Phase III Highway Project (Current) | Philip Griffitts Sr. Pkwy.

Phase 3 Project Description

Bay County is currently conducting a Project Development and Environment Study (PD&E) and preparing Design plans for the third phase of the Philip Griffitts Sr. Parkway from Clara Avenue east to Chip Seal Parkway. The total distance of this study is approximately 5.1 miles. A PD&E Study is the formal process of developing and comparing alternatives to determine a preferred action that meets project goals while minimizing impacts to the social, natural, and physical environments. Engaging the public by sharing and receiving information is a key component of this process.

Project Goals

The new Philip Griffitts Sr. Parkway Phase 3 is intended to improve regional connectivity in the area and relieve some of the congestion on U.S. 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) and improve safety outcomes in the area. The PD&E Study will identify and assess impacts of a new roadway corridor connecting Clara Avenue to Chip Seal Parkway on the social, economic, cultural, natural, and physical environment in this area of Bay County. Preliminary design activities will be completed concurrently with the PD&E Study to more efficiently move the project forward toward construction.

Public ALTERNATIVES Meeting

Public Alternatives Meeting

Thursday, March 6, 2025
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Grace Episcopal Church
9101 Panama City Beach Parkway
Panama City Beach, FL 32407

Project Timeline

Contact Information

Vincent Spahr, P.E
Consultant Project Manager
(850) 328-2923
PGSParkway@kimley-horn.com
120 Richard Jackson Blvd, Suite 230
Panama City Beach, FL 32407

FAQs

Public Input

Q: What’s the best way for community members to get more information or comment about the proposed project?

A: Residents may visit the Contact page or contact Consultant Project Manager Richard Barr at (850) 328-2923 or email PGSParkway@kimey-horn.com.

Surrounding Properties

Q: Will there be a privacy wall along the proposed route to block noise and visibility from the surrounding properties?

A: Noise and visibility of the potential Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway Phase III route are being considered as part of the PD&E and Design project. Appropriate and feasible remedies will be considered.

Q: Who will determine the distance between the proposed route and residential areas like Breakfast Point?

A: The distance between the potential Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway Phase III roadway and residential areas will be determined through environmental and engineering factors. In this case, the agencies who oversee the conservation easements and mitigation banks north of Breakfast Point will have a significant say in how far north the potential Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway Phase III roadway will be aligned.

Q: How will impacts to the Breakfast Point community be mitigated?

A: The significant environmental constraints north of Breakfast Point will limit how far north the Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway Phase III can be constructed. The PD&E currently under way contemplates the environmental and engineering factors which will ultimately lead to a preferred alignment. The study will work to balance the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the US Army Corps of Engineers’ requirements and the interests of property owners in the vicinity of the proposed roadway.

Environmental Concerns

Q: How will wetlands be protected, and have they all been designated?

A: Protection of wetlands is one of the chief concerns of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who will review the proposed roadway location.

Q: Have consequences of pollution and erosion been addressed?

A: Any potential pollution or erosion impacts of the roadway will be reviewed and mitigated through measures approved by the governing agencies.

Q: Will all legalities regarding wetlands and conservation areas be respected before any development?

A: Protection of wetlands is one of the chief concerns of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who will review the proposed roadway location.

Q: When will environmental reports be available to the public?

A: Environmental reports will be available upon acceptance by the agencies charged with reviewing and approving the documents, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

Q: Can homeowners be assured of thorough consideration for drainage issues and flooding concerns?

A: Impacts to the watershed, including drainage issues and flooding concerns, will be contemplated, and mitigation will be engineered as part of the design.

Future Phases

Q: Why is the proposed extension not going completely from Griffitts Parkway to Chip Seal Parkway?

A: Phase III of the Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway is proposed from Clara Avenue to Chip Seal Parkway to provide local connectivity and relief for U.S. 98 in this area. Future studies may be undertaken to connect Phase II (eastern terminus at Nautilus Street) to Phase III (western terminus at Clara Avenue).

Q: Wouldn’t it make more sense to secure passage from Nautilus Street to Clara Avenue before spending money to build the connection between Clara Avenue and Chip Seal Parkway?

A: Phase III of the Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway is proposed from Clara Avenue to Chip Seal Parkway to provide local access and relief for US 98 in this area. Future analyses may be undertaken to connect west from Phase III to Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway Phase II. The St. Joe Company is not party to the PD&E Study, and has only been involved insofar as a significant portion of the land through which the potential Philip Griffitts Senior Parkway Phase III roadway may be constructed is under St. Joe ownership and therefore must be negotiated if it is to be utilized for a new roadway.