Calhoun County Commissioners look to expand Highway 20

CALHOUN COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Calhoun County Commissioners and school board members are asking the state for help with a major roadway. They said Highway 20 is dangerous and wanted it to have four lanes.

Every school day, thousands of young people ride Calhoun County school buses that eventually wind up on Highway 20. Some school officials believe it’s just a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

“The increase in traffic, increase in traffic accidents, and a fairly large number of fatalities on Highway 20. We have busses that travel those roads with some stops on those roads just out of concern for students and safety had asked that we contact our board attorney and with some statistics from FHP if we could maybe have a resolution from the board,” Calhoun County Superintendent Darryl Taylor said.

Taylor, along with the school board and the Calhoun County Commission sent a resolution to the Florida Cabinet, the State Legislature, and the Department of Transportation.

“A four-lane road would make it where there would be less congestion or, cars to get backed up by someone that may be not going as fast as the flow of traffic,” Taylor said.

From 2020 through 2023 there were 204 traffic crashes on Highway 20. Those crashes involved 322 vehicles and 494 people. Some were killed.

“People are passing on lines, on curves, passing motor vehicles at the same time running people off the road. It is just one road. I don’t like to travel myself,” Sheriff Glenn Kimbrel said.

Kimbrel said he is also worried about the safety of students on Highway 20.

“I hold my breath during the school term from the time I know the bus is, I don’t know, around until the school bell rings in the morning time that I know the kids are safe at school. And I don’t have to worry about a traffic crash involving a school bus out there. I mean, this is serious business and we take it very seriously,” Kimbrel said.

At the very least, county officials hope the resolution raises awareness. At best, it could start the process to 4-lane Highway 20.

“That’s completely up to decision-makers with the Department of Transportation and so forth. Our purpose was just an awareness that at first attention that this is an issue. And I know our local law enforcement as well as FHP, are very aware,” Kimbrel added.

According to Sheriff Kimbrel in 2021, there were 8 fatalities on Highway 20, all within 6 miles of each other. He said he believes it will only get worse.

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