of the most popular restaurants in our community, has bought the old movie theatre and is converting that into a barbecue restaurant.” The Bass Pro Shops resort represents another significant commercial development. According to King, the resort “attracts tourists, creates jobs, and boosts local businesses, supporting Okeechobee’s goal of becoming a regional destination.” These ventures collectively strengthen the local economy while offering residents new services and employment opportunities. INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION Okeechobee’s infrastructure strategy balances major highway upgrades with much-needed improvements to neighborhood streets, addressing long-standing transportation challenges while preparing for future growth. “We have two main highways that come through the city of Okeechobee. Highway 70 runs east and west from the east coast of Florida to the west coast. 441 runs north and south all the way up to Orlando and as far down as Boca Raton,” Ritter explains.“The Florida Department of Transportation has been making stormwater improvements and resurfacing roads in Okeechobee, and as much of a hassle it has been for our locals to move around, when these projects are done, we’re going to have some new fresh roads.” The focus isn’t solely on major thoroughfares. Ritter acknowledges a historical gap in maintaining local streets: “One of the problems we have had for a long time is the city has not done a lot of work on resurfacing interior or secondary roads.” This year marks a turning point with significant investment in neighborhood infrastructure.“The city has budgeted $1.4 million for resurfacing secondary 93 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 03 OKEECHOBEE, FL
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