Okaloosa County opens photoluminescent Bridge to Bridge bike path, officials cite safety and sustainability
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Okaloosa County officials opened the Bridge to Bridge bike path at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Okaloosa County, where speakers described the 12-foot-wide route as using photoluminescent surfacing intended to glow at night and reduce the need for street lighting. Commissioners and county staff said the project was prompted by safety concerns after several deaths and injuries involving people riding on U.S. 98 shoulders.
Speakers said the project was financed with a mix of public and private funds and required property coordination with Eglin Air Force Base. “The cost of $4,000,000 had to be secured from various sources, including the tourist development council, the state legislature, and, yes, even a private donor,” Commissioner Carolyn Ketchum said, thanking CW Roberts, state and local partners and a private donor named Jay Odom.
Officials framed the path as both a safety improvement and an environmental innovation. At the ceremony an Okaloosa County official described the route as “the longest bioluminescent bike path in the world,” while Commissioner Ketchum and other speakers used the term photoluminescent to describe rocks used in the surface. Organizers said the photoluminescent material was sourced from Poland and that no other similar path existed in Florida at the time of the ceremony; those claims were presented by speakers and reported as such.
Speakers credited a multi-year effort that included outreach to Eglin Air Force Base to secure land access, planning and design by county departments and construction by CW Roberts. Commissioner Ketchum said she had pursued the idea for years after constituents raised safety concerns and that the project required coordination with Eglin. County speakers thanked Major General Evan Durtein and Dale Marks of the 96 test wing for assistance securing the necessary approvals, and said Eglin representatives were unable to attend the ceremony because of a base shutdown.
Officials described operational rules for the route: it is a pedal path with walking allowed, and county representatives said motorized vehicles such as golf carts and cars are not permitted. Sheriff Aden and his office were thanked for planned enforcement as residents adjust to the new facility.
Funding and partners named at the ceremony included the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the county tourist development council, the state legislature, CW Roberts (contractor), Eglin Air Force Base and at least one private donor. Speakers repeatedly thanked county staff members Jason Autry, Scott Bitterman and Steve Blaylock, parks and recreation director Jeff Peters and others who worked on the project.
The ceremony opened with a religious invocation that framed the path as a community blessing and closed with commissioners and attendees preparing to make the inaugural ride. County officials said the route will serve both residents and military personnel and called it an asset for tourism and local quality of life.
No formal votes or ordinances were recorded at the event; the gathering was a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and public celebration.
Speakers said the project was financed with a mix of public and private funds and required property coordination with Eglin Air Force Base. “The cost of $4,000,000 had to be secured from various sources, including the tourist development council, the state legislature, and, yes, even a private donor,” Commissioner Carolyn Ketchum said, thanking CW Roberts, state and local partners and a private donor named Jay Odom.
Officials framed the path as both a safety improvement and an environmental innovation. At the ceremony an Okaloosa County official described the route as “the longest bioluminescent bike path in the world,” while Commissioner Ketchum and other speakers used the term photoluminescent to describe rocks used in the surface. Organizers said the photoluminescent material was sourced from Poland and that no other similar path existed in Florida at the time of the ceremony; those claims were presented by speakers and reported as such.
Speakers credited a multi-year effort that included outreach to Eglin Air Force Base to secure land access, planning and design by county departments and construction by CW Roberts. Commissioner Ketchum said she had pursued the idea for years after constituents raised safety concerns and that the project required coordination with Eglin. County speakers thanked Major General Evan Durtein and Dale Marks of the 96 test wing for assistance securing the necessary approvals, and said Eglin representatives were unable to attend the ceremony because of a base shutdown.
Officials described operational rules for the route: it is a pedal path with walking allowed, and county representatives said motorized vehicles such as golf carts and cars are not permitted. Sheriff Aden and his office were thanked for planned enforcement as residents adjust to the new facility.
Funding and partners named at the ceremony included the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the county tourist development council, the state legislature, CW Roberts (contractor), Eglin Air Force Base and at least one private donor. Speakers repeatedly thanked county staff members Jason Autry, Scott Bitterman and Steve Blaylock, parks and recreation director Jeff Peters and others who worked on the project.
The ceremony opened with a religious invocation that framed the path as a community blessing and closed with commissioners and attendees preparing to make the inaugural ride. County officials said the route will serve both residents and military personnel and called it an asset for tourism and local quality of life.
No formal votes or ordinances were recorded at the event; the gathering was a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and public celebration.
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