STUART — Construction will begin July 6 on a $3 million project to expand and rebuild the City of Stuart's courtesy docks, increasing public docking capacity along the downtown waterfront.
The project will replace the existing 5,533-square-foot floating dock and associated pilings with a new marina-style layout designed to improve durability and accommodate more boaters.
When completed, the dock system will include 44 boat slips, an increase of 26 slips from the current configuration.
The new facility will feature a 7,590-square-foot fixed dock, a 1,400-square-foot concrete floating dock and a 300-square-foot floating vessel platform.
According to the city, about 1,450 boaters use the courtesy docks each year. Officials said the expanded facility is expected to improve access for both motorized and non-motorized vessels while meeting growing demand along the waterfront.
Public Works Director Milton Leggett said the redesign is intended to reduce damage from storms and lower long-term maintenance costs.
"With the floating dock, every year storms and wave action damage the finger piers," Leggett said during a recent City Commission meeting. "The fixed dock never had any damage, so we have decided to go with a fixed dock which has been more durable and will minimize long-term costs."
The project is funded through a $1.15 million Florida Inland Navigation District grant and transportation impact fee funding.
The courtesy docks will be closed during construction. City officials expect the project to be completed before next year's Fourth of July celebration.
Cummins Cederberg Inc. is the project's engineer, and Custom Built Marine Construction Inc. is serving as the contractor.