PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — From trains to automobiles, Port St. Lucie leaders are looking toward the future to figure out how they'll keep their ever-growing city from descending into gridlock.
As its population surges past 200,000, one question facing the city of Port Lucie is not just where will everyone live, but how will the roads handle all of the traffic.
City council members received an update Monday on its "mobility plan," which is an effort to see what roads will be built, which roads will be widened and which will accommodate other forms of transportation like bikes or autonomous vehicles.
Resident Diane Goldberg has been waiting for the city to tackle traffic troubles on St. Lucie West Boulevard.
"That road must be widened," Goldberg said. "It must be six lanes."
While that was one of the main roads targeted for widening, some on the council wonder if that would be enough.
"I'm concerned that even when we build the six lanes we're still not going to be addressing the need and still have issues with traffic in that area," Port St. Lucie Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo said.
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Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin said it's important to remember the mobility plan is a 20-year plan.
"We're planning for it, but St. Lucie West Boulevard, nor any other project, is going to happen in the very near future," Martin said.
While many of the proposals were concrete plans — like adding actual concrete, more lanes to existing roads — there were some other ideas like adding a boardwalk or greenway to the Canal Pointe neighborhood near the Florida Turnpike.
For now, residents are just looking for the best ways to handle the existing traffic.
Resident Edmond Lefort changed his routines.
"I don't do anything before 12 in the afternoon," Lefort said. "If I have to, I'll do it after 7 p.m."
The city council is expected to formalize the mobility plan in the spring.
