'25 on the Drive' begins Friday along Indian River Drive in St. Lucie County

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Motorists who routinely travel Indian River Drive between Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach better pack their patience and extra minutes beginning Friday as the speed limit drops to 25 mph from a longstanding 35 mph.

The speed limit reduction along the 14-mile stretch of Indian River Drive between Citrus Avenue South in Fort Pierce to the Martin County line follows numerous changes made to the roadway that have failed to get drivers to slow down, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara noted in a video posted to Facebook.

“After numerous safety initiatives, including stop signs, double yellow lines, there continues to be speeding, reckless driving and passing on South Indian River Drive,” said Mascara, standing at the busy drive. “As part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Scenic Highway program, Indian River Drive should be enjoyed when you travel. Remember, if you're driving along this dedicated scenic route, it’s 25 on the drive.”

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Mascara on Wednesday said beginning Friday road-patrol deputies will conduct enhanced traffic enforcement on the roadway and "citations will be issued."

There’s no indication Martin County will join St. Lucie and reduce the speed limit along its 1½-mile section of Indian River Drive, between County Line Road to Northeast Causeway Boulevard in Jensen Beach.

The popular winding roadway, known for its views of the Indian River Lagoon, often is used by drivers as a shortcut to U.S. 1. Approximately 4,000 vehicles a day travel Indian River Drive between Citrus Avenue South and Walton Road, according to county data.

St. Lucie County commissioners on April 18 voted unanimously to lower the speed limit after noting several years of traffic studies conducted amid a history of fatal accidents along the idyllic yet dangerous route.

In supporting the new 25 mph speed limit, Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky pointed to traffic data collected between 2017 and 2022 that showed most drivers exceed the posted 35 mph limit.

Crash data from the past five years shows 221 accidents, including eight fatalities, occurred along Indian River Drive, according to an October 2022 report to commissioners.

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The county has erected three-way stop signs at the Midway, Savannah and Walton road intersections, and created no-pass zones for certain parts of the roadway plagued for years by fatal car crashes.

“This has been a long time in the works,” Dzadovsky said during the April meeting.

Reducing the speed limit, he said, also will alert drivers relying on GPS apps such as Google Maps and Waze to the lower speed and allow them avoid the road altogether.

County crews on Wednesday began installing 60 new 25 mph speed limit signs along the drive ahead of Friday’s change, said spokesperson Erick Gill.

Melissa E. Holsman is the legal affairs reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers and is writer and co-host of Uncertain Terms, a true crime podcast. Reach her at melissa.holsman@tcpalm.com. If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Speed limit drops Friday along nearly 14 miles of Indian River Drive