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Southwest Crestview Bypass tour shows progress; county eyes year-end completion
Summary
Okaloosa County officials and infrastructure surtax committee members toured the Southwest Crestview Bypass construction site and reported progress on the bridge, interchange work with Interstate 10 and roadway segments; county staff said the project aims for completion by the end of the year and is partially funded by the voter-approved surtax.
Okaloosa County officials and members of the infrastructure surtax committee toured the Southwest Crestview Bypass construction site and reported continuing progress, with county staff saying they expect the project to finish by the end of the year.
Jason Autry, who oversees the public works department for the infrastructure surtax committee, said the project team has set girders for a new interchange connection to Interstate 10 and is preparing to pour bridge deck and caps. "We're looking to have it done by the end of this year," Autry said. He described the bridge work as the "long lead" and "work-controlling" item for the project.
The tour included inspection of roadway segments linking Fallen Heroes Way to the Southwest Crestview Bypass and the stretch from the bypass to Antioch Road. Autry said those sections are two-lane roads with a sidewalk and a walking path. At the north end of the site, crews are erecting a new bridge; Autry noted the bridge deck has not yet been poured and that rebar and concrete work remain.
Hannah, identified on the tour as a member of the infrastructure surtax committee, said the visit underscored the surtax's role in funding local projects. "It was awesome. We thank the citizens of Okaloosa County for entrusting us with this responsibility," she said. The group noted that the voter-approved infrastructure surtax is partially funding the Southwest Crestview Bypass and that information about other surtax projects is available at MyOkaloosa.com.
County staff highlighted the interchange work with Interstate 10 as a major active element: girders are in place and crews are preparing caps and deck pours to finish the structure and the new interstate connection. Beyond the bridge and interchange, Autry said there's about nine months of work remaining on the project before crews plan to open lanes to traffic.
No formal votes or policy actions were taken during the site tour. Officials directed attendees to county resources for additional information and project updates online.
