Okaloosa County BOCC — November 5, 2013 — 12-17 Mid Bay Bridge proclamation — reading text

PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority was formed by the Florida Legislature to plan, build and oversee the construction and maintenance of the 3.6 mile bridge across Choctawhatchee Bay between the Cities of Niceville and Destin in Okaloosa County, and such construction was completed in 1993, and; WHEREAS, the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority has recently completed the eleven mile Mid-Bay Bridge Connector between state Road Highway 85 and the Mid-Bay Bridge with five grade separated interchanges and five major stream crossings, and; WHEREAS, this new limited access highway will provide shorter travel times to Niceville, the coastal communities, and areas east of Niceville along SR 20 by avoiding 14 traffic signals along the cur- rent route through Niceville, and; WHEREAS, the Mid-Bay Bridge and the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector highway are critical parts of the Northwest Florida Panhandle transportation network that will add capacity and ease congestion along existing corridors, and; WHEREAS, the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector will provide an improved evacuation route from these same coastal areas, and; WHEREAS, the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector was built through cooperation with the United States Air Force and Eglin Air Force Base, and will provide increased access to test ranges for military operations, and; WHEREAS, these above accomplishments would not have been completed without the dedi- cated leadership of the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority Board of Directors and Staff; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED by the Board of County Commissioners of Okaloosa County, Florida that the Fourth Day of January, 2014 is MID-BAY BRIDGE AUTHORITY DAY IN OKALOOSA COUNTY. DULY PASSED AND ADOPTED this 17th day of December, 2013. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA ATTEST: _________________________________ DON R. AMUNDS CHAIRMAN ___________________________ DON W. HOWARD CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT