Martin County board approves road-transfer agreement with FDOT for Jensen Beach Causeway, County Road 714 and other segments

The Martin County Board of County Commissioners on a unanimous vote approved a resolution authorizing execution of a road-transfer agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation that shifts responsibility for multiple road segments and leaves major bridge structures with FDOT.

The transfer moves County Road 714 (between the Turnpike and Canner Highway), and Southeast Indian Street (from its terminus at Canner Highway to U.S. 1) onto the state highway system. In exchange, FDOT will transfer Northeast Jensen Beach Boulevard (U.S. 1 to Savannah Road) and Northeast Causeway Boulevard (Indian River Drive to State Road A1A) to Martin County maintenance, excluding the bridges, which FDOT will retain.

“This is a public hearing to consider adopting a resolution authorizing execution of a road transfer agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation,” said Jim Gorton, Martin County public works director. Gorton told commissioners that the transfer would “connect the Turnpike and Canner Highway which are both state roads” and that Indian Street’s transfer would occur “upon completion of the county’s ongoing resurfacing project.” He said the county is in a punch-list phase for that resurfacing and expects completion “within the next month or so.”

Gorton and commissioners stressed that FDOT will keep maintenance responsibility for large-span bridge structures on the Jensen Beach Causeway, including the Veterans Memorial Bridge. “They would retain maintenance responsibility for those structures,” Gorton said. He added that the county will retain responsibility for nonstructural enhancements on those bridges — landscaping, flagpoles, benches and garbage cans — and will continue to perform related activities such as taking down and raising flags and maintaining landscaping adjacent to the roadway.

Commissioner Campy asked several operational questions about cleaning frequency and roadway wear. Gorton said bridge sweeping is “programmed once a month” but performed more often as needed; he also said county landscaping areas that function as buffers and drainage will remain county responsibilities. On the condition of the road surface immediately off the Veterans Memorial Bridge, Gorton said that once transferred the roadway will fall under FDOT’s maintenance program.

The agreement includes timing contingencies: the transfer of Indian Street is contingent on the completion of Martin County’s resurfacing project; Causeway Boulevard would move to county maintenance after FDOT completes its ongoing mobility improvements; and County Road 714 would transfer as provided in the agreement. Gorton said the chair of the board and the FDOT secretary will execute the agreement once both parties are ready.

Commissioners made and seconded a motion to accept staff’s recommendation; the motion passed unanimously. No members of the public spoke on the item during the hearing.

The transfer reallocates long-term responsibilities: FDOT will assume structural maintenance and major capital work on the causeway bridges while Martin County will take on day-to-day upkeep and any future corridor mobility work on Jensen Beach Boulevard and other transferred segments once they are formally accepted by the county. The timeline for each segment varies according to the agreement’s completion conditions and pending construction punch-list items.