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‘FIFTY IN FIVE”: Okaloosa approves $4 million to pave another 20 miles of dirt roads

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved allocating $4 million in infrastructure surtax funds to continue the “Fifty-in-Five” dirt road stabilization project at its meeting Tuesday. “To say this has been a successful program is a complete understatement,” said Jason Autrey, Okaloosa County public works director. With the newly approved $4 million, Autrey said […]

Okaloosa Public Information Office

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved allocating $4 million in infrastructure surtax funds to continue the “Fifty-in-Five” dirt road stabilization project at its meeting Tuesday.

  • The project aims to stabilize and pave the county’s remaining dirt roads within five years. There were originally about 190 miles of county-maintained dirt roads when the initiative was proposed in 2020.

“To say this has been a successful program is a complete understatement,” said Jason Autrey, Okaloosa County public works director.

With the newly approved $4 million, Autrey said the county can stabilize over 20 more miles of dirt roads in the next fiscal year. That will leave under 30 miles left to stabilize and 85 miles to be paved with asphalt.

Commissioner Nathan Boyles, who first proposed the project in 2020, said the recent use of a thin layer of hot mix asphalt “has been a substantial improvement” over the previous double chip seal method.

Okaloosa Public Information Office

“I know in my district constituents are seeing and feeling the difference,” Boyles said. “The chip seal was the best we had at the time, but it certainly looks like we’re getting a better product at the end of the day with the hot mix.”

Boyles also noted the project seems to be boosting morale among public works employees.

  • “They’re actually out there doing work that’s permanent and making a difference to citizens, which, at the end of the day, is their neighbors and friends and family members,” Boyles said.

Autrey said the only drawback to the improved road conditions is that the roads are now so smooth that drivers are speeding on them. This has prompted the Public Works department to reassess speed limits, chevron signs and other traffic controls to improve safety.

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“Would be nice to hear Matt Gaetz addressing his District 1 voters he left in dust. Unless I missed it somehow.”
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“The Big U! The NMU supplied the unlicensed crew and when we lost this ship and its jobs and when U.S. Lines went bankrupt, we were on our way to...”
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“Highschool is finna be more crowed now. We need another highschool not a middle or elementary school.”
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“I agree with Jerome. What will this accomplish since both ends are only 4 lanes?”
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“The parking lot at McGuires would disappear along with the parcel that Destin purchased at the bridge.. Flooding on Okaloosa Island would close an expensive update to 98 , at...”
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“This will not make a difference for traffic passing through the center of Destin along Rt. 98. The smart option is to complete the Brooks Bridge and intersection in Ft...”
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