Commission directs staff to proceed with Johnston Road culvert replacements despite business concerns

The St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners directed staff to proceed with planned culvert replacements on Johnston Road after hearing presentations about schedule, costs and potential business impacts.

Public Works Director Patrick Diane and County Engineer Dan Zarelli explained that two culvert replacement projects (Canals 16 and 17) were delayed by prior contract changes and an emergency repair elsewhere on Johnston Road. Staff offered two options: postpone the project and amend the construction contract by $49,900 to store materials and start about June 2026, or proceed as planned with an earlier start date and accept the existing schedule.

Why it matters: Staff estimated a 215-day total construction timeline (about nine months) for the work; full road closure for the culvert replacement was expected to last roughly three months. Commissioners weighed business-owner concerns about peak tourist and winter-resident seasons against public-safety and infrastructure priorities.

Commissioner Lee noted the extended schedule and asked whether a mid-April start would allow businesses to complete their winter season first. Dan Zarelli said a June start would move the bulk of construction into summer months and could be more susceptible to weather delays. "If everything goes according to plan, you'd be done around March," Zarelli said in reference to a June start and a roughly nine-month timeline.

Commissioner Townsend and others expressed sympathy for a business owner who asked that construction avoid peak season, but several commissioners said the collapsed culvert and public-safety obligations argued in favor of proceeding. Commissioner Townsend made the motion to proceed with staff's plan; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Outcome and next steps: The board approved moving forward with the existing construction plan and did not add the $49,900 contract amendment to postpone the start. Staff will coordinate construction sequencing, permit requirements and public notifications for the closure period and return to the board if any major changes are needed.

The board then moved on to the county attorney item.