U.S. Highway 98 will be closed to through traffic on Nov. 5-6 to reinstall the Hurlburt Field pedestrian bridge.

• At 5 p.m. on Nov. 5, Highway 98 will be reduced to two lanes.
• At 10 p.m. Highway 98 will be closed.
• At 8 a.m. on Nov. 6, Highway 98 will be reopened to two lanes.
• At 10 a.m., Highway 98 will be fully reopened.

According to a press release, Non-DoD ID cardholder traffic will need to use I-10, from the east or from the west to bypass this area during the closure period.

DoD ID Cardholder traffic will be allowed from the Hurlburt Soundside area on Cody Ave to the main base and back, through the Highway 98 underpass, during the entire time period. 

• Traffic on Cody will not be allowed to enter Highway 98, to the east or west, while Highway 98 is closed.  

DoD ID card holders will be able to use the temporary McMillian gate on Highway 98, west of the pedestrian bridge, and the Hurlburt Field East gate while Highway 98 is closed.  

The pedestrian bridge was removed Oct. 23, 2021, and underwent a year of maintenance to repair damage caused by flooding and erosion detected following Hurricane Sally in 2020.

The original period of performance for the repair project was six months, but in the spring of 2022, the contractors performed ultrasonic testing on the bridge to provide further detailed analysis of the bridge and identified unforeseen repair requirements that were not previously included in the original wording of the contract.

• The required contract completion date is 30 Jan 23, but may be completed sooner.

Repairs include improvements to the storm drainage area near the bridge and strengthened bridge support with sheet piles to address erosion concerns. The repairs also addressed soil movement concerns around the bridge support.

The bridge structure was reinforced with metal plates on the bottom span of the structure with similar strengthening efforts at the existing bolted splice connections. Furthermore, the entire structure was repainted, which will help with corrosion concerns from the environmental conditions in the area.

According to Hurlburt Field officials, these repairs will strengthen the bridge, resulting in a more robust structure than the original design.

The bridge will not immediately be re-opened to pedestrian traffic, as there is still work to be done while the bridge is in place. Hurlburt leadership expects to re-open to pedestrian traffic prior to Christmas.