NEW OVERPASS BETWEEN CRESTVIEW AND FORT WALTON BEACH HIGHLY DESIRABLE FOR STATE

This connection, which will be located near the Northwest Florida Regional Airport, will make it that much easier for the Northern County residents to enjoy the South part of the County.

Officials lobby for overpass for SR 123
By DUSTY RICKETTS Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4448 dustyr@nwfdailynews.com After years of delays, there finally is some hope that the proposed overpass at the southern intersection of State Roads 85 and 123 could become a reality. The Florida Department of Transportation has had plans for a flyover ramp to connect SR 85 to northbound SR 123 for years. The flyover would reconfigure the congested intersection and eliminate the need for a traffic signal there. The estimated $30.6 million project has been delayed numerous times because of the cost. “The intent is to free up the traffic at that intersection by providing a flyover and some at-grade improvements,” said Tommie Speights, spokesman for the DOT’s Northwest Florida district. “The design on that is not complete.” In 2001, construction was scheduled to begin in fiscal 2007. However, the DOT has delayed the project three times since then. Most recently, Okaloosa County officials were notified in December that the project had been pushed back again from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2013. Rather than accepting another delay, the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization met with DOT officials and the overpass has been added to the list of projects proposed by the state to be funded by the federal economic stimulus program. Okaloosa County commissioners will write letters to their state and federal legislators seeking help to get the overpass approved. Commissioners hope the project will start before 2013. “The plans are being updated to current standards in anticipation of potential funding from the economic stimulus package,” Speights said. “The plans will be ready for bid advertisement within a month should funding become available.”