PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — This week, the Port St. Lucie City Council approved a $1.5 million design to overhaul the congested intersection at Village Parkway and Tradition Parkway.
WPTV has previously reported on the traffic concerns along this corridor. On Thursday, we listened to neighbors about their safety concerns at the intersection and learned what is being done to fix it.
WATCH BELOW: New $1.5 million upgrade coming to 'nightmare' intersection
During a workshop on Monday, city leaders moved forward with a plan known as "Build Alternative 3" to make the intersection safer, less congested and more accessible to Interstate 95.
The new design will extend left turn lanes in all directions, convert lanes into turn lanes or through lanes, improve drainage and add dedicated turn signals. The city will also relocate a bus stop farther west on Tradition Parkway to add more vehicle space.
City Councilman Anthony Bonna said the additions were made after hearing from neighbors.
"The three biggest words and most important words in this presentation for me were per resident feedback," Bonna said.
Jackie Ward has lived in Port St. Lucie her whole life and runs a pest control company. She drives through the intersection daily and experiences the congestion firsthand.
"The traffic here is awful," Ward said. "The traffic has grown here exponentially, especially in Tradition. It's just crazy. ... Whether it's turning left onto or going whatever direction. It's a nightmare."
During Monday's city meeting, Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin agreed with that assessment.
"This intersection is a nightmare, all throughout the day, all throughout the night, especially during peak time in the evenings," Martin said.
Ward said the traffic lights also need work to keep vehicles moving.
"It's like, it's not in sync," Ward said. "You can see how it's already backed up."
Ward hopes the $1.5 million makeover will work, but she thinks the city needs to slow down growth for real solutions.
"The infrastructure, I don't think, can handle how rapidly we are growing," Ward said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
