The sun will set on the D.H. “Banty” Saunders Drawbridge as the Florida Department of Transportation opens a new, modern, much higher span to North Hutchinson Island next Friday.
The new State Road A1A North Causeway Bridge will open at 8 a.m. May 15 “weather permitting,” according to an April 30 FDOT release. Mainland drivers will turn onto the bridge directly from U.S. 1 in mainland Fort Pierce, while drivers coming from the island on A1A will seamlessly flow onto and cross the soaring new structure.
Construction of the new 1.2- mile bridge and accessory development cost the state $115.9 million, according to FDOT spokesperson Guillermo Canedo. The cost is an increase over the $111.5 million price tag shown on the FDOT website.
The new bridge, like its counterpart connecting South Hutchinson Island, will allow for greater volumes of traffic by land and sea. Its 85-foot height will allow large, high-masted boats to pass under the massive concrete I-beams with room to spare.
Drivers will be able to navigate one 12-foot lane in each direction upon the bridge’s opening.
Pedestrians and bicycle riders will enjoy two “barrier-protected” sidewalks bordering the car lanes. One 12-foot shared-use path will border the westbound lane while an 8-foot sidewalk borders the eastbound lane. Bikers may also use 7-foot-wide bike lanes shouldering the car lanes.
Associated construction related to the new bridge will continue until its anticipated late 2027 completion date, FDOT releases say. More improvements underway include new footpaths and access roads near the Florida East Coast Railroad and Old Dixie Highway.
The bridge succeeds the aging Saunders Drawbridge, built in 1954, as the sole access between mainland St. Lucie and North Hutchinson Island. That bridge will close to foot and car traffic upon the new bridge’s opening.
Builders will later demolish the historic drawbridge and move its debris to an artificial coral reef approximately four miles northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet, county records show.
Meanwhile, back in Vero Beach, the never-ending 17th Street bridge repair job – which began before work on the new Fort Pierce bridge started – continues as per usual, with lanes blocked and orange barrels abounding.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
