Construction crews are making headway on multiple aspects of the Brooks Bridge replacement project, with work concentrated on the new westbound bridge structure across Santa Rosa Sound, according to recent Florida Department of Transportation updates.

• Current activities include pile driving and pier construction in the Santa Rosa Sound, as well as the development of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall on Okaloosa Island. 

The MSE wall will serve as the permanent foundation for the westbound approach to the new bridge, where U.S. 98 westbound lanes will be elevated above Santa Rosa Boulevard, according to FDOT.

The wall consists of precisely layered, graded and compacted soil and subgrade material, reinforced with pre-cast concrete panels forming the sides. FDOT officials note that MSE walls are used in areas with limited space for gradual sloping embankment.

On Okaloosa Island, crews are constructing a new roadway called “North Connection” that will link U.S. 98 westbound and Santa Rosa Boulevard. Recent work includes the installation of concrete curb and sidewalk near the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center.

• To accommodate construction on the western side of the project, U.S. 98 traffic has been shifted south. The westbound bridge sidewalk is closed during construction, though pedestrians can still use the eastbound sidewalk.

The project, slated for completion in summer 2027, will replace the existing four-lane bridge that opened in 1966 with two new parallel bridges, expanding capacity to six travel lanes.