SR 87 alternatives being considered

The Florida Department of Transportation held a public meeting Aug. 16 in Milton to gauge support for two possible alternative improvement routes to State Road 87.

The two proposed two-lane roadways would connect SR 87 South to SR 87 North and serve as an alternative to the current U.S. Highway 90 connection. The primary objective is to construct a more effective freight movement and hurricane evacuation route from the coast.

During times of hurricane force winds, both the Escambia Bay Bridge and the Garcon Point Bridge close, leaving SR 87 North the only access out of Gulf Breeze and Navarre and the only access into the area for emergency personnel.

For more on this story, see the August 25 issue of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.