Transportation in the panhandle is about to change.
A state appointed task force is investigating new routes for the historic US 98 and the new course will modify the course of traffic as we know it.
The group in charge of the high dollar endeavor is a governor appointed task force called the Northwest Florida Transportation Corridor Authority.
The board consists of representatives from Bay, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Escambia, Walton, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla counties.
Expecting continued growth in the panhandle, the authority wants to enhance traveler safety and ease current or anticipated traffic congestion.
They are the ones who will oversee millions of dollars in changes.
West Bay Bypass
One plan currently in the works is called the West Bay Bypass.
This 16 mile bypass will be a limited access expressway extending from Highway 77 to the east of the new Airport to U.S. 98 in Walton County, to the west.
The price tag is $173 million and is in the NFTCA’s 10-20 year plan.
The new airport is slated to open late 2009.
Gulf-Bay Parkway
Construction on the Gulf-Bay Parkway has already begun.
It runs from US 98 in Port St. Joe and creates a new path northeast of the current US 98 (similar to Back Beach road in Bay County) passing Mexico Beach, then reconnects at US 98 just outside the city limits.
The 12 mile, four lane highway is budgeted at $142.4 million.
It’s divided into three segments.
The first segment is only two lanes from Port St. Joe around the new Port St. Joe development, “WindMark Beach” and reconnects to US 98 before hitting Mexico Beach.
The first segment is already finished.
Segment two will extend from segment one to the Bay County-Gulf County border.
That plan is in the design phase and is 90% complete.
Segment three runs from county road 386 and reconnects the “Back Beach Road” to US 98 just passed Mexico Beach.
NFTCA officials are only funded through the design phase of the third segment.
Gulf Coast Parkway
The Gulf Coast Parkway will be one of the biggest projects on the master plan.
It starts at the Gulf-Bay connector and runs north towards the site for the new Bay County International Airport in West Bay.
It’s a 27.5 mile, four lane arterial road, budgeted at more than $394 million.
NTCA officials do not know the actual track at this point.
Of the three paths proposed, their preferred track would run through St. Joe Company property and up to county road 231 in Bay County.
An additional project would then be done to widen county road 2321 to four lanes From US 231 to state road 77.
That re-widening project would come at an additional $150.5 million.
The Gulf Coast Parkway is currently under a Planning Development and Environmental study.
There are currently no funds allocated to pay for the highway, but NFTCA officials are considering making it a toll road to pay it off.
It may be another 2-3 years before construction begins on this project.
Public Meeting
NFTCA officials say they have already held several public workshops on the new Gulf Coast Parkway.
Another chance for residents to voice their opinions will be on Wednesday, November 14 at 10:00 a.m.
The meeting will be in Springfield at the Springfield Community Center located at 3728 East 3rd Street.
Gulfcoastparkway.com advertises the meeting as a Florida Department of Transportation coordinated event in preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Gulf Coast Parkway.
As part of the EIS process, a scoping meeting is being held to provide regulatory agencies and the public an opportunity to review and comment on the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study which is currently underway and to discuss concerns or considerations as the project moves into the future.
