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Okaloosa County approves $1.5M for Traffic Management Center in Niceville

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved the allocation of $1.5 million from FY24 Surtax Reserves for the Traffic Management Center Project on Tuesday, April 4, 2024.  The TMC staff will be able to respond to real-time operational adjustment needs and immediate incident response tasks to improve traffic flow and dispatch emergency response to roadway […]

Rendering via Okaloosa County

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved the allocation of $1.5 million from FY24 Surtax Reserves for the Traffic Management Center Project on Tuesday, April 4, 2024. 

  • The new TMC will be an addition to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Niceville, FL, and will monitor the county-wide fiber optic network that provides communication to various traffic-related systems, including traffic signal controllers, CCTV cameras at intersections, and dynamic message signs. 

The TMC staff will be able to respond to real-time operational adjustment needs and immediate incident response tasks to improve traffic flow and dispatch emergency response to roadway incidents, stalled vehicles, and weather-related incidents. 

  • The facility will include redundant servers and fiber optics for a robust communications system and provide fiber optic communications with Okaloosa EOC, FDOT District office, and other regional TMCs.

The estimated cost for the building’s construction is $2,500,000, with an additional $500,000 for CEI and contingency. Okaloosa County is expecting to receive a Joint Participation Agreement from the Florida Department of Transportation in July 2024 for this project in the amount of $1,500,000. 

  • The county is also applying for a $1,000,000 grant from the Department of Defense for the development of this project.
Rendering via Okaloosa County

Colonel Patrick T. Dierig, USAF Commander, 1 Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, endorsed the TMC project, stating that it is a “critical mission multiplier that will greatly enhance military ability to respond to real world mission in a timely manner, and rapidly deploy and execute specialized and contingency operations in support of national priorities.” 

He also mentioned that the project will improve the quality of life for Hurlburt’s service members and community members by allowing them to reach the base in a timely manner to meet mission requirements.

The Infrastructure Surtax Advisory Committee approved the recommendation of allocating Surtax Reserves for this project in the amount of $1.5M at their May 15, 2024 committee meeting. Any unused Surtax funds will be returned to Surtax Reserves.

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Community Comments

“Very glad to see this project going through,we don’t live here but we brought our bikes here from misssouri and drove over to 30A to ride”
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“I suggest revising this statement: "doubling the number of travel lanes from the current four to six" since doubling four does not yield six.”
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“No there was never one here.”
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“Sad that I know him and had no idea!”
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“One of the most important issue regarding this matter is: was this x-con provided with an opportunity to learn a trade while locked up for 327 months or was he...”
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“Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? I seriously question the integrity of the yellow media and low-intelligence commenters for spewing such damagaing rhetoric before this case has even been...”
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“I take it that he only did half of 27 years which is 13 1/2 years .He apparently missed his inmate friends. What made him think he could get away...”
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“How can we get this started at Bluewater ? yeah Mrs Crist , still loving and making a difference in children’s lives .”
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“This is such an awesome idea! Ms. Crist was my daughter Valerie's 2nd grade teacher when Valerie attended Bluewater Elementary School! Ms. Crist was born to teach!! Nellie Bogar, Youth...”
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