CRESTVIEW TO BE A BIG WINNER WITH NEW OVERPASS

Okay folks. It is official and work is ready to begin. This investment in this overpass undoubtably has made the North Part of the County much more valuable. It provides a convenient and quick access from Crestview to the Joint Strike Fighter location on Eglin, the businesses in Fort Walton Beach, and of course the beaches of the Gulf Coast. The intent of this overpass was to meet the done of folks moving to Crestview and other areas of the north part of Crestview. $25 million is just a start.

Contractor chosen for SR 85-123 flyover
Federal stimulus money earmarked for the long-delayed project set to cost $25.1 million
By DUSTY RICKETTS Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4448 dustyr@nwfdailynews.com After years of planning and delays because of lack of funding, construction on the State Road 85-State Road 123 interchange flyover is gearing up to start. Lake City-based construction firm Anderson Columbia was awarded the contract to build the flyover. The project is being fully funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “It’s going to relieve the congestion in that area,” said Tommie Speights, spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation. “As the area grows, and with the expansion of the military, this project will relieve traffic and improve the safety.” The flyover project was the top priority project in the Northwest Florida region to be funded with federal stimulus dollars. Construction on the new flyover is expected to start in about three to four months and be completed around spring 2011. In 2001, construction was expected to start in 2007, but plans were delayed several times because of a lack of funding. It wasn’t until the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — commonly referred to as the stimulus funding — was approved that funding was secured. Although the project had been estimated to cost $46 million, Anderson Columbia’s bid for the project came in at $25.1 million. The project would build an overpass connecting the northbound lanes of SR 85 with SR 123, reducing congestion and eliminating the need for a traffic signal there. The project will also widen SR 85 South from four to six lanes and will reconstruct the entrance and exit to the Northwest Florida Regional Airport. Hundreds of trees around the area where the flyover will be constructed were recently cut down by a private logging company. That was not a part of the official construction project.