Commission approves Treasure Coast RPC agreement to develop Dixie Highway complete‑streets design visuals, 4‑1

The Martin County Board of County Commissioners on April 22 approved an interlocal agreement with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) to develop complete‑streets design concepts and public‑outreach renderings for Dixie Highway (Southeast Dixie Highway) between Cove Road and Jefferson Street.

Why it matters: County staff said the corridor is constrained, crosses multiple community redevelopment areas and has multimodal safety needs for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and freight. Staff told commissioners the design concepts and graphics will be used in community outreach to help scope final project design before entering detailed engineering and construction phases.

Action taken: Commissioner Campe moved to approve the interlocal agreement and a second was recorded; the motion passed 4‑1 with Commissioner Vargas voting no. The board resolved to proceed with the work so staff can present visual options to neighborhood advisory committees, CRAs and other stakeholders prior to final design.

Debate and concerns: Commissioner Vargas objected to using TCRPC for the work and urged staff to solicit competitive bids, citing a previous county-funded TCRPC subcontracted study (a Treasure Coast mall report) that Vargas said was not delivered on time. Supporters, including Commissioner Hetherington and public‑works staff, said TCRPC’s local knowledge and the need for clear renderings to inform community input justified the contract and would reduce late changes during construction.

Clarifying details: Public‑works staff said the corridor was previously identified in MPO and Safe Streets plans; the staff presentation emphasized that the TCRPC contract is intended to produce visuals and outreach materials to shape scope and avoid costly changes during construction. No construction contract or final design was approved on April 22; the action funded concept and outreach work only.

Ending: The board directed staff to proceed with the planning and public‑outreach work; commissioners and residents will have future opportunities to review proposed designs and costs before the county advances final engineering or construction contracts.