Another issue is most shelters don't allow pets so they are either left to fend for themselves or the family stays put to care for their furry family member. I chuckled at the Smokies comment because a similar scenario happened to us. We had a vacation planned and paid for in the Smokies but a storm was entering the Gulf and projected to head our way, we pulled everything inside and went anyway. Of course the storm changed course and we ended up having to drive through it to get back home and to work, it was downgraded by that point.

 

[Flipper]

I agree, once a cat III starts approaching a IV it's time to go. Everyone that lives along a river, water basin, floodplain etc pay attention to every storm. As stated above though, most don't have the leave or the convenience of working remotely so they end up having to stay put or get jammed in traffic. Another issue is most shelters don't allow pets so they are either left to fend for themselves or the family stays put to care for their furry family member. I chuckled at the Smokies comment because a similar scenario happened to us. We had a vacation planned and paid for in the Smokies but a storm was entering the Gulf and projected to head our way, we pulled everything inside and went anyway. Of course the storm changed course and we ended up having to drive through it to get back home and to work, it was downgraded by that point.

Similar situation with us years ago with Charley. We we’re on a dive trip to the Keys. Charley was still in the Caribbean we just launched the boat and was heading out of the marina when they called the evacuation. Banged a u turn and pulled the boat figuring insanity at the ramps in about a hour. Went back and struck camp and figured we would just shoot across alligator alley and dive at Ft Myers. Launched the boat again, sure enough it skirted the Keys and was heading for us again…….pulled the boat , said “to hell with it” and drove back to Orlando……….quess who followed us home?. it came right up I-4 and hammered us big time. We got 4 in one year!

 

[John and Mandi]

Similar situation with us years ago with Charley. We we’re on a dive trip to the Keys. Charley was still in the Caribbean we just launched the boat and was heading out of the marina when they called the evacuation. Banged a u turn and pulled the boat figuring insanity at the ramps in about a hour. Went back and struck camp and figured we would just shoot across alligator alley and dive at Ft Myers. Launched the boat again, sure enough it skirted the Keys and was heading for us again…….pulled the boat , said “to hell with it” and drove back to Orlando……….quess who followed us home?. it came right up I-4 and hammered us big time. We got 4 in one year!

2004 was a crazy year. I worked at the FL Attorney Generals Office, where price gouging is housed, but as far as the storms went Tallahassee faired very well.