Superior Wins $171M Contract to Replace J.T. Brooks Bridge in Florida Panhandle
Superior Construction is pleased to have been chosen to replace the aging J.T. Brooks Bridge in Okaloosa County, Florida. The 56-year-old structure carries U.S. Highway 98 over the Santa Rosa Sound and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, connecting Fort Walton Beach to Okaloosa Island. To increase the bridge’s capacity, the $171 million project includes two separate bridges, each with three 11-foot-wide driving lanes, two 10-foot-wide shoulders, and a 12-foot-wide shared path.
The existing four-lane Brooks Bridge was built in 1966, reached its designed traffic capacity in 1982, and was deemed structurally deficient eight years ago. To help expedite replacing the bridge, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) implemented a design-build procurement process, allowing design and construction to fall under a single contract so construction can begin as soon as the design is finalized.
“We are excited to expand our growing footprint in the Panhandle, especially for this booming area in Okaloosa County,” said Evan Lawrence, Division Manager. “Residents and organizations have been pushing for a new Brooks Bridge for years, and we are happy to deliver a safe and environmentally sound solution they can enjoy for decades to come.”
Construction will commence in the summer of 2023 with the building of the first span north of the existing bridge. The expected project duration is approximately five years from final design to delivery. Superior Construction and FDOT will host a public meeting to share designs with the community prior to construction.
Named ENR Southeast’s Contractor of the Year in 2018, Superior Construction has more than $500 million in revenue and expansive growth throughout Florida in its sights. The Jacksonville-based company has built the majority of North Florida’s roads and bridges since the 1980s, including the eastern section of I-295 (formerly SR-9A), the 9A/JTB interchange, SR-9B, the First Coast Expressway, portions of I-95 and I-10, and Beach and Atlantic Boulevards crossing Intracoastal Waterway. Superior Construction successfully completed the nearly $68 million 23rd Street Flyover in Panama City in 2021 and has four other transportation projects underway throughout the Panhandle.