Hurlburt Field kicks-off construction of U.S. 98/Cody Avenue Interchange

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Hayden Hyatt
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Members of Team Hurlburt, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Emerald Coast community gathered to kick off the building of the U.S. 98/Cody Avenue Interchange during a ceremony at the Soundside Club at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Feb. 7.

The interchange will be constructed at the intersection of State Road 30 and Cody Avenue at the front gate of Hurlburt Field. Once completed, the interchange is expected to ease congestion at the front gate and on U.S. Highway 98.

"Traffic congestion at the U.S. 98/Cody Avenue intersection has been a source of frustration for the Hurlburt community and our neighboring communities for years," said Col. Jim Slife, commander of 1st Special Operations Wing. "I see this as a tremendous opportunity for both those of us who commute to Hurlburt Field and those who drive past the installation."

The interchange may not have happened without the close-knit partnership between the military and the state of Florida, said Tommy Barfield, district secretary of FDOT.

"This project has been in the long range transportation plan of the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization for more than 10 years, and was made possible by the strong partnership the department shares with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force and Okaloosa County," Barfield said. 

After the ceremony, a group of Team Hurlburt leadership, FDOT representatives and local community leaders used shovels to ceremonially break ground on the project.

"The 1.1-mile project will elevate the U.S. 98 travel lanes above Cody Avenue to create a new grade-separated entrance to Hurlburt Field," said FDOT in a recent press release.

A "grade-separated entrance" refers to the off-ramp of the interchange.

The project will begin midway through 2013 and is expected to be completed by late 2014.