Amid bridge construction, North Hutchinson Island park to close for year-long improvements

Wicker Perlis, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Updated ·1 min read

FORT PIERCE — The North Causeway Island Park will be closed for about a year, starting Friday evening, St. Lucie County announced in a news release Friday afternoon.

It is slated to reopen in March after more than $3.1 million in improvements, according to the news release.

Construction workers begin work for the new North Causeway Bridge at North Causeway Island Park as the current drawbrige is open for boat traffic on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Fort Pierce.
Construction workers begin work for the new North Causeway Bridge at North Causeway Island Park as the current drawbrige is open for boat traffic on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Fort Pierce.

In February, county commissioners voted to award a $3,190,704 contract to Vecellio & Grogan for improvements to the park, to include replacing and expanding the existing boat ramp and parking area. Overall parking will more than double, from 30 paved boat trailer and 10 car parking spaces to 62 paved boat trailer and 19 car parking spaces, according to the release.

The project will also focus on increasing safety at the boat launch and making it ADA-accessible with additional trailer and ADA trailer parking spaces.

Additional upgrades will include new restrooms, pavilions, picnic tables, a kayak and canoe launch area, lighting and upgraded stormwater and utilities infrastructure.

Construction workers with Vecellio & Grogan Inc. work on installing bridge pillars for a new North Causeway Bridge being built in Fort Pierce. The contractor will install 347 concrete pillars, of different sizes, weighing between 45,000 pounds and 94,000. The new bridge will span over the Indian River Lagoon and Old Dixie Highway to meet U.S.1 on the west side, replacing the current drawbridge built in 1963.

The North Causeway Island Park is located at 500 North Causeway on North Hutchinson Island, at the end of the current North Causeway Bridge. The area is already under significant construction, as the Florida Department of Transportation continues work on the new North Causeway Bridge. That project, also being undertaken by Vecellio & Grogan, is scheduled for completion in 2027, including the demolition of the current bridge.

The new bridge is scheduled to first open to cars and pedestrians in 2026.

Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com and 504-331-0516.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: St. Lucie County announces total closure of North Causeway Island Park