SEBASTIAN — The Florida Department of Transportation is gearing up its County Road 512 widening project, with the group seeking public input on the matter.
The project encompasses County Road (CR) 512 from east of I-95 to west of 106 Avenue in Indian River County and aims to reduce eastbound congestion.
"This project will address a pinch point that is causing traffic congestion in the eastbound direction. West of the 108 Avenue intersection, there are three eastbound through lanes but east of the intersection there are only two through lanes," said Smiley Urena, project manager with FDOT. "Traffic has grown to a point such that drivers in the outside lane are having difficulty merging into two lanes prior to the intersection. This project will help to alleviate congestion caused by this drop-lane condition by providing more distance for traffic to merge, beyond the intersection."
According to Urena, the project will target a number of improvements to the stretch of road to help mitigate congestion, including:
- Widen, mill, and resurface eastbound CR 512 to extend the merging lane east of the 108 Avenue intersection.
- Reconfigure the pedestrian ramps and crosswalks at 108 Avenue to shorten the distance for pedestrians crossing CR 512, improving pedestrian safety by reducing the time to cross the intersection.
- Replace the eastbound and southbound signal mast arms at the CR 512 and 108 Avenue intersection that are impacted by the widening.
- Regrade the eastbound swales and construct new drainage structures as required.
- Increase lighting at the intersection to make pedestrians more visible to drivers, improving safety.
- Upgrade the eastbound signing and pavement marking as required to meet current standards.
The meeting, which will be held on Aug. 13 at 6 p.m., will be held in-person at North Indian River County Library located at 1001 Sebastian Blvd., Sebastian, and virtually using this link: https://tinyurl.com/449332-1-CR512PublicMeeting. Alternatively, participants may use their phone by dialing in to +1 (562) 247-8422; Access code: 238-351-551.
Public input is a vital aspect of the project, Urena said.
"Community feedback is at the core of what we do. FDOT works with the public to balance their community vision with the community's transportation needs. This is routine on all our projects to ensure Florida's infrastructure is safe, resilient, and efficient for many years into the future," Urena said.
Questions not answered during the meeting will be responded to in writing following the meeting.
According to Urena, the tentative start for construction is winter 2026, with a tentative completion date of summer 2027.