By DBPA President Sara Comander
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS – Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Project Manager Peggy Kelley and staff met with members of the DeFuniak Business and Professional Association (DBPA) recently at the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood. The two groups met to discuss FDOT preliminary highway plans and alternative paths for U.S. 331 through DeFuniak Springs and up to Paxton and the Alabama state line.
DBPA President Sara Comander said, “As part of our continuing effort to serve the DeFuniak Springs business community and advocate on our member’s behalf, the DBPA contacted FDOT District Secretary Tommy Barfield and asked if members of his staff who are working on this project would come and meet with our business partners. He agreed and we are delighted to be able to host Ms. Kelley and other project members, who took time out of their schedule to meet with us and answer questions about this important project.”
Accompanying Kelley were Tim Smith (FDOT Intermodal Systems Development Administrator), Ryan Wetherell (Kimley – Horn and Associates Consultant Deputy Project Manager) and Vincent Spahr (Kimley-Horn and Associates Consultant Project Analyst).
Wetherell began by presenting a series of slides that contained photos and detailed drawings of several possible routes and improvements for U.S. 331, both through and around the city. Wetherell explained that this project is still in its early stages and none of the options presented thus far have been selected as the final plan. “We are gathering and studying data to see what the best route may be and we are still receiving comments and suggestions from the public. I can assure you that nothing has been decided yet,” he said.
The three options consist of using the current path of U.S. 331 while widening the portion south of U.S. 90 to six lanes. On the portion that overlays U.S. 90, the plan would be to maintain four lanes but widen the highway enough for a grass median, a bicycle lane on each side and new sidewalks.
Another option calls for drawing U.S. 331 North down through the DeFuniak Springs Airport to connect with the two-laned Bob Sikes Road. The third option would be to re-route U.S. 331 North to overlay part of Walton Road and then cut south near Walton High School to connect with the existing U.S. 331 South, through the wayside park near City Hall.
The affected business and property owners in attendance peppered Wetherell and Project Manager Peggy Kelley with questions regarding the details of each potential route, the impact on their business, the potential future access by the public and the continued safe flow of traffic.
Wetherell and Kelley assured the DBPA audience members that the project is still in its early stages and that the opinions of the local citizens are welcomed and would play a role in the final decision of which option is chosen and to what degree the plans are followed. “Nothing has been decided yet,” said Kelley. “We are years away from construction and we don’t yet know what our state budget allocations may be. The budget will play a major role in what happens and when it happens.”
Kelley also promised to return for another meeting with DBPA business members in about six months to update the members as to the progress being made. DBPA President Sara Comander indicated that the DBPA will be taking one of the lead roles regarding the issue and will advocate on behalf of the local business community.