On Tuesday, September 5, the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved a contract with C.W. Roberts Contracting, Inc. for improvements to Live Oak Church Road. 

• The $4.14 million contract will fund widening of the road at Highway 85, adding a turn lane, shoulder improvements, widening the bridge, upgrading traffic signals, constructing a new stormwater pond, and repaving Live Oak Church from Highway 85 to Shoal River Drive.

The project aims to alleviate congestion at the intersection of Live Oak Church Road and Highway 85, a major commuter crossing point. Funding comes from the Florida Department of Transportation ($1.5 million), the voter-approved infrastructure surtax ($1.43 million), and developer contributions ($1.2 million).

At the previous board meeting in August, commissioners had tabled the contract approval to negotiate higher liquidated damages terms with the contractor. The approved contract doubles potential damages to $2,000 per day if the project runs past the deadline.

• County staff indicated the contractor, C.W. Roberts, was amenable to the change.

The board ultimately voted unanimously to approve the contract. Commissioners thanked county staff for negotiating more favorable terms. Commissioner Paul Mixon, whose district includes the project area, made the motion for approval.

While there was no timeline given at the time of this writing, the improvements have been highly anticipated by local residents and businesses who expect relief from traffic congestion.