FDOT outlines three alternatives for State Road 714 railroad crossing; residents urged to review visuals at public meetings

Florida Department of Transportation representatives on Tuesday briefed the Stuart City Commission on plans to address chronic congestion and safety at the State Road 714 (Monterey Road) crossing of the Florida East Coast Railway.

Rob Lopez, a Florida Department of Transportation representative, said traffic counts taken in 2022 show existing daily volumes near the study intersection ranging from about 8,200 to 27,000 vehicles. "The AAD for existing conditions based upon traffic data obtained in 2022 ranges from 8,200 to 27,000 vehicles per day in the vicinity of the study intersection," Lopez said, using the agency's AADT measure. He added that, under a no-build scenario, daily traffic could grow to as much as 33,500 vehicles per day by 2050.

Lopez and a colleague identified three alternatives carried forward from a ten-concept desktop analysis: two overpass options that generally follow the existing SR 714 alignment and a third concept that shifts the crossing to the south and ties into an extended Southeast Monterey Road. The agency said the study will also carry a no-build alternative through the process and that right-of-way acquisition is currently funded in fiscal 2028 with potential construction in fiscal 2030.

Tanya, a project presenter on the FDOT team, called out a unique constraint: the close proximity of the runway at Wam Airfield. The Federal Aviation Administration told FDOT any new roadway or intersection must remain outside the arrival runway-protection zone (RPZ); the existing SR 714 alignment is grandfathered. "During our meeting with FAA, it was conveyed that any new roadway or intersection needs to be outside of the arrival RPZ," she said, describing how the RPZ limits where an overpass or at-grade alternative could be placed.

FDOT's analysis includes traffic forecasting, an evaluation matrix weighing impacts versus improvements, and environmental screening for wetlands, cultural resources and social impacts. The agency reported that several intersections are projected to operate at failing levels of service in 2050 under a no-build condition, and that the different alternatives shift congestion in varying ways. For one of the southern alternatives FDOT projected year-2050 peak volumes as high as 47,000 vehicles per day in localized segments.

Commissioners pressed FDOT on how property impacts, railroad compensation requirements and potential closures of other crossings would be handled. FDOT confirmed that if a new crossing is built at a different location, existing crossings could need to be closed as compensation and those closures would be coordinated with the county. The department also committed to additional neighborhood outreach; officials said an alternatives public workshop would be held virtually March 11 and in person March 12.

Multiple commissioners urged FDOT to present clear, photorealistic visuals of the overpass designs so residents can gauge the scale and neighborhood effects. Commissioner Clark told FDOT staff that showing a visual example of a thousand-foot bridge would help neighbors understand whether the proposal was acceptable before public meetings.

FDOT encouraged residents to attend the March meetings and said feedback gathered there would be used to refine alternatives and present a recommendation in early 2027.

The project remains in the study phase; FDOT said the public can contact the project team through the project website for updates and outreach materials.