IN YOUR CORNER
The long-planned Indian Street Bridge has recently been criticized as wasteful and unnecessary by a watchdog group with offices in Washington, DC. Martin County Taxpayers Association is not associated with this group. We do feel as though we should represent our local taxpayers on the subject of the Indian Street Bridge as it does impact our local taxpayers.
A bit of local history may be useful. Only one bridge has ever existed between Stuart and Palm City. Initially, it was a low level, narrow wood bridge until it was replaced by a new two-lane concrete bridge in 1969. That bridge exists today, next to a similar bridge built in the late eighties creating a four-lane connection between Stuart and Palm City. At that time our County Commissioners agreed to identify an additional bridge location as part of the funding agreement with the State of Florida, which had wanted a six-lane facility constructed.
Studies for locating a new bridge had actually begun as far back as the 1960’s when there was hardly any development in Palm City and most of the eastern growth was mainly north of the Roosevelt Bridge. As a result of the County’s agreement with the State over the funding needed to four-lane the Palm City Bridge, efforts to site an additional river crossing were re-started in 1986-87. Initial focus was on a crossing connecting Becker Road with Britt Road or a connection to SR 707 through North River Shores. This bridge location was rejected because of the high cost of constructing such a long span across the North Fork and because of the extreme negative impacts on North River Shores and Jensen Beach.
The second focus was placed upon extending West Ocean Boulevard west to join Murphy Road. This option impacted Shepard Park and the City of Stuart was not in favor of this location. Construction costs over this wide water was also very expensive. Extending Mapp Road over to Rte. 76 was also considered and rejected because of impacts on adjacent neighborhoods on West Salerno Road and Piper’s Landing. Extending Indian Street to Martin Highway was the only option left standing.
At the time of its selection there was very little development on either roadway. There was no Willoughby, no Danforth Creek, no Whispering Sound or any of the other developments that have occurred since the new river crossing was identified. The 714/Indian Street connection was least costly and created the least impact on the then existing residents. Environmental issues were not as significant back then, but cost was, and the Indian Street Bridge was thought to be the easiest to construct because it did not require closing other roadways, detours or significant relocation of existing residents.
Alternate corridor studies have been done at least four times. Every time, the SR 714/Indian Street crossing has been the selected alternative. In 1993, this bridge was the County’s #1 roadway priority and expected to open before 2000. Its estimated cost was $40M at that time. The Commission elected in 1996 killed the project, losing the required funding back to the State. Following a change in the Commission in 2000 and the deteriorating traffic levels on the existing Palm City Bridge, the Indian Street Bridge was once again brought forward.




Because of delay and cost increases the estimated cost of construction has now reached close to $130M. The design of the bridge and its approaches is far more elaborate than the 1993 version, due in part to local desires for a boulevard with extensive medians, paths, landscaping, water quality treatment and sound attenuation, and partially due to expanded FDOT safety requirements and widening SR 714.
Does the bridge cost too much? Probably. Maybe the better question is could it be built for less somewhere else? Based on 40 years of study, the answer appears to be no.
Is the bridge necessary? The public opinion answer appears to depend on where one lives, and when and how often someone wants to travel between Palm City and Stuart. The technical transportation planning answer is clearly yes.
Does MCTPA have an opinion? Yes. We believe the bridge should have been open in 2000 at much lower cost. Having failed at that, we believe the County should get it built this time around. A decent transportation system is an important factor in our quality of life. The Comprehensive Plan requires this bridge. Enough studies already, enough time and money wasted, get on with it.