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Okaloosa County commits $2 million to paving 14 more miles of dirt roads

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the allocation of $2 million from FY24 Surtax Reserves to continue funding the “Fifty-in-Five” Dirt Road Stabilization Improvement Project on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. According to Commissioner Boyles, county-maintained dirt roads cost nearly three times as much to maintain as paved roads, and they also contribute to increased vehicle […]

Okaloosa Public Information Office

The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the allocation of $2 million from FY24 Surtax Reserves to continue funding the “Fifty-in-Five” Dirt Road Stabilization Improvement Project on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

  • The project, which aims to stabilize and pave the county’s remaining dirt roads within five years, was first proposed by Commissioner Nathan Boyles in 2020.

According to Commissioner Boyles, county-maintained dirt roads cost nearly three times as much to maintain as paved roads, and they also contribute to increased vehicle maintenance costs for citizens and environmental damage to local creeks and rivers.

The “Fifty-in-Five” project seeks to address these issues by stabilizing and paving the remaining dirt roads in the county.

The $2 million allocation comes from the Half-Cent Infrastructure Surtax and will be used to complete lime rock stabilization for the remaining 14 miles of dirt roads. To date, $13,452,000 of Surtax funding has been allocated to the stabilization of approximately 116 miles of dirt roads, according to the county.

  • The Infrastructure Surtax Advisory Committee approved the recommendation of the allocation at their May 15, 2024 committee meeting.

The completion of this project is expected to reduce maintenance costs for the county, improve road conditions for residents, and minimize the environmental impact of dirt roads on the local ecosystem.

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Community Comments

“This is giving me kneeling for flag vibes. So instead of a moment of silence-which ironically, speaks volumes!, you want them to hustle. I miss old usa. Working hard usa,...”
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“Are passes given on the spot or mails to residents?”
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“Maybe now we can get CLEAN BATHROOMS!!! THAT needs to be a PRIORITY!!!”
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“DID PICKLES THE CAT PASS AWAY? IT’S BEEN POSTED ON FACEBOOK THAT SHE PASSED AWAY. PLEASE…LET US ALL KNOW. THANK YOU! EVERYONE L❤️VES PICKLES! DECEMBER 30th, 2024”
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“$4.2 million could be better spent. Just put up interpretive outdoor posters at the parking lot.”
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“Is it a hunting accident or something else. I hunted for 3 mornings and heard only 1 shot. What are the odds of this being an accident”
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“How is this going to help the crowding of the high school?? This doesn’t make sense to build another elementary school/middle school when they all flow into the ONLY high...”
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“The.Statue of Liberty was partly paid for in France by school children collecting coins. The Washington Monument program was going bust when American children sent in pennies to revive it....”
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“What about the oil previously reported to still be in the bilge ?”
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“In 1963 I was on the SS United States with my parents and sisters. We docked in New York very close to Christmas. I was 16 yrs old and had...”
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