FELLSMERE — While federal legislators debate whether or not to release a second round of stimulus funds for road projects, local leaders are devising a game plan for how to spend it.
One project that has made their list to fund is County Road 512 through Fellsmere, a $3.5 million resurfacing project that would include paved shoulders for added safety.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get that done,” Mayor Susan Adams said during a recent council meeting. She said the resurfacing project would stretch from Interstate 95 west through town and could include improved shoulders, “which is not necessarily sidewalks but it’s better than people walking in the road.”
The project would run about 6 miles from the highway west out to the Fellsmere Farms Lateral U canal at 79th Street where County Road 512 makes a 90-degree turn south toward State Road 60.
Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff Director Phillip Matson said during a recent meeting that the paved shoulders would add a level of safety that could help its chances in being funded.
“Bicycle utilization in the North County area is very, very high,” he said, explaining that there is a large population of workers who do not have access to vehicles for transportation.
The Metropolitan Planning Organization met earlier this month to discuss the possibility of more stimulus funds and identified 10 projects estimated to cost $16.75 million. The CR 512 improvement project ranks third in the list, below two Sebastian projects.
If the U.S. Congress releases stimulus funds similar to what it did last year with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the county could expect to see approximately $5 million, according to Matson, which would be funded through unused Troubled Asset Relief Program monies.
The Florida Department of Transportation has not yet heard from Congress about whether the money will be released and does not know when that announcement might happen.
Priority list of projects*
South Easy Street from Wimbrow to CR 512, Sebastian – $450,000 – Rehabilitation, Resurface
Laconia Street from Concha to CR 512, Sebastian – $1.7 million – Rehabilitation, Resurface
CR 512 from I-95 to Fellsmere Farms Lateral U Canal, Fellsmere – $3.5 million – Mill and Resurface and add paved shoulders
Old Dixie Hwy from North Relief Canal to CR 510, County – $2.6 million – Mill and Resurface and add paved shoulders
Ocean Drive from Greytwig to Flamevine, Vero Beach – $450,000 – Mill and Resurface
27th Ave from Oslo to SR 60, Greater Vero Beach – $1.8 million – Mill and Resurface
Schumann Drive from US 1 to Barber, Sebastian – $1.5 million – Mill and Resurface
CR 512 from SR 60 to Fellsmere Farms Lateral U Canal, Fellsmere – $3.7 million – Mill and Resurface and add paved shoulders
CR 512 at Sebastian River Middle School, Sebastian – $300,000 – Add traffic signal
13th Street SW at 58th Ave, Greater Vero Beach – $750,000 – Bridge project
*List created by Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization
