Traffic planners and road builders may have one-track minds, but at least it’s the right track. Speaking last week at an informational meeting on plans to widen U.S. Highway 98, Ian Satter of the state Department of Transportation said: “It’s not a secret that people are moving here. We want to make sure the roadway is set for 30, 40 years in the future.”
Making sure the roadway is set means widening it to six lanes from Destin’s Airport Road east to the Walton County line (except for a stretch near Destin Commons that’s already six lanes). It also means adding sidewalks, handrails and bike lanes.
The work is expected to cost almost $34 million but can’t start until the money’s available. That day could be 10 years away or it could be sooner.
For now, we’re glad the DOT knows that our area is growing, that it’s attracting more visitors and full-time residents, and recognizes that the one sure remedy for increased traffic is to build more and wider roads.
After the yearslong funk of the Great Recession, soaring unemployment and stalled homebuilding, isn’t it nice to talk again about growth?
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EDITORIAL: Widening U.S. 98 for the future
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