SEBASTIAN – Drivers along County Road 512/Sebastian Boulevard could have a nicer view while heading into or out of town – if state and county officials bless the beautification plans Sebastian leaders have planned.
Those plans include installing a handful of flower beds at key intersections and stamping the crosswalks to “make it a little more pretty,” City Manager Al Minner explained to the Sebastian City Council at a recent meeting.
The project is expected to cost about $279,500 – with the bulk paid for through a Florida Department of Transportation grant of $176,102. The city is kicking in $103,426 from its discretionary sales tax fund as a match.
The work would be located at three intersections along County Road 512 – Fleming, Barber and Roseland.
The council had asked for an update on the project’s status and engineering plans before the city bids the work out to contractors. There was no vote needed – just “say we bless this project,” Mayor Richard Gillmor said.
What did draw discussion amongst the council members was how the County Road 512 and US 1 corridors would complement each other.
Councilman Don Wright told his fellow council members that he believed County Road 512/Sebastian Boulevard should be designed the same as how US 1 would be in the city’s redevelopment master plan.
“I just want to make sure everything works together,” he said.
Vice Mayor Jim Hill said that the city already has rules and designs for how County Road 512 should look. He added that both roads represent different parts of the community.
Council members did agree that the triangle piece of median on CR 512 nearest US 1 could be used as a transition between the two districts.
“That is going to be a gateway,” Councilwoman Andrea Coy said of the triangle being an entry into the city’s redevelopment area.
The city’s plans for improving County Road 512 need to be approved at the county level due to the county’s ownership of the road. Also, FDOT must approve the plans because of the money it has granted the city to perform the work.
Minner told the council that the next step would be to work with FDOT for permitting and then bid out the project.
The contract with the winning construction firm will go before the Sebastian City Council for approve before the work can get started.
