FDOT projects will cause traffic delays this week near Northwest Florida Beaches airport

PANAMA CITY BEACH − Motorists should be on the lookout this week for traffic delays near the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.

According to Ian Satter, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation, there are two ongoing projects in Bay County that will impact drivers this week near ECP. Here's what we know.

What will the projects accomplish?

One project will resurface portions of State 79 between U.S. 98 and the West Bay Bridge. The other will place asphalt along State 388 between State 79 and the airport.

While crews will be working alongside the shoulder of State 79 for the resurfacing project, it will not cause lane closures. State 388, however, will experience intermittent lane closures, Satter said.

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"For the next several weeks, they'll be doing friction course placement, which is the final layer of asphalt," he said of the State 388 project. "We kind of do things on a weekly basis as we go through things. So right now intermittent lane closures (on State 388) will be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout this week, and then we're going to reassess as we move forward.

"It's kind of a week-by-week assessment of that (project), but we anticipate to be out there for the next several weeks, adding the final layer of asphalt."

Satter said ongoing work on the road marks the final steps in FDOT's State 388 Realignment Project. He expects for it to be complete by early June.

What is the State 388 Realignment Project?

It is an approximately $51 million project being done by FDOT to realign and widen State 388 between State 79 and the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. It also built a roundabout at the airport's entrance.

The realigned State 388 sits about a mile north of the old State 388. It spans almost four miles and is located off State 79 across from the entrance to Latitude Margaritaville Watersound, a Jimmy Buffett-themed community for residents at least 55 years old.

The realigned State 388 boasts two westbound lanes, two eastbound lanes and a multi-use path, compared with the two-lane old State 388.

The FDOT plans to also expand the eastern portion of State 388 from the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport to State 77, however, the department still is working to secure funding for the project.

"When we look at State 388, the widening of that roadway will allow traffic to move much more quickly, safely and efficiently from the airport to (State) 79," Satter said.

Why is the State 388 Realignment Project important?

The road leads to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, which recorded its second busiest year in 2022, servicing more than 1.52 million passengers. That was about 77,700 less than 2021, its busiest year.

Officials have said they expect for 2023 to experience slightly higher numbers than 2022.

"It's important to facilitate the traffic moving in and out of the airport so people can get to the major areas," Satter said. "It's (also) great for the airport itself. They can get additional economic development there by improving the traffic flow through that area."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Roadwork to cause traffic delays at Northwest Florida Beaches airport