STUART, Fla. — Stuart residents were in for a surprise when a new Costco gas station opened Tuesday, one month ahead of the warehouse's April 25 grand opening.
The Costco, off Kanner Highway, is the only one on the Treasure Coast.
Despite the deals inside, people who live in the area are preparing for more traffic.
“Traffic everywhere around here is horrible, so I would imagine it’s going to bring some more traffic,” Port St. Lucie resident Alex Yahn said.
The multi-use project features the 150,000 square-foot Costco with 24 gas pumps, a shopping center and over 350 apartments. The plan has undergone pushback and legal challenges since its initial proposal in 2021 due to the traffic and environmental conerns.
WPTV Reporter Cassandra Garcia spoke with Stuart City Manager Mike Mortell on whether the roads are ready to handle the traffic spike.
“You have the six lanes of Kanner that can support all 6,000 daily trips that are anticipated,” Mortell said.
The plan includes a four-lane road connecting Kanner Highway to Willoughby Boulevard in effort to alleviate traffic pressure at nearby intersections, in addition to a traffic light on Kanner Highway to enhance safety.
The Costco will open at 10 a.m. daily, helping to not interfere with morning congestion at the nearby Martin County High School.
While there’s a lot hesitation as to what the roads will look like when it opens, many are still looking forward to having a Costco nearby.
