Construction begins Monday on the long-awaited Crestview bypass project with the widening of PJ Adams. (Okaloosa County)

CRESTVIEW, Fla., Sept. 18, 2019—Construction begins Monday on PJ Adams Parkway as part of the long-awaited Crestview bypass project.

Groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 18 (Okaloosa County)

A groundbreaking ceremony was held today to kick off the southwest portion of the project.

“This is the beginning of the large initative to reduce traffic by creating a reliever route around the city of Crestview – as well as another interchange on Interstate 10,” said Christopher Saul, Okaloosa County public information officer.

To be completed in phases, Monday’s construction will begin phases one through four by turning PJ Adams into a four-lane thoroughfare from State Road 85 west to Interstate 10.

The first phase is to widen PJ Adams from SR 85 to Wildhorse Drive.

“We expect this portion of the effort to take about 900 days,” Saul said.

A new overpass and interchange will be built by Florida Department of Transportation in coordination with Okaloosa County.

The bypass is part of a county capital improvement project. (Okaloosa County)

Overall, total project cost is $220 million with $200 million allocated funded by FDOT, Okaloosa County, the City of Crestview and revenue from the half-penny sales tax, according to information in the Okaloosa Sales Tax Referendum website.

In addition to the southwest bypass, the City of Crestview and Okaloosa County are partnering to develop a new east-west corridor between Antioch Road and the new north-south connector and from the connector to SR 85 north of I-10, according to the website.

Other planned improvements include construction of a four-land roadway from I-10 to U.S. 90.

Stephanie Holcombe