CRESTVIEW TO BENEFIT FROM SR 85-123 FLYOVER PROJECT (READ ON)

As noted a month or so ago, this Overpass at the SR-85 - 123 connection will make living in Crestview that more attractive for those working in the south part of the county. But I have been saying this for quite some time. The folks, who were on the fence about moving to Crestview from the South part of the County, just might have their reason to make the leap. Already, we hear everyday, folks from the South part of the wanting to the North part of the county when they sale their house. I bet they will tried harder NOW, as the prices go back up.

$46 million SR 85-123 flyover project largest job slated for region

By DUSTY RICKETTS Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4448 dustyr@nwfdailynews.com

P r e s i d e n t B a r a c k Obama’s economic recovery stimulus is about to bring millions of dollars and thousands of new jobs to Northwest Florida. State Sen. Don Gaetz announced Friday afternoon that Northwest Florida will receive $88 million for transportation and infrastructure projects as part of the federal stimulus program. Although the funding still must be approved by the state legislative Budget Committee on April 16, Gaetz said that action basically is a formality. “I would have voted against the stimulus package as presented by the Obama administration if I had been a U.S. senator and not a state senator, and I have a number of reasons why,” Gaetz said. “But since the dollars are appropriated and going to be coming to Florida, I wanted to make sure Northwest Florida was not forgotten. I was pleased we were able to get our key priorities funded. But obviously, there are other projects further down the priority list we still hope we’ll have a chance at.” Okaloosa County is receiving the bulk of the stimulus dollars. The top priority for the region, which will be fully funded through the stimulus program, is the $46 million flyover ramp at the south intersection of State Road 85 and State Road 123 and the reconfiguring of the entrance to Northwest Florida Regional Airport. One of the stipulations for states to receive stimulus dollars was that projects had to be “shovel ready” and be able to put people to work immediately. Gaetz said at least half of the funds for the overpass must be allocated in the next 120 days and that the project is expected to employ nearly 1,300 people. “I want jobs created and people going to work as soon as possible,” Gaetz said. As chairman of the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization, Fort Walton Beach City Councilman Bill Garvie pushed hard for the flyover project to receive funding. “I was hoping for this, but to hear about it is exciting,” Garvie. “It had all kinds of things involved in it. You had national security there. You had development of the economy in this area. Those were two major areas here.” Gaetz also said the flyover will be a huge benefit to Eglin Air Force Base, especially with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and the Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) arriving in the near future. “My hope is that this decision by the state of Florida will help send a positive message to the military that we support them, that we put the needs of military missions high on our priority list,” said Gaetz, R-Niceville. “We want to make sure they hear us loud and clear that we want to keep our military mission and we want to keep our military bases.” Other projects being funded by federal stimulus dollars in Okaloosa are the resurfacing of Memorial Parkway, Bay Drive, Country Club Avenue, Yacht Club Drive and Wright Parkway in Fort Walton Beach; reconstruction and landscaping work on Scenic Highway 98 in Destin; and sidewalk work on State Road 285 in Niceville and on Brookmeade Drive in Crestview. Santa Rosa County is expected to receive $11.4 million, most of which will be used to widen Avalon Boulevard. Walton County will get $1.8 million, which will be used to build a pedestrian bridge, sidewalks and for a resurfacing project. Escambia and Bay counties will get a total of about $24 million. If a state cannot move quickly enough on stimulus projects, it could lose its federal funding and the money could be reallocated. If that happens in other states, Gaetz said he will try to secure more funding for Northwest Florida.