STATE ROAD 85-124 OVERPASS ON-TIME AND POSSIBLY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

The speedway from the South Part of the County to the North Part of the County is almost done and will be a major motivator in deciding where to live for not only the incoming Special Forces Group, F-35 Training Squadron, and a number of other folks working in the South Part of the County. Senator Gaetz was instrumental in making this happen with the knowledge that the majority of the folks had a desire to live on the North Part of the County for a number of reason. One of the major reason's of course, is the fact the only available land for the massive growth was on the North Side of the County.

SR 85-123 overpass to be finished 'on-time, if not early' (PHOTOS)
Angel McCurdy
2010-11-09 20:38:28

EGLIN AFB — As motorists continue to drive past the dirt mounds and growing concrete walls at the intersection of State Roads 85 and 123, officials say progress on the flyover is on schedule.
Construction crews have completed support work for the overpass that will connect northbound SR 85 to northbound to SR 123, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Transportation. “Everything is going real well,” said DOT disrict spokesman Tommie Speights. “There have been no major hurdles, and if the weather continues to work on our favor we anticipate the project will be complete by summer 2012.” The flyover ramp will eliminate the need for the traffic signal at the intersection and allow vehicles to move uninterrupted.
The $21.5 million project is being funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. The work now is focused on SR 85 in front of Northwest Florida Regional Airport. Crews are building the entrance and exit drives for the airport and the new frontage road adjacent to northbound SR 85. SR 85 will also be widened to six lanes from General Bond Boulevard north to the airport. Speights said the daytime work has caused no traffic tie-ups and should not pose a problem in the future. “They are working out of the way of traffic,” he said. “They sometimes will have to bring in trucks or supplies, but they haven’t had to stop traffic yet.” Mike Lenga, project administrator with contractor Greenhorne & O’Mara, said the substructure for flyover has been completed. The next phase will include laying asphalt. Traffic will be shifted around the work area after Thanksgiving to allow crews to finish work on the two walls of the bridge.
When completed, the frontage road will carry delivery traffic to the airport’s commercial entrance and exit. Crews also are continuing working on the new ramp and a retention pond east of the airport. “This should relieve congestion at the intersection, making the area safer for drivers,” Speights said. “So far, things are moving along well.” Plans call for shifting southbound traffic on SR 85 onto the new frontage road by January. The change will allow crews to build the overpass on SR 85 southbound. “We’re on track for an on-time, if not early completion,” Lenga said. “Things are looking good.”