Northwest Florida Road News

[Alex]

The one area state road page I have not updated, and this is why.

Avalon Boulevard construction nearing an end

Two segments of the project to widen Avalon Boulevard from two to four lanes are set to be completed in January, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Those two segments make up the area between the bridge over the CSX tracks and U.S. 90. The other two segments, which make up the area between Interstate 10 and the CSX tracks, are scheduled to be done in fall 2013.

Construction on the first segment began in August of 2009.

The combined cost of the four segments is more than $33 million.

[Alex]

Residents weigh in on U.S. 98 plans (Okaloosa County)

About 25 people looked at maps, chatted with DOT officials and left comments about the plans to widen 4.1 miles of U.S. 98 to six lanes from Airport Road east to the Walton County line. The project would skip the existing six-lane stretch from Matthew Boulevard east to Kel Wen Circle.

Other improvements would include modifying traffic signals and adding sidewalks, curb ramps and handrails to comply with the Americans with Disability Act. Bicycle lanes also would be added at all right-turn lanes.

The $33.8 million project is unfunded at the moment. Work will begin as soon as funding is available, Satter said.

Although a timetable hasn't been set yet, similar projects take almost three years to complete, he said.

[FLRoads]

Preliminary work to begin for Hurlburt overpass

Crews are set to begin moving utilities Monday to prepare for construction of the new overpass on U.S. Highway 98.

The overpass should extend to about 3,750 feet west of the intersection and 2,500 feet to the east, according to the DOT.

Dan Wilcoxen, Hurlburt's chief of military construction, said they are working closely with DOT and Okaloosa County to coordinate potential secondary gate access points.

The entire project is expected to be complete by winter 2014.

[Alex]

Finally got around to checking out the new SR 85/123 flyover in Okaloosa County and drove around to a few other area projects:



The flyover carries two lanes from Florida 85 north onto Florida 123 north. The four-lane section quickly ends north of the overpass, with a lowly 45 mph speed limit set (speed limits go up to 55 mph once the road goes down to two lanes...). Work is planned to four-lane all of SR 123 in the near future.



Completely surprised to find that the folded-diamond interchange between Florida 85 and McWhorter Avenue/77th Special Forces Way was already open to traffic! A traffic light was added here a couple of years ago as Elgin AFB increased activities in this area. Not long after work began to add the overpass to offset delays to Duke Field.

Heading back south, more surprises in the fact that work has progressed quite a bit on the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector (Niceville bypass) project. A sign posted at the future trumpet interchange touts a spring 2014 completion.



Florida 85 at the future southbound on-ramp to Florida 293 Toll (Mid-Bay Bridge Connector).



Southbound on Florida 85 at the FL-293 interchange. Only one carriageway was built, as the road will only carry two lanes until traffic demands (and funds) warrant a expansion.

The SR 85/123 flyover project coincided with the construction of frontage roads from Florida 123 east to Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS). Traffic from FL-123 south to FL-85 east is directed onto the service road east to make the connection:



Was not a big fan of the mixed fonts on most of the signs along the service roads.

Two widening projects are underway along U.S. 331 in Walton County. The first expands the roadway from Choctawahatchee Bay northward to Freeport. A second span is planned for U.S. 331 across the Intracoastal Waterway at some point.



Land clearing for the future southbound lanes is about the extent of progress on the project.



The second four-laning project exists from CR-883 (old U.S. 331) north of Freeport to Woodlawn. Right of way fences are already in place from Woodlawn northward, but no work is underway from there to I-10.

[Alex]

Gulf Breeze fights light pollution with 64 new LED lights

...the city is taking a small step in reducing light glow by having Gulf Power Co. convert 64 of the old glaring street lights to high efficiency LED lights along Gulf Breeze Parkway (U.S. 98).

MasTec engineering and construction workers have been moving quickly to install the new fixtures and are expected to complete the job next week.

The $195,000 project also involves converting overhead power lines to the street lights to underground wiring, a project that will wrap up in about three weeks, Gulf Power Co. spokeswoman Natalie Smith said.

[Alex]

Local officials fear Pensacola Bay Bridge toll

FDOT officials said last year the bridge spanning Pensacola Bay to Gulf Breeze, which was built in the 1960s, is out of date and needs to be replaced.

The cost of such a project is estimated to be in the $500 million range. FDOT has indicated the only way the state can pay for such a project is to levy tolls.

[FLRoads]

Record road spending approved for Northwest Florida

$974 million has been granted for Northwest Florida transportation projects.

The plan includes setting aside $44.5 million for widening State Roads 123 and 87 and moving their construction dates up, Gaetz said at a meeting at the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. The projects are now slated to begin in 2015.

More than $600 million also has been set aside to build a new three-mile U.S. Highway 98 bridge between Gulf Breeze and Pensacola, Gaetz said. The long-sought project will be publicly funded and will not require tolls, as some people feared.

Until yesterday's announcement, many assumed that the new span would be tolled, much like the Garcon Point and Mid-Bay bridges, and that it would cripple the local economy.

He said DOT officials told him the $974 million is the largest single transportation initiative for Northwest Florida in history.

$20.6 million has been set aside for the Florida 123 project, which will four-lane the remaining stretch north to Florida 85 between Niceville and Crestview. However, the article does not specify if the work will include the proposed interchange at the north end of FL 123.

$23.9 million has also been set aside to four-lane Florida 87 through Eglin Air Force Base from the south boundary (where the new four-lane section still under construction ends) north to two miles south of the Yellow River bridge. That will leave about a 3.9-mile section of FL 87 as a two-lane arterial between I-10 and U.S. 98 when completed.

Both these projects were originally slated to begin in 2018 or later due to lack of funding.

None of the new projects will be tolled, but state Rep. Doug Broxson said people should expect future transportation efforts to include tolls because of funding shortfalls.

On a personal note, the project they really should be funding and building (with tolls or not) is the ever-proposed limited-access highway that would parallel U.S. 98 through western Okaloosa County and eastern Santa Rosa County. It would seem nobody at FDOT really gives a **** about the true necessity for an additional east-west corridor through these counties. I would assume it will take a tropical system of a Category 4 or 5 with a fast approach to the area to get their attention that the transportation infrastructure is less than adequate in the need of a massive evacuation.

[FLRoads]

Officials break ground on Hurlburt Field overpass

State, local and military officials met Thursday to break ground on the long-awaited U.S. Highway 98 overpass at the entrance to the base.

Construction should begin this summer and conclude by the end of 2014. Officials stressed they are dedicated to limiting the impacts.

[Alex]

All of the lights will be LED's.

U.S. 98 to get 1,000 streetlights, starting this month

The Florida Department of Transportation will begin installation of about 1,000 streetlights on U.S. 98 from Bayshore Road in Gulf Breeze to the Okaloosa County line in Santa Rosa County before the end of the month, State Rep. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, announced today.

The $2.5 million project is designed to ensure the safe movement of traffic for vehicles and pedestrians.

[bassoon1986]

Officials break ground on Hurlburt Field overpass

State, local and military officials met Thursday to break ground on the long-awaited U.S. Highway 98 overpass at the entrance to the base.

Construction should begin this summer and conclude by the end of 2014. Officials stressed they are dedicated to limiting the impacts.

HURBLURT FIELD – State, local and military officials met Thursday to break ground on the long-awaited U.S. Highway 98 overpass at the entrance to the base.

Hurblurt hahaha. Another derp of a spell check

[FLRoads]

Hurblurt hahaha. Another derp of a spell check

So typical of the local paper. It's why I have it labeled on my favorites as "Northwest Florida Daily Waste". I find at least once a day a misspelled word or use of poor grammar, and sometimes both.

To be honest though, I didn't even see that when I read this particular article, otherwise I would have pointed it out...

[Alex]

Additional money found to widen entire SR 123

State funding continues to flow in to widen State Road 123 to four lanes.

Gov. Rick Scott's office announced recently that it will add $19.9 million to funds already secured for the project by state Senate President Don Gaetz.

Scott also announced that Florida would provide the funding Gaetz had obtained in fiscal 2014 rather than fiscal 2018 as originally planned. The state will save $2 million by moving the work up.

[lamsalfl]

A pass at Navarre???  What kind of impacts to the water color will this have? 

[Alex]

A pass at Navarre???  What kind of impacts to the water color will this have?

Locals have been trying to lobby for this pass for years now and it has never gotten traction. The original Navarre Pass was located east of where Navarre County Park is now, roughly where the Eglin AFB land is located on the barrier island.

[Alex]

Barge crashes into Brooks Bridge

A barge crashed into the Brooks Bridge about 3:15 p.m.

The bridge is being closed to all traffic. There were cars on the bridge when the crashed occured.

Some pipes that run under the bridge were struck and were leaking large amounts of water and possibly gas.

Damage is reported is reported on the west side of the bridge.

Department of Transportation engeineers are en route to the bridge to asses the damage.

[Alex]

The PNJ posted a historical photo gallery of 23 images showing the Pensacola Bay Bridge (Three-Mile Bridge), including some shots of the original toll booth:

http://www.pnj.com/article/20130322/HISTORY/130322005/Historic-Photos-Series-Pensacola-Bay-bridges

[DeaconG]

Barge crashes into Brooks Bridge

A barge crashed into the Brooks Bridge about 3:15 p.m.

The bridge is being closed to all traffic. There were cars on the bridge when the crashed occured.

Some pipes that run under the bridge were struck and were leaking large amounts of water and possibly gas.

Damage is reported is reported on the west side of the bridge.

Department of Transportation engeineers are en route to the bridge to asses the damage.

It's made CNN.com, with video:

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-944879?hpt=hp_bn1

[Alex]

Seashore begins study to relocate Fort Pickens Road

Gulf Islands National Seashore Superintendent Dan Brown and two other park officials trudged through the sand about 100 yards north of Fort Pickens Road sticking red flags in the sand Tuesday afternoon.

The flags, lined up for about 1.4 miles, mark what could become a new route for a section of the park's 4-mile road to the historic fort.

Since August, the road that hugs the Gulf of Mexico has been closed four times to remove sand and repair storm damage.

No longer does it take a hurricane to wash out portions of the road. A strong south wind combined with high tide can send waves surging over the road and deposit sand drifts that can be 6 inches high.

"That's the new normal,"  Brown said. "We are going to lose that section of the road, in all likelihood, sooner rather than later. I don't know if it's going to be six months, six years or 10 years from now."

Instead of waiting for the road to wash away, the seashore is launching a lengthy process to develop an option to maintain access to Fort Pickens for an estimated 5 million yearly visitors.

One option under review is realigning a stretch of the roadway away from the Gulf, to the north. But before any construction can begin, the seashore will conduct a 12- to 18-month process involving public workshops, consultation with local officials and extensive scientific review.

[Alex]

Businesses along Avalon Boulevard (Florida 281) set to return to normal

That's because work to widen Avalon Boulevard – the primary connection between the heart of Milton and Interstate 10 – is complete along the roadway's northernmost two miles.

The lower 2 1/2 miles of Avalon, however, remain under construction. The state Department of Transportation expects that work to be completed by January.

Work to widen Avalon Boulevard to four lanes began in August 2009. The first segment – one of four for funding purposes – was partially funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus bill pushed by President Obama.

It was the first project in the state to receive money from that act.

All four segments, which will cover the 41/2 miles from U.S. 90 to Interstate 10, are expected to cost about $33 million. About $5.5 million of that came from stimulus money, with the rest covered by the state.

[Alex]

Work will help ease traffic jams over Bob Sikes bridge

At least that's the goal of $430,000 worth of improvements that are in store for the Pensacola Beach gateway now through the first of next year.

The work involves:

- Extending the fourth lane approaching the toll plaza so vehicles can access that lane at the foot of bridge instead of a few yards away.

- Extending the fourth lane exiting the toll plaza to give vehicles more time to merge with traffic on Pensacola Beach Boulevard.

- Extending the eastern transponder beach pass lane from the foot of the bridge.

- Extending the turning lane into The Grand Marlin restaurant and bridge fishing pier on the south side of the toll plaza to provide more room for vehicles to stack up.

- Enlarging the right turn lane on the northbound side of Pensacola Beach Boulevard to improve access to the bridge fishing pier and The Grand Marlin.

- Installing a pedestrian crosswalk with pavement embedded flashing lights on Pensacola Beach Boulevard at the Quietwater Beach pavilion area to the east and Pensacola Beach Marina and the Elk's Lodge on the west side of the street.

- Upgrading the toll plaza's transponder readers and hardware to make them operate more efficiently.

This may or may not include interoperability with Sunpass

[Alex]

From the FDOT District 3 Twitter feed:

FDOT District 3 ‏@MyFDOT_NWFL 55m
Walton- New signal on US 331 @ Chat Holley Road Tues, May 21 @ 10 a.m. http://ow.ly/d/1ftL

This breaks up a 9.7-mile signaless stretch from US 98 to Florida 20 at Freeport and is at the immediate south end of the Choctawahatchee Bay bridge.

[Alex]

Three years just to widen three miles of a road that is the only north-south road connecting southeastern Santa Rosa with I-10 and Milton. Even worse was that it was signed with a 45 mph speed limit at its original two lanes, but once orange barrels appeared, even though the majority of the work was well away from the travel lanes, speed limits were dropped to 35. The same contractor that dragged its feet on this is now resurfacing US 98 through Navarre until winter 2015...

SR 87 work progressing

After nearly three years, the widening of a three-mile stretch of State Road 87 is nearing completion.

Construction from Five Forks Road to the southern edge of Eglin Air Force Base property started in late August 2010. Construction crews for Anderson Columbia have begun laying the friction course – the final layer of asphalt – on the northbound lanes.

In addition to the friction course, drainage inspections, signage, sod and landscaping work and mailbox replacements will be completed in the next several weeks. Anderson Columbia projects the will be finished the week of July 26.

The current work was funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is the third phase of widening SR 87 to four lanes from Navarre to near Milton.

Construction began in 2002, and roughly 10.2 miles is complete or nearly complete. Work is progressing on widening the remaining 10 miles from the Eglin boundary north to just south of Interstate 10 that is still two lanes, Satter said.

The cost of the two projects has been estimated at $57.7 million.

Florida Senate President Don Gaetz announced in late January that $23.9 million of a $970 million Northwest Florida transportation package had been set aside to widen SR 87 from the Eglin boundary to two miles south of the Yellow River.

Since then, the DOT has found more money through savings on bids and good management, and allocated those dollars to widening more of SR 87, Gaetz said. The project now has $37.9 million secured, which is enough to widen the road from the Eglin boundary to County Road 184.

That leaves about 1½ miles of SR 87 unfunded for widening, but Gaetz also hopes to find money for that.

[DeaconG]

Three years just to widen three miles of a road that is the only north-south road connecting southeastern Santa Rosa with I-10 and Milton. Even worse was that it was signed with a 45 mph speed limit at its original two lanes, but once orange barrels appeared, even though the majority of the work was well away from the travel lanes, speed limits were dropped to 35. The same contractor that dragged its feet on this is now resurfacing US 98 through Navarre until winter 2015...

SR 87 work progressing

After nearly three years, the widening of a three-mile stretch of State Road 87 is nearing completion.

Construction from Five Forks Road to the southern edge of Eglin Air Force Base property started in late August 2010. Construction crews for Anderson Columbia have begun laying the friction course – the final layer of asphalt – on the northbound lanes.

In addition to the friction course, drainage inspections, signage, sod and landscaping work and mailbox replacements will be completed in the next several weeks. Anderson Columbia projects the will be finished the week of July 26.

The current work was funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is the third phase of widening SR 87 to four lanes from Navarre to near Milton.

Construction began in 2002, and roughly 10.2 miles is complete or nearly complete. Work is progressing on widening the remaining 10 miles from the Eglin boundary north to just south of Interstate 10 that is still two lanes, Satter said.

The cost of the two projects has been estimated at $57.7 million.

Florida Senate President Don Gaetz announced in late January that $23.9 million of a $970 million Northwest Florida transportation package had been set aside to widen SR 87 from the Eglin boundary to two miles south of the Yellow River.

Since then, the DOT has found more money through savings on bids and good management, and allocated those dollars to widening more of SR 87, Gaetz said. The project now has $37.9 million secured, which is enough to widen the road from the Eglin boundary to County Road 184.

That leaves about 1½ miles of SR 87 unfunded for widening, but Gaetz also hopes to find money for that.

Does this project have a completion bonus?  Not that it would guarantee that they move any faster (the contractor for the previous widening of I-95 in Brevard had one and didn't even get close [cough Community Asphalt cough]), but it certainly helps.

[FLRoads]

Does this project have a completion bonus?  Not that it would guarantee that they move any faster (the contractor for the previous widening of I-95 in Brevard had one and didn't even get close [cough Community Asphalt cough]), but it certainly helps.

I'm surprised it even has a completion deadline! The original contract called for 785 days of construction and over the course of the project, Anderson Columbia has already asked for a total of 275 more days. Some of those approved extension days are total BS in my opinion.

When driving through the construction zone, nine out of ten times yielded seeing no activity going on during the entire stretch. And on the off-chance that they were there most of their workers were just standing around doing nothing. Week after week no real progress could be seen. It took well over two years for them to even switch traffic over to the new northbound lanes. And they had to tear down a completely useful bridge not too old and rebuild it??

Just based on this little bit here, I would not expect them to receive a bonus, but I am sure they will (or even have gotten one) anyway.

On a side note, there is a widening project where I am living now and its totally opposite of the SR 87 project. I notice changes on a day-to-day basis! What a concept!! Not sure when they started but its suppose to be done in the Fall.

[Alex]

Online petition seeks to save Historic Milton

This is the first I have read for a possible US 90 bypass of Milton.

The PNJ map shows it following Old US 90 on a southerly route around the Milton street grid:

http://www.pnj.com/assets/pdf/DP207367623.PDF