Construction is moving forward on the $171-million Brooks Bridge Replacement Project as crews work on several piers for the new westbound bridge structure connecting mainland Fort Walton Beach to Okaloosa Island.
- Recent construction activity visible from Okaloosa Island shows multiple phases of pier development.
In the foreground, workers are driving concrete piles that will form the foundation for a land pier. These piles will be cut to specific heights before being topped with a reinforced concrete slab that will serve as the bridge foundation.
Two vertical pier columns have been erected further west, where crews have placed concrete into a large cap form. The form is currently wrapped in orange curing blankets to control heat and moisture during the concrete curing process.
- The first completed pier for the westbound structure stands in the Santa Rosa Sound just west of Okaloosa Island, marking tangible progress on the expansion project.
The project aims to replace the existing four-lane bridge, which opened in 1966, with two new parallel bridges that will expand capacity to six travel lanes. Construction is scheduled for completion in summer 2027.
2 Responses
Why can’t they Finnish what they start?
In Crestview, the road is and has been un Finnished for years. The hiway leading into Crestview is in total disaray.they need to complete one project before screwing another up.
Is there a rendering of how Hwy 98 will be rerouted through Ft Walton?
I’ve heard it will bypass downtown and that will become a walking street. Is that true?