New Road??

[cpete]

When we left last summer I seem to remember some road construction going on where 331 hits SR-20 E that might allow you to bypass the jog on SR-20 E through Freeport. It could have been something I made up in my head while waiting in that Summer Saturday 10:00 am traffic there?

 

[scooterbug44]

The 331 bypass is now completed - enjoy and watch out for the folks who don't know how to merge!

 

[seagrovegirl]

Watch for vehicles doing U turns to get to Cotton's Produce and Bank Trust since there is no median there.

 

[Matt J]

If your headed south good luck finding the old 331.

 

[Beach Runner]

Right. The big problem is that for all of the people who want to go to west Destin via the Mid-Bay bridge, the little turn from the new road to old 331 isn't obvious. These people will most likely end up having to drive west through Freeport. So it costs them time and doesn't totally clear up the congestion in "downtown" Freeport.

 

[florida girl]

I wonder how business in Freeport is since the bypass?

 

[GoodWitch58]

I wonder how we managed to get a two lane bypass....vision I guess.

 

[wrobert]

I wonder how we managed to get a two lane bypass....vision I guess.

As it was explained to me. The property for four lanes is owned. The engineering and all is done. So the design is such that the additional lanes can be added to without stopping current traffic. There was a major concern with having a four lane section in between two two-lane sections. So I am thinking that once it is four laned from 20 it will then be easy enough to add. This information came from a State Representative who said he got it from DOT. I do have some concerns in that I do not believe those bridges are wide enough to four lane.

Yesterday at 3 PM I was returning from Freeport and traffic was backed up heading south all the way back to the cut through to old 331. If this is normal traffic flow on Saturdays, I would think you would have to leave a day early on a major holiday weekend. I have also noticed an inordinate amount of traffic coming off of I-10 from the east to head south on 331. I am assuming people are opting for the 4 lane 231 to get close and then cutting over.

Personally, I just do not see how DOT can justify not fast tracking the four laning of 331. Way more traffic than I see on 79. Of course, no Joe and no airport.