WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Economic developers say they’re glad to see more lanes in the works for Crawfordville Highway. As more people move to Wakulla County, more room is needed on U.S. 319 between Crawfordville and Tallahassee for all the traffic.
“We have a lot of folks who travel back and forth from Tallahassee as well as a lot of folks who come from Tallahassee and Georgia,” explained Dave Edwards, Wakulla County Administrator. “We’re continually looking ahead and planning ahead to make sure we can keep up with our anticipated growth.”
As crews work to widen the road, Edwards and other county leaders are looking ahead to new challenges on the economic horizon.
“We are concerned with the national economy. We’re concerned with inflation and the looming recession for sure. We are looking at ways to mitigate that,” Edwards added.
Despite the threat of an economic downturn, he said new businesses like this Publix in Crawfordville and surrounding medical offices are just a small part of building up quality of life for people moving here. As many as 500 new homes a year are built across the county to make room for potential new growth.
“We are under some confidentiality agreements, but hopefully this time next year we’ll be breaking ground on something big here,” shared Richard Exline. He is the Vice President at N.G. Wade Investment Company. He said he is working with the county to develop over 240 acres of land at Opportunity Park. “It is located in an opportunity zone, which offers incentives. Also, we already have all the infrastructure in place, roads fiber, water and sewer.”
CSG Systems International has already set up shop here. They specialize in revenue management and payment solutions for companies. Access to the interstate is good for their business.
Exline said the new $28 million International Processing Facility underway at Tallahassee International Airport should entice even more companies to consider moving here. “I think the ideal user would be a high-tech manufacturer.”
Leaders said they are hoping the county roadway expansion will help drive new projects like that forward.
“It’s just getting really kicked off now, and we’re excited about that,” Edwards concluded.
