Despite controversy, Sebastian, Vero Beach might look at U.S. 1, Brightline overpass again

There was no partying like it was 1999 at a recent meeting of the Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Rather, Brian Freeman, the organization's staff director, tried to lead its board of elected officials into discussion of an important transportation issue:

Are there good locations for bridges over U.S. 1 and the Florida East Coast Railway tracks?

One such proposal in Vero Beach was scrutinized earlier this year. It would have connected Aviation Boulevard to 32nd Street and an eventual northern route to the medical district on 37th Street.

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City planners opposed it. Dr. William Mallon, who owns vision and golf businesses northeast of the intersection, was even more candid:

“This will destroy Vero Beach and the way of life we have here,” Mallon said after a public workshop in February, citing the large amount of land needed to accommodate possible flyovers. “I can’t support any of this. This is a disaster."

But on June 14, Freeman reminded his board, made up of county commissioners and representatives of local municipalities, that a consensus of them had asked in February his staff research options for performing a countywide overpass study.

Before explaining the options, Freeman took them back to 1999, the last time local government planners studied the overpass issue.

That was the year, he said, when one of the top grossing films was “The Sixth Sense.” He also cited that year's fears key computer systems might be incapable of turning to the year 2000.

Well, after seeing how commissioners reacted to the 1999 study and looking around the county to see how it’s evolved since then, if any clock has run out, it’s likely the one connected to building U.S. 1/railroad overpasses in Indian River County.

Because of incremental, unchecked development, we’ve missed the opportunity to improve traffic flow and keep a growing throng of motorists from sitting at traffic signals from Highland Drive to Roseland Road.

1999's best options don't look the same

Back then, a Florida Department of Transportation study tapped 41^st Street, just northeast of the Vero Beach airport, as a potential spot for a flyover in the south part of the county. But with massive residential development and plans for much more east of U.S. 1, such an area would seem unlikely.

So would the 1999 study's alternate intersections: Fourth (McKee Botanical Garden), 37^th (Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital) and 53^rd streets (Grand Harbor) might have had potential then, but not now given additional development.

In the north county, only County Road 510 was recommended by FDOT in 1999. But that was before a 270-home subdivision with shopping center, including a Publix, was slated for the southeast quadrant, and a gasoline station rebuilt on the northeast corner.

Lord only knows how FDOT and the county will reconfigure the 510-U.S. 1 intersection in coming years when the two roads are widened. Such planning should be underway later this year.

An overpass seems unlikely. But given the massive increase in traffic coming and going from Orchid Island, with even more to come from Harbor Isle, approved for the south side of 510 in 2021, who knows?

Pros and cons of doing another study

The MPO member who seemed most bullish on doing an economical overpass study was Bob Auwaerter, an Indian River Shores councilman. He was concerned for west-side, hospital-bound patients who might get stuck at railroad tracks by increased numbers of trains.

Commissioners Joe Flescher and Joe Earman, former sheriff's deputy and firefighter, respectively, suggested his concerns were not reason enough to do a study. They said paramedics can stabilize victims in ambulances and emergency officials have backup plans for such delays.

In the end, the MPO board asked Freeman to price out various options for an overpass study and include how long it would take to get it completed.

To me, the study would be futile.

It was bad enough in 1999, when MPO members poo-poohed the recommendations for various reasons, sending the study to a shelf for almost a quarter century. Some members wanted underpasses, which local and state experts said would be way too costly. There were calls to negotiate with FEC.

Now the costs for tunnels or overpasses have dramatically increased. And areas around intersections have been developed more intensively.

If the MPO wants to spend money on a study, it should be more proactive and look out at least 25 years.

What can we do to avoid the mistakes we’ve made in the past?

In 2000, Indian River County had 112,947 people. By 2025, we’re projected to have 173,041 ― with massive growth in subsequent years potentially coming from the south, north and west ― via annexations made by Fellsmere and Sebastian and potential county expansion of its urban boundary and development in the St. Johns Improvement District after the Oslo Road interchange opens off Interstate 95.

Will there be better, more efficient ways to move people, from light rail to enhanced non-motorized vehicle and pedestrian paths or self-driven vehicles?

In the next couple of years, the county will begin to look at needs and priorities for 2050. The county already has plans through 2045, not that things can’t change.

Let’s look forward and focus on things we can accomplish. As for the overpasses, unless they’re part of a much bigger scenario ― I dread the thought of an I-195 spur or I-295 loop ― let’s skip them for now.

This column reflects the opinion of Laurence Reisman. Contact him via email at larry.reisman@tcpalm.com, phone at 772-978-2223, Facebook.com/larryreisman or Twitter @LaurenceReisman.

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Despite flap, county might study U.S. 1, Brightline overpasses again