Mid-Bay Bridge / Mid-Bay Bridge Connector - North

The first shield assembly for State Road 293 lies between U.S. 98 and Commons Boulevard. The state road carries six overall lanes by Destin Commons shopping center.

06/20/09

A toll schedule sign precedes Commons Boulevard for the Mid-Bay Bridge. Tolls were last increased to $3.00 per passenger vehicle on June 1, 2010.

05/13/11

SR 293 sheds two lanes north of Commons Boulevard. The right lane turns into Destin Commons while the middle lane ends just ahead of the Mid-Bay Bridge.

05/13/11

Just north of the intersection with Regatta Bay Boulevard, SR 293 north reaches the Mid-Bay Bridge.

05/13/11

The Mid-Bay Bridge swings northward from Moreno Point across southern reaches of Choctawhatchee Bay.

05/13/11

Crossing Choctawhatchee Bay and the Intracoastal Water, the Mid-Bay Bridge totals 19,008 feet in length and crests at 65 feet above the navigation channel.

05/13/11

The mainline toll plaza for the Mid-Bay Bridge is just north of the Choctawhatchee shoreline.

05/13/11

An eight lane toll plaza includes one dedicated Sunpass lane per direction and three cash lanes.

05/13/11

Beyond the toll plaza is a SR 293 reassurance marker.

05/13/11

The off-ramp for Lakeshore Drive departs soon there after for Pippin Lake and White Point Road (former SR 293).

05/13/11

The close proximity of the Lakeshore Drive diamond interchange and single point urban interchange (SPUI) with SR 20 sees a separate guide sign for SR 20 posted along the northbound on-ramp from Lakeshore Drive.

05/22/14

An SR 293 reassurance marker resides between Lakeshore Drive and SR 20. This stretch of the Mid-Bay Connector is untolled.

05/22/14

Completion of the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector in January 2014 included the addition of trailblazers for Interstate 10 preceding the SR 20 off-ramp. The eastbound assembly directs motorists onto SR 20 to U.S. 331 north to DeFuniak Springs.

05/22/14

SR 293 northbound at the SR 20 off-ramp. SR 20 connects Niceville with Portland and Freeport in neighboring Walton County. The state road provides a long distance route to Tallahassee via Ebro, Blountstown and Bristol.

05/22/14

A pair of trailblazers for Interstate 10 accompanied the SR 20 shields on the northbound off-ramp from SR 293. With the completion of the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector, it is no longer necessary to take SR 20 through Niceville to reach SR 85 north for I-10 west.

09/16/11

An end shield for SR 293 was posted midway between the SR 20 on-ramp and diamond interchange with Range Road.

09/16/11

A new Toll SR 293 shield replaced the end shield as the Mid-Bay Connector continues north from Range Road to a toll collection point as a super-two expressway.

05/22/14

A small guide sign remains from the temporary ending of SR 293 at Range Road. A single bridge was erected above Range Road by 2013 as the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector reduces to two lanes.

05/22/14

The ramp for Range Road opened to traffic in September 2011. The road serves local interests west into a residential area and east onto Eglin A.F.B.

05/22/14

Points of interest served by the Range Road exit include the EOD Memorial and the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

05/22/14

Passing over Range Road, drivers are alerted of the All Electronic Tolling (AET) aspect of the upcoming toll collection point.

05/22/14

The Mid-Bay Connector swings northwest through a rural area along Eglin A.F.B.

05/22/14

SR 293 crosses Rocky Creek just east of Rocky Bayou.

05/22/14

The toll road expands to four lanes as the toll collection point northeast of Niceville. Rates charged vary between Sunpass and toll by plate transactions.

05/22/14

Transponder and license plate readers hang above the travel lanes of SR 293 at the toll collection gantry.

05/22/14

A left turn lane follows the AET gantry along SR 293 north.

05/22/14

SR 293 runs along a ridge between Turkey and Long Creeks before turning west along the north side of Niceville.

05/22/14

Crossing Turkey Creek, one mile east of the diamond interchange with SR 285.

05/22/14

An at-grade intersection precedes the SR 285 off-ramp with Forest Road south to the Rocky Bayou Country Club golf course community.

05/22/14

Forest Road leads south to Rocky Bayou Drive. College Boulevard stems west from nearby along the northern periphery of Niceville.

05/22/14

SR 285 provides one of two routes linking Niceville with areas north of Eglin Air Force Base and Interstate 10.

05/22/14

A reassurance marker follows the intersection with Forest Road south. The remaining stretch of the Mid-Bay Connector west is untolled.

05/22/14

Toll SR 293 north at the SR 285 off-ramp. SR 285 totals 17.86 miles from SR 20 in Niceville to U.S. 90, west of Mossy Head, in Walton County.

05/22/14

Taking the off-ramp to SR 285, motorists bound for Northwest Florida State College are directed onto the state road south for College Boulevard (former CR 190) west. SR 285 south ends otherwise in 2.4 miles

05/22/14

Heading northeast, SR 285 immediately enters Eglin Air Force Base grounds on the 15.2 mile drive to Interstate 10. The state road is subject to periodic closure by the Air Force during maneuvers.

05/22/14

SR 293 arcs westward across both Swift Creek and Fox Head Branch around Northwest Florida State College.

05/22/14

Forthcoming SR 85 links Niceville with the Okaloosa County seat of Crestview as a four lane divided highway through Eglin Air Force Base.

05/22/14

A 56.47 mile route, SR 85 runs south to U.S. 98 in Fort Walton Beach and north to the Alabama state line opposite Alabama 55. Providing the main route through Okaloosa County, SR 85 meets I-10, 14 miles to the north.

05/22/14

SR 85 heads south into Niceville and west from the city of Valparaiso to Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS).

05/22/14

Spanning Mill Creek, drivers see an end sign for Toll SR 293.

05/22/14

Entering the trumpet interchange with SR 85 along SR 293 north. SR 85 expands to a four lane expressway with 65 mile per speed limits to the north. Southward the route transitions into a five lane commercial arterial.

05/22/14

A loop ramp joins SR 85 south for Hurlburt Field and Shalimar. The state road reaches Downtown Fort Walton Beach in 14 miles.

05/22/14

A future extension of the Mid-Bay Connector will take SR 293 west another four miles to SR 85 near the intersection with College Boulevard and North Gate into Eglin A.F.B.¹ Modifications to the trumpet interchange here will be necessary.

05/22/14