Thursday, November 09, 2006

Cooridor hookup debated by city

By Teresa Lane
Thursday, November 09, 2006
PORT ST. LUCIE — City officials are debating whether they'll allow Martin County road builders to connect the long-awaited Western Palm City Corridor to Port St. Lucie Boulevard after City Manager Don Cooper this week said the connection would doom the use of planned roundabouts on Becker Road.

Three months after Martin officials bought the last piece of land needed for the 5-mile, multimillion-dollar road from Martin Highway to Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Cooper told city council members in a memo Monday that excess traffic from the connection would cause roundabouts to fail.

Although the city contributed $500,000 toward the road, Councilman Jack Kelly said he'd rather beautify Becker than connect to a highway that will prompt Martin officials to complain louder about Port St. Lucie's inflow of motorists, boat owners and beachgoers.
Martin County officials feel so strongly about the effects of Port St. Lucie newcomers, they've asked state officials to deny Port St. Lucie developers the right to build on thousands of acres west of Interstate 95 until they pay for the impact to Martin's beaches and boat ramps.
"I'm going to agree with Martin County," Kelly said. "They want us to stop sending St. Lucie license plates down there, so we're going to help them."

While Cooper said the Palm City connection would cause a proposed public square or roundabout at Port St. Lucie Boulevard and Becker Road to be overrun with traffic, he advised council members to give "serious consideration" to removing planned circles at Darwin and Savona boulevards as well if the road is built because of the expected stampede.

Councilwoman Michelle Berger said she believes a traffic light at Port St. Lucie Boulevard would handle the Martin connection plus hordes of drivers who could one day flock to a proposed mall just west of I-95 at Becker. The remaining intersections could sport roundabouts in a project that Cooper estimates will cost between $40 million and $50 million.

Vice Mayor Patricia Christensen, newly elected Tuesday to replace retiring Mayor Bob Minsky, said she's hesitant to refuse the Martin connection given congestion already in the Becker Road area.

"I think at some point in the future we will definitely need that connector road to ease the traffic, even when the turnpike interchange opens.

"Maybe we can ask Martin County to help contribute to our project because they're going to impact us."

In addition to roundabouts, Cooper is recommending buying about 150 vacant lots along Becker to store rainwater runoff, buffer nearby homes from commercial development and create a linear park to encourage pedestrians. The plan also would limit the number of driveways onto Becker, close several roads to reduce conflicts and require businesses to use side streets for entrance ways.

City council members will discuss the recommendations at 7 p.m. Monday at city hall.

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