FDOT says never fear: The Brooks Bridge is still safe to use

Collin Bestor, Northwest Florida Daily News
·2 min read
As the Brooks Bridge replacement project in underway, safety concerns from residents have grown.
As the Brooks Bridge replacement project in underway, safety concerns from residents have grown.

FORT WALTON BEACH — Built in 1964, the Brooks Bridge has been one of the most trafficked thoroughfares in southern Okaloosa County, with more than 66,000 motorists passing over it every single day.

With the Brooks Bridge reconstruction efforts well underway, many residents, either online or through word of mouth, have heard stories calling into question the bridge's safety.

On a Facebook group involving concerned citizens of Fort Walton Beach, some users said that the bridge received a "D" grade from an unnamed agency. If the claim was true, it could lead to significant issues for public safety in the community.

According to Ian Satter, the public information director for the Florida Department of Transportation. Those claims are far from true.

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"FDOT would not put motorists on the bridge unless it was safe for the public," Satter said. "While the bridge is labeled structurally deficient, there are no safety concerns regarding motorists and traffic utilizing the bridge. The existing bridge does not meet current design standards, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, or navigational clearance requirements for this portion of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway."

Satter went on to explain what triggered the $171 million bridge replacement.

"The most recent inspection occurred in October 2022, and the three main bridge elements received an overall rating based on the bridge inspection report: the deck, superstructure, and substructure." Satter said, "If anyone of these three elements is rated at a four or below (on a scale of one to nine), then it is deemed structurally deficient and automatically qualifies for a replacement."

Satter also said that the cost of performing maintenance on the bridge vastly outweighed the cost of doing a bridge replacement.

Starting over the weekend, there is some utility work going on around the area. There are current preparations to begin some construction activities between Brooks Bridge and Pier Road on Okaloosa Island.

The new replacement project will include two new bridges that connect Fort Walton Beach to Okaloosa Island. The bridges will have three east and west lanes over Santa Rosa Sound.

The new Brooks Bridge is currently planned to be completed by Summer 2027.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: FDOT addresses social media concerns about Brooks Bridge's safety