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Six Lanes For Hwy 29? Four Lanes For Hwy 97? Rural Transportation Projects Survey Open
April 28, 2026
Six lanes for Highway 29? Four lanes for Highway 97? Those are just a few of the proposed projects on the Regional Rural Transportation Plan (RRTP) 2026 Transportation Project Priorities list — a list of proposed projects that aim to improve mobility, safety, and connectivity across rural area of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa counties, as well as all of Holmes and Washington counties.
The RRTP Technical Advisory Committee will consider the project priority rankings, possibly changing the priority order, during a meeting on May 21.
This list of recommended projects is submitted to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to help identify which projects will receive state and federal funding in the upcoming Five-Year Work Program.
The TPO relies on public input to ensure transportation decisions reflect the needs of the community. Whether you drive, bike, walk, or take transit, your voice helps shape the future of Florida-Alabama’s transportation network.
The public comment period is open now (click here). The survey will close on May 1, 2026.
Project priorities in Escambia County, and their current rankings, are :
Capacity Project Priorities
No. 2. Highway 29 Widening
- Feasibility study on widening 37.2 miles of Highway 29 from four to six lanes from I-10 to the Florida/Alabama state line in Century.
No. 6 Highway 97 Widening
- Project development and engineering (PD&E) to widen 22 miles of Highway 97 from two to four lanes from Highway 29 in Molino to the Florida/Alabama state line at Atmore.
No. 8 Widen Portion of Highway 4
- Feasibility study on widening 39 miles of Highway 4 from Highway 29 in Century to Highway 189 in Baker. This would not include Highway 4 between Century and Highway 97 in Davisville, a county road.
Resurfacing Projects
No. 1 Highway 164 Resurfacing
- Resurface 11.5 miles of Highway 164 from Highway 97 to Highway 29
No. 2 Highway 168 Resurfacing
- Resurface 5.9 miles of Highway 168 from North Highway 99 to Highway 4A
No. 4 Highway 4 Resurfacing
- Resurface 3.4 miles of Highway 4 from Highway 97 to North Highway 99 in Bratt.
No. 6 State Line Road Resurfacing
- Resurface 0.4 miles of State Line Road in the Century town limits.
No. 7 Highway 182/Molino Road Resurfacing
- Resurface 0.67 miles of Highway 182/Molino Road from Highway 29 to Highway 95A.
Safety Priority Projects
No. 3 Highway 29 and Highway 97 at Crabtree Church Road
- Safety study in the high crash area of Highway 29 and Highway 97 at Crabtree Church Road in Molino.
Comments
27 Responses to “Six Lanes For Hwy 29? Four Lanes For Hwy 97? Rural Transportation Projects Survey Open”
@ SW…. Amen. No need to pave any more dirt roads. They got the tax on the books that they wanted. Promises made were nothing but lies. Pet projects need money too.
All of the above. We can’t just consider the current situation but what will the congestion be like 20-30 years from now? Most of these are very long-term projects.
If projects 2,6 and 8 are approved, everyone reading this will be long dead and gone by completion. Prove me wrong.
Why not finish paving Pine Barren Rd from Hwy 29 to Bogia Rd and replace from Bogia Rd to CR 164?
Why is there one inch of unpaved roads in Escambia Co?
Widening 97 to a four lane would be a complete waste of money. The traffic is not bad enough to justify a four lane. People just are not patient enough and get into a hurry trying to pass everyone. Instead of making a four lane the whole 22 miles and trying to take so much property, would it be better to just have a passing lane on each side in certain spots?
Also, I agree with Daily Driver about widening Hwy 29. In certain spots it does seem to be needed, but once you hit molino or even cantonment it’s not necessary.
Before US 29 is 6-laned in this survey zone, it will be 6-laned south of CR 95A back to 9 1/2 Mile Road. (The traffic count is just not there, and hurricane evacuation alone will not justify that expense.)
SR 97 cannot be 4-laned along much of its route. The acquisition costs of houses, businesses, and churches would be quite expensive. A parallel highway would need to be built over much of that corridor. (That’s why CR 95A was not widened and a new US 29 corridor was built from Car City to Molino long ago.)
There are likely many other 2-laned highways in the panhandle that will gain more attention. SR 85 north of Crestview to Florala and US 331 from DeFuniak Springs to Florala come to mind.
The resurfacing ideas and the safety study at 29/97/Crabtree Church are the most feasible parts of these suggestions.
I don’t see a need for 97 to be four lanes for the entire length, but it would be nice to have a few 1-2 mile long ‘passing zones’ along the way. If people knew there would be an opportunity to pass a few miles down the road, maybe they wouldn’t attempt to pass in more dangerous areas.
As far as 29, I think six lanes north of Molino is overkill. It’s never really full as it is.
OH NO!
Planning is nice.
But the proof is in the budgeting and appropriations.
Yep, bout that time to move away from cantonment and out of the crappy state of Florida
If Highway 29 from I-10 to Alabama state line is made into a 6 lane highway it should be done with overpass and frontage roads.
No four lane 97!
Need some turn lanes on Highway 95A on that section north of paper mill too.
97 has had many fatalities. Four lanes would be wonderful
“What about doing something with Pine forest rd from Blue Angel to West Roberts Rd?”
This is a RURAL transportation survey that is being conducted. That part of Pine Forest Road is outside the map — not RURAL.
Transportation projects outside the hatched area on the map are not included in the “Regional Rural Transportation Plan (RRTP) 2026 Transportation Project Priorities”. Pine Forest Road would be the Florida-Alabama TPO and their priorities list. (It all competes for th same funding in the end — just a different recommendation route.)
(The demarcation line is basically north/south of Molino Road.)
Good. I hope with the extra lanes it will bring a Walmart, more houses and other development to the north end. So much unused space!
What about doing something with Pine forest rd from Blue Angel to West Roberts Rd? it’s the worst traffic that I experience in Escambia County! Single lane North from
I-10 to 9 Mile?????
Hwy 29 North is a hurricane evacuation route.
Hwy 97 needs those extra lanes far too many fatalities on that road.
Yes indeed Hwy 4 between Century at 29 and Highway 97 in Davisville, a county road, It needs total resurfacing and widening. You have the Nursing Home, where people have Dialysis, Doctor’s office, Lakeview, Northview High School, Church, Fire Department and to get to Byrneville School. Many homes. This road is dangerous to when school buses and bigger trucks or just any size of car or truck goes by you, you are praying they don’t side wipe you
Don’t forget the lighting on 29 & 97, both are too dark.
I drive pretty much the whole length of hwy 29 every day, widening 29 north of the hwy 97 intersection seems excessive and unnecessary as there is very little traffic north of the 29/97 intersection. The real problem area is from Tate to W street. I feel like widening 29 anywhere north of the 97 intersection is a complete waste of resources.
This is badly needed. Everything is moving to the North, more subdivisions going in means more traffic. And all the folks doing Sunday driving in the left lane causes traffic to back up and not flow. So this will be a blessing.
They need to resurface Hwy 4 from 29 to Northview. The kids driving need a safer road to travel on.
I see no mention of Hwy 196.
All sounds good…..can’t imagine how many years it will take to complete!
Once again, Hwy 4 from Northview, east to Hwy 29 is being ignored. The entire road from Hwy 29 to Hwy 97 needs to be redone and widened. We keep hearing “it’s coming” but still it is left out again. Maybe one day it will be addressed and the safety of the kids and others traveling this road everyday will taken seriously