PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — If you’ve driven down St. Lucie West Boulevard during rush hour, you’ve likely seen the line of cars that backs up into the intersection when drivers don't make the green light.
Now, the Port St. Lucie Police Department is cracking down on drivers who "block the box,” the area within an intersection that should remain clear.
WATCH WPTV'S COVERAGE BELOW:
Rush-hour traffic is already slow-moving, but when vehicles stop in the middle of intersections, it creates gridlock and delays for everyone on the road.
“Everybody’s in a hurry depending on what your day is like and people want to get to their destination so they’re going to blow every light that they can,” said Port St. Lucie resident Darlene Mahler.
Police say that by trying to squeeze past the intersection and tailgate the car in front of them, drivers are actually disrupting the flow of cross traffic.
“People are so self-centered that they’re just so worried about themselves and don’t really consider anybody else and it just makes it harder for everyone,” said commuter Cyrus Postis.
To address the issue, Port St. Lucie police are increasing enforcement along busy stretches of St. Lucie West Boulevard. Their message: “don’t block the box!”
“It’s just something that needs to be done, [so] that people realize, you know what, you’re not the only one in line,” Mahler said.
Photos posted on the department’s Facebook page show long lines of vehicles stopped in the middle of intersections.
The problem doesn’t just affect drivers, but also pedestrians. “A lot of people stop in the crosswalk,” said resident Tom Murphins, who relies on his scooter to get around. He’s even installed an air horn to alert drivers blocking his path.
Police say they’ll begin the campaign with education before issuing tickets at intersections known for congestion, including Peacock, Cashmere, and California boulevards.
“I just came from there and it was just like that, there was a traffic trailer going westbound that blocked the whole thing,” Murphins said.
Both drivers and pedestrians hope the crackdown will help traffic move more smoothly and safely through one of the city’s busiest corridors.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
