Surtax committee approves bypass money

CRESTVIEW – With the widening of PJ Adams coming in the summer of 2019, the Okaloosa County Public Works Department is preparing for the next phase of the Crestview Southwest bypass construction.

The Half-Cent Surtax board, which advises the County Commission on the use of the sales tax money approved by voters last fall, has unanimously recommended the expenditure of more than $2 Million toward the Crestview Southwest Bypass. This is the first allocation of funds for the project.

This approval means the commission can vote on releasing money to the project as early as their next meeting on March 25.

“This is what we need in order to improve traffic congestion in the Crestview area,” said public works director Jason Autrey, “It’s long overdue and is something that is going to make a huge improvement for the community.”

The half-cent sales tax advisory committee has approved more than $7 million dollars in projects to be approved by The Board of County Commissioners. The County Commission has approved all previous projects recommended to it.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Surtax committee approves bypass money