This week’s traffic standstill along U.S. 98, which forced military leadership to implement emergency measures, has thrust into sharp focus what base officials have long warned about: traffic congestion near Hurlburt Field isn’t merely a commuter inconvenience – it’s a military readiness issue that could impact national security operations.
The situation became critical Monday when construction reducing U.S. Highway 98 to one lane in each direction created massive delays, prompting Col. Patrick Dierig, Commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, to take immediate action.
- He authorized squadron commanders to implement flexible schedules and alternate duty locations, while also extending Child Development Centers and Youth Center hours without late fees.
“Due to this week’s Hwy 98 construction impacts, I have authorized all 1 SOW squadron commanders maximum flexibility on how they manage work schedules, shifts, and alternate duty locations,” Dierig announced via Facebook.
The Florida Department of Transportation has since halted the construction project. “Crews have restored all lanes of traffic this morning,” FDOT District Three Public Information Officer Ian Satter said Tuesday morning. “FDOT engineers are currently developing a new construction plan to complete the pipe replacement project with the least amount of impact to the traveling public.”
For Dierig, who discussed these challenges in an April interview with Get The Coast, this week’s events validate his ongoing concerns about the corridor’s impact on military operations. Traffic management stands as one of his top local concerns that affects mission execution as well as quality of life for both Hurlburt Airmen and the local community.
“I never want to call the Air Force Special Operations Commander and say, ‘Sir, the mission failed because of a traffic jam,'” Dierig said in that April interview, highlighting how traffic delays could compromise the base’s special operations missions, some of which operate on extremely short timelines.
The current situation has accelerated discussions about long-term solutions, including a proposed collector road project that received initial funding in August.
- Okaloosa County approved a $1.1 million Project Development and Environment study for a three-mile parallel road from Solar Street to Green Drive, designed to alleviate pressure on U.S. 98, which currently handles approximately 50,000 vehicles daily.
County Engineer Scott Bitterman previously noted that even FDOT’s planned expansion of U.S. 98 to six lanes may not be sufficient. “A six lane highway, it can handle about 55,000 cars per day. So if-and-when Highway 98 gets widened out to six lanes, it’s still going to be almost at capacity when it’s open day one,” Bitterman said during an August county meeting.
Dierig emphasized in his April interview that solving the traffic issue requires extensive coordination across multiple government levels.
- “We need a whole-of-government approach to get a secondary east-west corridor parallel to Highway 98,” he said, noting that such a solution would require local, state, and federal funding coordination, along with potential Air Force investment for a western gate. “We have got to get something that connects at least from Highway 87 to Hurlburt Field.”
The proposed collector road project involves partnerships with several entities, including the Air Force, Okaloosa Water and Sewer, Florida Department of Transportation, Okaloosa Public Schools, and the Florosa Fire Control District.
While FDOT works to revise its immediate construction plans, the larger infrastructure challenges remain. As Dierig noted in April, while solutions may take years to implement, his goal is to establish clear milestones for future base leadership to follow, ensuring continuity in addressing what has become both a quality of life and military readiness issue.
15 Responses
Another reason to widen hwy 98. Spending additional money on a second road that ends up Back on hwy 98. How is that solving the problem. FDOT has done so many studies, and spent so much money over the years. This could have already been completed.
Did you read? Widening 98 will allow for 55,000 cars per day, which means it would already be at capacity the day it’s opened. The article stated that they want to connect Hurlburt Field directly with 87. Additionally, adding a road that bypasses a section of 98 means that it takes pressure off of 98 as a whole as commuters will be able to get to their destination faster, thereby getting off the road and reducing congestion. There’s a reason that bypasses on interstate exist. They go around heavily congested regions, like Atlanta or Macon on i75.
It solves the problem by supplying an alternate route to Fort Walton. If a parallel road existed between 87 and hurlburt or fwb proper, thousands would not even have to utilize 98.
Widening a highway is a poorly thought out bandaid as has demonstrated throughout the world time and time again.
This fiasco goes back YEARS! Remember the Spotted Salamandar that screwed up the plans for a new roadway? How much is that amphibian costing the community and the TAXPAYERS?
There should have been a COMPREHENSIVE ROAD PLAN for 87, 98 and Navarre Causeway created YEARS AGO. As of today, NO SUCH PLAN EXISTS. The meeting I attended on this issue was nothing but a HUGE BYTCH SESSION.
NO ONE in either SRC or Okaloosa Counties wants ANY road or expressway near their subdivisions. PERIOD!
If you have to have to merge back onto Hwy 98 using that suggested new Florosa roadway. It WILL bottleneck traffic and not change anything from what we have now.
They have been talking about a road from hwy 87 to hwy85 forever.
I add make it military and base employees only.
Put security check points a mile in from each end.
It is time!
Move spec ops squadron to another base. With continued growth, this problem will continue. Or, provide housing for all members.
If the highway going to and from 87 and Hurlburt were stacked you could not only add the additional lanes needed but it wouldn’t impede on the housing on either side of 98. All it takes is money$$$. This type of solution has been proven successful in other areas of the country so why not here?
Look north! I know everyone sees all the federal land that Is wide open. Why do we not have public roads opening in that federal land to get our military more options to get from home to assignment. 123 is a mess. 98 is a mess. 85 is a mess. It’s ALL a mess. Open some federal land for roadways like you did hwy 123. It’s a permanent solution to a growing problem
You folks created this mess by “packing them in” like sardines
(With poor roadways to move the masses) WHAT did you Think would happen❓‼️❓
Planning and roads in the area has always lacked the needed attention. I think light rail should be considered to run from Crestview to Eglin and then to Hurlburt and west to Hwy 87. It would provide base commuters an option and get more drivers off the roads.
Take away some of the military’s land and make a road but no, they’re worried about some endangered gecko. That’s been out there for thousands of years
Well I said for years it doesn’t make sense to have military bases here they need to move them out of this area if China Russia Iran any other country decides to drop a bomb there’s about 9 military bases that would be affected i believe it would be like world war II again when they attack Pearl harbor
Back before this area became a big tourist destination and Hurlburt was known as Hurlburt Air Force Patch, there wasn’t a problem. Trade offs…Tourism for Military Defense!
Ditto Eglin and Hulbert were here along time before the area became a tourist trap. If you keep building subdivision etc etc with out a fore thought what did you think would happen? HELENE And MILTON are a classic example of to many people and no provision to move then out. Who is to blame? Simple who handed out the building permits . With ONLY 1 EAST WEST CORRIDOR WHAT THE HECK DID THIS COUNTY OFFICSLS EXPECT WOULD HAPPEN