Beal Parkway pipe failure disrupts traffic, strains public safety in Okaloosa County

In Brief:

Drainage pipe collapse shut down Beal Parkway northbound lanes near Gap Creek bridge in Fort Walton Beach.
Commissioner Trey Goodwin said the washout strained public safety resources and diverted emergency personnel.
FDOT announced that Beal Parkway has reopened, with work crews continuing repairs into the weekend.

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FORT WALTON BEACH — A drainage pipe failure on Thursday beneath State Road 189 (Beal Parkway) in Okaloosa County caused a washout near Gap Creek bridge, disrupting traffic and straining public safety resources, officials said.

The collapse created a significant gap in the northbound lanes of Beal Parkway. Florida Department of Transportation officals said crews and contractors have been working around the clock to remove damaged roadway, replace the failed pipe, and backfill the void.

Officials announced Friday afternoon that Beal Parkway has been reopened, however additional concrete, milling, and resurfacing work will continue in the coming days.

Okaloosa County District 4 Commissioner Trey Goodwin said in a statement posted on social media that the washout has affected thousands of residents and diverted critical law enforcement and emergency resources.

“It put a strain on law enforcement and public safety resources, taking away critical personnel from other important life-safety tasks,” Goodwin said in a statement. “Of course, not all disasters are avoidable. However, I remain committed to finding out the root causes, striving to make sure anyone responsible steps up to do right.”

Goodwin emphasized that county infrastructure was not at fault. He said inspections confirmed sanitary sewer lines were intact and that no county trenching or boring work had taken place in the area for more than a decade.

“The pipe that collapsed is part of a state road system and was installed by private contractors working for the state,” he said. “Okaloosa County is in real-time communication with state officials about this issue. We have been assured the state takes this just as seriously as we do here in the county.”

While the failure occurred within Goodwin’s district, he said the disruption impacts residents far beyond District 4.

“Not only will we work together to fix this immediate problem, we will also make certain to heed the lessons from this failure to help us improve for the future,” Goodwin said.