PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Drivers in Port St. Lucie need to prepare for six months of detours in the area of Floresta Drive north of Port St. Lucie Boulevard.
Work began Monday on a new bridge over the Elkham waterway.
Paul Brezniak has seen his share of bad drivers along Floresta Drive.
“I’ve been out here and they went across the lawn and took the mailbox out,'' He said. "Luckily I wasn’t close enough to the road.”
But now, his block is turning into a temporary cul-de-sac.
With road closure signs up, some residents though are feeling a bit hemmed in.
“The only issue is we’ve only got one exit,” Tony Gonzalez said.
Sharon Maharaj just moved onto Floresta last month, and now needs a crash course in geography.
“I guess I’ll have to get an alternate route to get to 95," she said about the interstate. "I’m learning some of the roads.”
The city has a list of detour options on its website, and detour signs are posted throughout the area.
The new bridge is the highlight of the next phase of work on Floresta Drive, which began in 2020.
“We’ve already figured out a little route to get behind. It’s not too hard,” said Mark Prado, who lives just two houses from the construction.
He’s happy to see the improvements.
“But now they’re adding sidewalks, widening the road. Hopefully it’ll be a little safer,” Prado added.
And Paul Brezniak does see one positive, although it won’t be permanent.
“We could have a street party here, a block party,” he said, laughing.
If all goes as planned, the bridge should be complete by the beginning of August.