The Fort Walton Beach City Council unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with Okaloosa County Tuesday night to jointly fund the design phase of the “Around the Mound” traffic project, with each entity committing $675,000 in matching funds.
- The agreement enables the city to apply for a competitive Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) grant that would cover half of the $2.7 million design costs, Growth Management Director Christopher Frassetti told council members.
“This could substantially speed up the process,” Frassetti said. “Currently it’s not funded in the five-year program with FDOT for design.”
Councilman Travis Smith said the project could advance by 18 to 24 months if the grant is approved. “This is a once in a lifetime deal that we got right here,” Smith said. “According to both [FDOT and TPO], it’s very unheard of to advance a project.”
The project aims to increase capacity on US 98 and address existing and future traffic issues through downtown Fort Walton Beach. A Project Development & Environmental study is currently underway, with a preferred route alternative expected to be selected in November 2025.
Councilwoman Gloria DeBerry noted both local military base commanders support the project. “They’ll do whatever they can to help us eliminate or reduce the traffic flow, especially on Hurlburt,” she said.
If the grant is approved, design work could begin in 2026. The city and county also plan to pursue additional funding through Safe Streets and Roads for All grants that could potentially cover their required matches.
14 Responses
This is ridiculous, tear down buildings on south side of 98 through “downtown FWB” and put in your superhighway. Nothing historical will be damaged, millions and millions of dollars will be saved, and much less land will be taken by straight shot through town. Mainstreet FWB has been a money pit for taxpayers for way to long. This waste must end.
Tear down which Buildings on the south side of 98?
I don’t know the politics, but from a traffic control perspective the plan will allow a faster flow of traffic so they can jam up on either side
This is a horrific idea and would ruin the feel of the Fort Walton historic downtown. They would need to swallow up many business and cost hundreds of jobs and people’s dreams. They should focus on buying back a portion of the beach from the coast guard and build a new bridge that spans from Mary Ester Blvd onto the island. And a bridge that spans from Shalimar into Destin, easier and will only cost some individual homes. And the Shalimar can be a toll bridge.
The indigenous population of South Okaloosa County does not have the medical capacity to understand this complex traffic pattern. Yeah let’s throw in all the out-of-towners to try to navigate this and find out where they’re going God help us if we all had maps on our phone
That traffic flow to Publix is terrible.
Elevate HWY 98 just like Interstate 110 is in Pensacola and just like HWY 98 is at the Andrew’s Bridge in Panama City. That moves traffic as well as keeps the ” town/village esthestic” on the ground level. As a matter of fact, elevate HWY 98 across south Okaloosa county….except at the Hurlburt airstrip. That works!
That’s a good solution!
I hope no circumstances ever exist which require me ever to live a n Okaloosa county. You seem like a bunch of peaches.
I hope no circumstances ever make me turn out like you and be angry at a news article that doesn’t even apply to you. The fact that you’re doing this at 5 in the morning (on a work day) makes this even more sad.
Elevating US98, like they did with US19 (N/S) is a much better idea than DESTROYING our historic downtown.
Like it or not but Fort Walton Beach is dying, it’s becoming just like Navarre but with some big box stores and no growth. All the shopping is in Walton or Escambia countys no growth. Okaloosa County sat on there hands when the magnet stores started closing at Santa Rosa Mall and everything went East.
I hope P Johnson gets to visit here so I can tell him to his face to keep his mouth shut about my town
Whatever the plan turns out to be, it needs to tie into the new Brooks bridge, increase downtown parking and allow for much more pedestrian traffic maybe even closing down existing downtown 98, all without impeding traffic. Good luck.