CRA moves to fix Maple Avenue drainage; pilots unpaved-road program in Hobe Sound

Jana Cox, program manager for Martin County CRA projects, told the CRA on Sept. 22 that the county plans two targeted efforts: a drainage connection on Maple Avenue in Jensen Beach to address chronic standing water behind a small commercial block, and a pilot program to improve unpaved roads in Hobe Sound.

The drainage work is aimed at the Jensen Station shops, a cluster of roughly nine businesses behind Maple Avenue that have long experienced water pooling. “They’re responsible for hiring an engineer and figuring out how to hook up to those two items,” Cox said, describing a plan to install a storm manhole on the west side of Maple Avenue and a storm inlet on the east side in county right-of-way; private property owners will design the final private-side connections.

Cox said the county will install the right-of-way elements (manhole and inlet) and that the business owners will be responsible for the private-side engineering and connection work to tie into those features. The goal is to reduce persistent standing water behind stores that has been visible for years.

On unpaved roads, Cox said all six CRAs contributed to a 2022 budget for unpaved-road work in coordination with Public Works. Martin County identified 11 candidate roadways in Hobe Sound and selected Eleanor and Hammond as a pilot segment. Cox outlined a compressed schedule: the road was identified in February ’25, surveyed in April ’25, designed in July ’25, sent for construction quotes in August, and — pending procurement — a notice to proceed is planned for November ’25 for the pilot segment.

Cox said the pilot shows how the CRA and Public Works can partner to accelerate small capital projects when schedules align, and that additional unpaved-road segments are already in design.