Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach getting face-lift

Beautification of the roads in Santa Rosa Beach is well underway with a two-mile stretch along Highway 98.

What began a few weeks ago has progressed at a rapid pace. The project is ahead of schedule and should be completed by early-to-mid-June.

"This project is about community pride," said Roger Hall, president of the Scenic Corridor Foundation. "It's about making this area better than it already is."

During a short ceremony March 18 more than 20 business and community members came out for the "gold shovel" event.

The Florida Department of Transportation awarded Walton County with state grants totaling $600,000 for beautification along the roadways.

Hall recognized the Walton County Board of Commissioners for their agreement in 2007 to maintain the medians once the project is complete.

"Their support was instrumental in receiving the grants from the state," said Hall.

"Our goal is to beautify the medians from the Okaloosa County line to the Bay County line."

The beautification project, which began with application for grant funding two years ago, is a now a public/private initiative.

Many businesses and residents have made contributions to SCF to help fund the project.

"This is a great community and we will continue to form public/private partnerships to accomplish the goal of beautification," Hall said.

As president of the newly-formed SCF, Hall stated their goal is to "continue efforts to foster an environment of excellence in the community that benefits everyone."

Landscaping will consist of several varieties of foliage with crepe myrtles providing a splash of color when in bloom.

"This is a simple design," said Bill Smith, senior landscape architect. "It will be a continuous flow of trees, grass and shrubs for ease of maintenance."

Along with the added beauty, statistics prove that fewer accidents occur along roadways that have landscaping, according to Smith.