FDOT supports widening Highway 90 in Santa Rosa County

A map of FDOT project 220436-3. This project is to expand Highway 90 to a six lanes from the Escambia County Line to Glover Lane in Milton. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPH]

MILTON — The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has completed two Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) studies for U.S. Highway 90 in Santa Rosa County. 

One project is the expansion of Highway 90 to six lanes from the Escambia County Line to Glover Lane in Milton. The second covers the area of Highway 90 from Glover Lane to State Road 87 south. That entire section will expand to six lanes except a stretch through historic downtown Milton, which will expand to four lanes.

But the proposed expansion in the downtown area appears likely to face resistance from Milton officials.

"I will vote against any four laning through downtown," said Councilman Jeff Snow. Snow told the council at a recent meeting that there are alternative plans the city can go with.

The majority of the council agreed, voting yes for a resolution opposing a four-lane highway through downtown Milton. Only George Jordan and Sharon Holley voted against the resolution.

"There is only one person that can overrule the FDOT and it is not this council," Holley said.

The resolution will be presented at the next City Council meeting Tuesday April 9, at 5:30 p.m.

According to the FDOT website, the study's goal was to find out if it was feasible to widen the Highway 90 to provide additional east-west capacity alternatives to Interstate 10. The study found that additional roadway capacity is needed to strengthen 90 as an east-west corridor alternative to I-10 to increase roadway volumes for motorists traveling between Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties and for emergency evacuation purposes.

Ian Satter, Public Information Director for FDOT said the projects do not yet have funding for design or construction, which is the next step. Satter said the first project is estimated to start in 2023, while the second could start as early as next year.

For more information go to NWFLroads.com, then future projects.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: FDOT supports widening Highway 90 in Santa Rosa County