Construction on new North Hutchinson bridge site more than one-third complete, FDOT says

Wicker Perlis, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·3 min read
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FORT PIERCE — With construction now more than one-third done, the $111.6 million North Causeway bridge relocation project remains on track for completion in late 2027, Florida Department of Transportation officials said late last week.

The new bridge, which will span the Intracoastal Waterway and connect northern Fort Pierce to North Hutchinson Island, could open even earlier than first planned, with the most recent timelines aiming for public access by the end of 2026.

A drone captures work on the new North Causeway bridge in Fort Pierce on Feb. 24, 2024. There will be 347 pillars, of different sizes, used in building the new bridge that will span above Old Dixie Highway to meet U.S.1 on the west, according to Vecellio & Grogan Inc. whose workers placed pillars. It will replace the current drawbridge built in 1963, which is the D.H. "Banty" Saunders Bridge, designated by the 1965 Florida Legislature. David Howard Saunders was a state representative in the 1945 Legislature. He was a Fort Pierce City commissioner, and a lumberman for 40 years, according to the Miami News of March 7, 1945.

After the new bridge opens, there will be about a year of additional work, including demolition of the old D.H. "Banty" Saunders Drawbridge — often just called "North Bridge" — which was built in 1963.

Construction is "about 38% done," according to FDOT spokesperson Grace Ducanis. The newest cost estimate reflects a slight increase from the $111.5 million estimate on the FDOT website and reported by TCPalm in December.

"Once the project is completed, the new bridge will greatly benefit motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and mariners," Ducanis said.

A drone captures work on the new North Causeway bridge in Fort Pierce on Feb. 24, 2024. There will be 347 pillars, of different sizes, used in building the new bridge that will span above Old Dixie Highway to meet U.S.1 on the west, according to Vecellio & Grogan Inc. whose workers placed pillars. It will replace the current drawbridge built in 1963, which is the D.H. "Banty" Saunders Bridge, designated by the 1965 Florida Legislature. David Howard Saunders was a state representative in the 1945 Legislature. He was a Fort Pierce City commissioner, and a lumberman for 40 years, according to the Miami News of March 7, 1945.

The highest bridge on the Treasure Coast

The new bridge is slated to be the highest on the Treasure Coast, at 85 feet. It will measure 125 feet wide and span 4,152 feet from end to end. Unlike the current bridge, the new bridge will cross over Old Dixie Highway and the Florida East Coast Railway corridor, currently used by freight and Brightline trains. Delays due to bridge openings will also be eliminated, Ducanis noted.

In addition to the benefits for drivers, the new bridge will feature buffered bicycle lanes, a sidewalk and a shared-use path. The current bridge has only a small unbuffered walkway, often used by pedestrians and fishermen. There are also plans to build a pedestrian observation deck under the western portion of the new bridge, but it is not yet known if any of those spaces will allow fishing, as the current walkway does.

Approval for fishing needs to come only from local entities after the bridge is built, FDOT spokesperson Guillermo Canedo said in December.

A drone captures work on the new North Causeway bridge in Fort Pierce on Feb. 24, 2024. There will be 347 pillars, of different sizes, used in building the new bridge that will span above Old Dixie Highway to meet U.S.1 on the west, according to Vecellio & Grogan Inc. whose workers placed pillars. It will replace the current drawbridge built in 1963, which is the D.H. "Banty" Saunders Bridge, designated by the 1965 Florida Legislature. David Howard Saunders was a state representative in the 1945 Legislature. He was a Fort Pierce City commissioner, and a lumberman for 40 years, according to the Miami News of March 7, 1945.

One of the main focuses of current construction is the foundation.

"On the water, foundation work for the new bridge continues, including pile-driving operations," Ducanis said. "We anticipate substructure concrete installation beginning in the next several months and continuing through 2024."

Also underway is bridge substructure and roadway construction on the west side of the project, Ducanis said.

A drone captures work on the new North Causeway bridge in Fort Pierce on Feb. 24, 2024. There will be 347 pillars, of different sizes, used in building the new bridge that will span above Old Dixie Highway to meet U.S.1 on the west, according to Vecellio & Grogan Inc. whose workers placed pillars. It will replace the current drawbridge built in 1963, which is the D.H. "Banty" Saunders Bridge, designated by the 1965 Florida Legislature. David Howard Saunders was a state representative in the 1945 Legislature. He was a Fort Pierce City commissioner, and a lumberman for 40 years, according to the Miami News of March 7, 1945.

Demolition materials to be added to artificial reef

"The goal is to open Juanita Avenue, Sunny Lane and Old Dixie Highway and close (State Road) A1A between Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 by fall 2024," Ducanis said.

Concrete from demolition of the current bridge will be added to an existing St. Lucie County artificial reef about 4 miles northeast of the Fort Pierce inlet.

More: New North Causeway bridge in Fort Pierce may offer more Hutchinson Island evacuation access

More: North Causeway Bridge construction in Fort Pierce is estimated to finish summer of 2026

"Workers will use the old bridge material for environmental benefit," Ducanis said. "The reef will benefit hundreds of sea creatures, from crabs to coral."

Construction timelines are dependent upon weather, holidays and unforeseen circumstances, Ducanis emphasized.

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: New North Bridge could open one year before overall project is done