Fort Walton Beach recommends elevated flyover option for “Around the Mound” project
Fort Walton Beach recommends elevated flyover option for “Around the Mound” project Collin Bestor December 23, 2025 3:00 pm Fort Walton Beach In Brief: City council voted 6–1 to urge FDOT to reconsider an elevated flyover design for U.S. 98 Officials cited improved traffic flow and military mission readiness as key reasons for backing Alternative 1B Residents raised concerns about public input, funding clarity, and long-term neighborhood impacts FORT WALTON BEACH — The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted 6-1 on Dec. 16 to formally ask the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to reconsider an elevated design option for the long-planned “Around the Mound” rerouting of U.S. Highway 98. The action came as the council approved Resolution 2025-31, reaffirming support for Alternative 1B, a design that includes elevated flyovers, over Alternative 1A or a no-build option currently under consideration by FDOT. City Attorney Jeff Burns said the confusion appears to stem from a lack of a formal, recent statement from the city supporting 1B after a February 2024 public meeting, despite years of earlier council actions backing what was then known as Alternative 2 B. Burns said that gap may have contributed to FDOT advancing 1A as its recommended option at a December public hearing. “I think it became apparent that, despite the fact that the city had pushed 1B over about a six- or seven-year period, there was never really an official position taken after that February 2024 meeting,” Burns said. “That possibly led to some...
Read More
