Sand is removed from the J. Earle Bowden Way.

The Fort Pickens Road and the J. Earle Bowden Way on Santa Rosa Island were damaged by tropical storms and hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. Although the roads are closed to vehicular traffic, visitors may access the areas by hiking, biking, or boating. It is approximately 7-miles one way to the fort from the Fort Pickens Area entrance gate. Limited water taxi service is also available to the Fort Pickens Area. The water taxi drop off point is approximately 2 miles one way to the fort. Please contact Chulamar Charters, Captain "Bubba" Thorsen, 850-492-1099, Kirk Newkirk, Key Sailing 850-932-5520 or Blue Marlin Water Taxi, 850-723-4907 for information and reservations.

Navarre Beach to Opal Beach section of the J. Earle Bowden Way is planning on opening in the spring of 2008. Then work crews will start construction on the section between Opal Beach to Pensacola Beach once the design work is completed.

Construction on the road to Fort Pickens is scheduled to begin fall 2008 and to be reopened to the public in the spring of 2009. The road is located in a sensitive habitat for nesting sea turtles and colonial shorebirds. These factors and weather conditions must be considered in the road construction schedule.