PANAMA CITY — The Florida Department of Transportation announced several additions to the five-year project plan for Bay and surrounding counties Tuesday.
The most expansive project — and one of the most costly — in the region is the expansion of State 77 from two lanes to four lanes in Washington County. The roughly 30-mile project from the Bay County line to Interstate 10includes more than $53 million in design costs plus $9.5 million in right-of-way costs in 2016 and 2017. Construction for the two northernmost sections is set to begin in 2016. The southernmost section is set to begin in 2020 and cost $24.5 million.
“It will provide a swift evacuation route from hurricanes, it will reduce congestion on 77 and reduce the possibility for accidents,” FDOT Public Information Officer Ian Satter said. “Economically, it will be advantageous to connect I-10 to Panama City.”
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Washington County also has a $7.56 million resurfacing of I-10, 4.5 miles worth, scheduled in 2019.
Walton County has the expansion and reconstruction of U.S 98 from Emerald Bay Drive to Tang-o-Mar Drive, costing $27.9 million, to start in 2017.
The additional projects in Bay County were significantly smaller. One of the largest was a study of expanding State 390 from State 77 to U.S. 231. The study, to be conducted in 2016, is slated to cost $1.02 million. This not related to the currently planned expansion of State 390 from 23rd Street to State 77. Right-of-way purchases for State 390 from 23rd Street to State 77 project are scheduled for 2016, 2017 and 2018, with construction for the southern-most of three sections to begin in 2016. Right-of-way acquisition costs are figured at more than $62.5 million.
Construction for the U.S. 98 and 23rd Street flyover is set to begin next year, but $350,000 in additional right-of-way costs are scheduled for 2016 and $1.6 million in incentives scheduled for 2018.
A study also is commissioned for a 7.8-mile lane expansion on Back Beach Road (U.S. 98) from Mandy Lane to Thomas Drive, costing $1.02 million. FDOT work program manager Cheryl McCall said the study will determine how much the road might be expanded. Satter said he is projecting an expansion from four lanes to six lanes.
Other scheduled improvements to Back Beach are more concrete. One of the Bay County Transportation Planning Organization’s top priorities is adding turn lanes at the intersection of State 79. Construction on the right turn lane is scheduled for 2016 and set to cost $1.25 million. Additional turn lanes also are planned at the intersection of Front Beach and Moylan Road, with planning in 2016 costing $215,000, right-of-way purchase in 2017 costing $285,000 and construction scheduled for 2019, $185,000.
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Other additions include upgrades to the traffic signals system at the intersection of 23rd and 15th streets, $336,000 in 2016, rehabilitation to the St. Andrew Bay Bridge, Inter-coastal Waterway, specifically rehabbing protective supports underneath the bridge, $1.13 million in 2017, and right-of-way purchases for a possible expansion for State 388, $2.8 million in 2017. Preliminary engineering is set for State 388 from the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport to east of Burnt Mill Creek, costing $4.4 million in 2016 and 2017.
A bike lane and sidewalk is set for Bob Little Road (State 22A) from Cherry Street to Seventh Street for $464,000 in 2018. Resurfacing for Tyndall Parkway (U.S. 98) from Transmitter Road to U.S. Business 98 was deferred with $80,000 in right-of-way purchases starting in 2016 and $5.16 million in construction beginning in 2017.
Satter pointed out that this plan needs to be approved as a part of the budget of the Florida State Legislature.