INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Commission voted unanimously Nov. 4 to transfer jurisdiction of three major corridors to the Florida Department of Transportation, reducing the county’s long-term maintenance and infrastructure costs.
The decision applies to sections of County Road 510, County Road 512 and County Road 606 (Oslo Road), totaling about 16 miles. Once finalized, the transfer will make the state responsible for maintaining, resurfacing and improving the roads.
“We’re talking about who is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the road,” said Brian Freeman, the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization staff director. “In the case of county roads, the county is the entity responsible for the maintenance, the resurfacing of the roads, any widening or capacity improvements would be calculated through the county's capital improvements program.”
Freeman noted that under the new arrangement, FDOT will assume that role.
“In the case of state roads, FDOT is responsible for the maintenance and resurfacing of the roads,” he said.
The three corridors are key east-west routes that help connect the northern and southern parts of Indian River County.
“These roads are going to provide east-west connectivity in the northern and the southern parts of Indian River County,” Freeman said.
Improvement projects are already active along each route. CR 510 is currently undergoing a five-segment widening project, CR 512 was expanded in 2009, and Oslo Road construction is expected to conclude in 2027. Freeman said the state will take over upkeep once the agreement takes effect.
“FDOT will be assuming the responsibility for maintenance of that roadway and any future resurfacing of that roadway,” he said of CR 512, adding that the MPO’s long-range plan includes the possibility of widening it to six lanes.
Two railroad crossings, located at CR 510 and Oslo Road, will also transfer to state oversight.
“They will be taking in maintenance obligations at those two railroad crossings,” Freeman said.
Freeman called the agreement a financial positive for the county.
“Obviously there’s a lot of beneficial aspects of the transfer agreement for the county, especially financially, considering the substantial costs involved in improving and maintaining these roads,” he said.
The county’s approval sends the agreement to FDOT District 4 and, ultimately, to FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue for final authorization. Freeman said that process should conclude in early 2026.
“For two of the roads, the transfer will occur immediately upon execution of the agreement by FDOT Secretary, that’s for CR 512 and Oslo Road,” he said. “The CR 510 road will occur once the widening project is completed several years down the road.”