Today, the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners agreed to provide $4.8 million of bed tax revenue to the City of Destin’s Crosstown Connector project – the Beach Dr. to Benning Dr. portion – moving this project forward quicker than anticipated. Funds are planned to be available in 2021.
“I am pleased to learn that Okaloosa County has made bed tax funds available for the Crosstown Connector. Our project has been on the county’s Triumph Gulf Coast funding list for some time and was recently removed to allow the county to direct Triumph funds toward emergency transportation needs related to Hwy. 85 congestion in Crestview. It is reassuring to know that our county commissioners believe Destin’s Crosstown Connector is also a vital piece of the area’s transportation system,” said Destin Mayor Gary Jarvis. “As we look at regional transportation improvements, Hwy. 98 congestion in Destin is at the top of the list and has been deemed a priority by local and regional Transportation Planning Organizations. The Crosstown Connector can provide much-needed relief for our East-West corridor and needs to move forward as soon as possible. I appreciate the foresight our county commissioners have on this issue and look forward to working with them to make this project a reality.”
