CRESTVIEW — The city and Okaloosa County will jointly research creating a connector road to relieve State Road 85 traffic in one of its most congested areas.
The City Council on Monday unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding previously approved by the Board of County Commissioners. County Commissioner Nathan Boyles said the MOU does not commit the city to any funding, but formalizes both entities’ desire to further explore the Rasberry Road-Arena Road connector concept.
“All this MOU does is show the city of Crestview is willing to work with the county,” Mayor David Cadle said. “I think it shows the citizens we know what the problem is and we're willing to work together to find solutions.”
“One of your primary pinch-points is the intersection at John King Road,” Boyles said. “You can take a traveler who lives in Countryview Estates or Holt or Milligan or Baker and wants to go to Publix or Lowe's, and get them there without ever having to touch … that very most clogged section of 85.”
Referencing an overturned fuel truck that blocked S.R. 85 in the busy Interstate 10 interchange area for hours several years ago, Boyles noted the connector “would also serve as an emergency route.”
Funding could be available primarily through state sources, and the road could be completed ahead of the full P.J. Adams Parkway/Antioch Road corridor four-laning, without drawing resources from that long-planned project, Boyles said.
“I would not support any project that would divert the funding from P.J. Adams to Rasberry Road,” Boyles said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview, Okaloosa officials to research Rasberry, Arena connector