The State Road 79 project has been going on for quite a few years, and if you don’t believe that, just ask some of the residents in Vernon, Florida.
Now it’s almost complete, according to spokespersons for the Florida Department of Transportation, but still the residents of Vernon stay skeptical.
20 miles of the road crossing through Holmes and Washington Counties is being widened to four lanes, and it is scheduled to see completion in the early months of 2021.
10 miles of the highway have already been opened to four lanes of traffic and many storm water ponds have been created to help relieve flooding issues.
To finish up the project, roadways are being striped and turn lanes are being created.
Officials said this project will benefit people that travel on this road for years to come.
“It’s going to reduce congestion along that corridor. Obviously, when you reduce congestion you reduce the opportunity for crashes to occur,” Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Ian Satter said.
“Safety is always going to be our number one mission. It’s going to be a safer roadway for folks, it also acts as a hurricane evacuation route along the coast.”
Project officials are in the midst of widening north and south roadways to get those evacuation routes complete.
– Courtesy of WJHG-TV