Construction Begins on Final Leg of SR 79 Multi-Lane in Bay County

Chipley - Construction begins July 21, on State Road 79, from the B. V. Buchanan Bridge (West Bay Bridge) to Steelfield Road in northern Bay County.  Currently, plans are to four-lane the 2.7 mile corridor and add paved shoulders; a 40-foot wide median, upgraded drainage facilities and turn lanes will be installed. In addition, a section of the roadway in the Woodville area will have designated bicycle lanes.  Cyclists will shared the paved shoulder on the remaining portion of the road. C. W. Roberts Contracting of Hosford, Florida is the prime contractor.  Roberts has 350 days to complete the $9.22 million multi-lane project.

Next week also marks the culmination of four-laning on State Road 79 in Bay County, from US 98 north to the Washington County line.     SR 79 is the north-south hurricane route from Panama City Beach and is a major thoroughfare for visitors to the beaches.

Motorists are reminded to use caution while traveling through the 10-mile construction zone; speeding violations double when workers are present.