The Florida Department of Transportation will hold a hybrid public hearing on the U.S. 98 “Around the Mound” PD&E Study in Okaloosa County on Tuesday, Dec. 9 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. CST.
- The hearing will begin with an open house from 5:30-6 p.m., followed by a formal presentation and public comment period beginning at 6 p.m. The in-person hybrid public hearing will be held at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway SE (U.S. 98).
The intent of the project is to address existing and future vehicular capacity and safety issues on U.S. 98 as well as the high volumes of regional and commuter traffic traveling through downtown Fort Walton Beach.
The PD&E Study is consistent with recommendations from the City of Fort Walton Beach Downtown Master Plan from May 2019 and the FDOT Feasibility Study from August 2020, according to FDOT.
Following the February 2024 Alternatives public meeting and additional environmental and engineering analysis, FDOT is recommending Alternative 1A (At-Grade) as the preferred alternative. The No-Build Alternative is also considered.
Since the February 2024 public meeting, FDOT has made several primary design changes to the project. The U.S. 98 alignment has been shifted slightly north to reduce overall right of way and property impacts. Shared-use path plans have been changed to sidewalks west of S.R. 189 (Beal Parkway).
- The signalized intersection at U.S. 98 and Harbeson Avenue has been redesigned to improve local traffic flow, with the old U.S. 98 segment (Miracle Strip Parkway) remaining in place with continued connections to Brooks Street.
The project will require access management changes and right of way acquisition, resulting in business relocations. FDOT intends to seek a “de minimis determination” under Section 4(f), a federal process regarding protection of historic and archaeological resources.
Future project phases of right of way and construction are not yet funded in the current FDOT Five-Year Work Program.
Participants are asked to register at www.nwflroads.com/calendar. All comments postmarked on or before Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, will become part of the official record.
