when work was beginning on the new fixed span North Bridge with photos below as work progresses in April The timeline to finish the project has moved up about a year to the end of 2027 Aerial drone photos show the expansive work completed in two years You can see the project in its infancy in early 2024 were killed overnight Wednesday in a mobile home fire in Fort Pierce Lucie County Fire District said emergency crews responded to a mobile home in the 4000 block of North U.S Lucie County Sheriff's Office said three others were tragically found dead inside the mobile home WPTV Reporter Zitlali Solache spoke with Joeseph Hamilton and the daughter's 7-year-old son passed away He did not want to identify their names at this time He's recounting the harrowing moments from Wednesday morning my trailer felt like it was 150 degrees in there," Hamilton said "I started hollering and calling the kids names." Hamilton stood beside his two children Wednesday afternoon The three managed to get out of the burning home "I feel like everything that took me 5 to 6 years to build Pearson added the preliminary investigation has revealed the cause of the fire was likely electrical "There's nothing insinuating anything criminal in nature This appears to be a tragic incident," Pearson told WPTV News journalist Briana Nespral Pearson said a family of six lived in the mobile home Some residents told WPTV reporter Jon Shainman they didn't even know about the blaze until they woke up and saw the devastation WPTV is working to get more answers on what happened The sheriff said this is a reminder to make sure you have working smoke detectors and a family escape plan Lucie County Fire District is still working this case Lucie County School District regarding the 7-year-old but because a name has not been released yet The family’s advocate, Christa Stone, has started a GoFundMe campaign with the money going towards burial costs as well as getting the surviving members new belongings and a new home >> Download the free WPTV mobile app for the latest on this developing story. A crash on I-95 North at mile marker 133 is blocking two left lanes in Fort Pierce (CBS12) — A crash on I-95 North at mile marker 133 is blocking two left lanes in Fort Pierce and is being actively cleared by Florida Highway Patrol See also: RV fuel escalates Stuart building fire The crash appears to be a single-vehicle accident it is unknown if there were any injuries at this time Motorists should expect heavier traffic in the vicinity with only two lanes open to traffic A neighbor of three years is remembering a St. Lucie County family whose lives have been ripped apart after a fatal fire early Wednesday morning The fire at Country Cove Mobile Home Park three lives Raul Mancada says he was preparing to move out until his property manager told him that today was not a good day to come get his things Mancada had no clue the fire had happened right next door He broke down in tears recalling all of the good memories he had with the family I kind of feel their pain," he told WPTV's Romelo Styles Mancada walked away with his eyes full of tears saying that he would pray for the family in these tough times Three people made it out of the mobile home Sheriff Keith Pearson said the victims were 7 A GoFundMe to help the family was shared with WPTV 1 and Old Dixie Highway closed Tuesday and will be for the next two years while the state builds a new bridge to replace the old drawbridge Here's what to know about the A1A closure and how it can affect your drive: What to know about construction: New $111.5 million North Causeway Bridge in Fort Pierce The Florida Department of Transportation began building the new bridge on May 1 It's expected to be completed in late 2027 with an estimated cost of $111.5 million high-level fixed bridge will go over the Florida East Coast Railroad Old Dixie Highway and the Intracoastal Waterway Lucie County Sheriff's Office deputies and a police officer were injured Saturday night in a multiple-vehicle crash in Fort Pierce The driver of the vehicle arrested after the crash was booked for six counts of DUI with injury and property damage as well as DUI refusals and Fort Pierce police Officer Corey Bernardini were in the process of pulling a driver from a car while conducting a felony stop at North US 1 at 25th Street when Peables failed to stop and crashed into the back of the patrol vehicles with police lights on "You could see these patrol cars with their lights on two miles away," said Pearson "I heard some slurring coming from him (Peables) and I saw the open container of alcohol that he had in the vehicle with him." While the injuries were previously reported as serious Pearson later said an X-ray revealed no broken bones He also noted that a third deputy did seek medical treatment after 'the adrenaline dump came down.' "The vehicle struck them because they were outside the vehicle," explained Pearson they had bruises all over themselves," Pearson said the crash shut down North US 1 at 25th Street on Saturday night deputies advised the public to avoid the area See also: 1 dead, 2 hurt in shooting at Marathon gas station in Belle Glade, PBSO reports Photos posted of the scene by Pearson show the impacted St Lucie County Sheriff's vehicle crushed and totaled with the impact on the left rear side is also pictured with the front destroyed and airbags deployed Pearson reported that Peables had a DUI conviction in the past prior to the officer-involved accident much more worse than this," said Pearson "Hopefully he'll get a stiffer penalty this go around so this doesn't happen again." LUCIE COUNTY – A maintenance building burned beginning Thursday night at a cemetery on the east side of U.S Thursday initially went to reports of a brush fire near Kings Highway and U.S though “the call was upgraded to a structure fire at Hillcrest cemetery,” the Fire District stated in a social media post A 50-foot by 30-foot maintenance building was “fully engulfed in flames” at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens There were no injuries reported and the cause is under investigation A tanker shuttle was used for water supply because of a lack of hydrants in the area and the layout of the cemetery The last Fire District crew left the scene about 1:15 a.m 'Menace to society': Sheriff's office announces arrests of two men in November 2022 fatal shooting Toddler dead after PSL incident: A 2-year-old died after sustaining gunshot wound to head in Torino area of Port St. Lucie Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A 61-year-old Fort Pierce man died from injuries he suffered Monday following a crash on North Kings Highway was driving a 2014 white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck north on North Kings Highway when "for unknown reasons," he crossed a double yellow center line entered the southbound lane and collided with the left front of a 2020 white Mack dump truck according to an FHP report released Tuesday identified as a 58-year-old Vero Beach man lost control and traveled across the northbound lane into a grass shoulder the Silverado pickup continued north in the southbound lane and collided head-on with a 2016 Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by a 25-year-old Fort Pierce man who was not hurt The Fort Pierce man in the Silverado pickup died after being transported to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce one passenger with the deceased man was treated for minor injuries Martin County: Two Palm City middle school students face charges related to bringing weapons to school Martin County: Sheriff's operation results in 30 people charged with selling vape products to minors Olivia Franklin is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Olivia on X @Livvvvv_5 or reach her by phone at 317-627-8048 A Treasure Coast live web camera is trained directly on the point on the horizon where the sun is currently rising The Fort Pierce jetty cam faces east to show the Fort Pierce Inlet entrance the beach in front of the dogleg jetty and the sunrise — as long as a cloud bank isn't obscuring it Here's what you need to know about watching the sunrise, local beach cams and other live cams that show some of the Treasure Coast's prettiest views of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian River Lagoon and St All things food: Roundups of the latest reviews, inspections, new and best restaurants After that, the sun will rise roughly 1 minute earlier each day until June 2, when it will rise at 6:25 a.m. Then it will get later more gradually until Nov. 2, when Daylight Saving Time ends and the sunrise will be at 6:32 a.m., according to timeanddate.com. Then the cycle starts over again the sky graduates from jet black to stunning hues of orange and purple That's because the atmosphere scatters the coming sunlight's shorter wavelengths The sun also rises in a slightly different place along the horizon every day — inching one degree either north or south it moves a tiny bit farther north each day when it rises as far north as it ever does it moves a tiny bit farther south until the winter solstice (Dec when it rises as far south as it ever does That's all because of the Earth's orbit and gyroscope-like axial tilt The location also depends on where you are The greater your latitude and the closer in time you are to one of the solstices compared to 24 in Key West and 30 in Jacksonville Florida live beach cams and other webcamsThese live cameras don't currently show the sunrise you may have to refresh your screen or clear your cache and cookies Cheryl Smith is TCPalm's entertainment editor LUCIE COUNTY — The Buc-ee's mega-travel center planned for north of Fort Pierce may be just one step away from approval and it may not need another County Commission vote to get there The Texas-based company submitted its final site-plan application to the county last week The site plan closely matches previous versions with a 76,245-square-foot retail store and 778 parking spaces 19 would be disabled-accessible and 10 would be for buses It would have 120 gas pumps and charging spaces for 18 electric vehicles planned for the southeast quadrant of the Indrio Road-Interstate 95 interchange would also include new roadways to help with traffic flow Rather than entering directly off Indrio Road a new extension of Koblegard Road would be built with two entrances to the parking lot on that new road Lucie Buc-ee's would be the first on the Treasure Coast and the company's furthest-south of those planned in Florida The company already operates stores in Daytona Beach and St With previous approvals for rezoning and changes to the county's sign height rules to allow the project's planned 100-foot-tall sign the project may soon be able to move forward without further County Commission votes county spokesperson Erick Gill said in an email The final site plan will be reviewed by staff and barring any company request from the county staff may be the ones to check that final box More: Buc-ee's will get its 100-foot-tall sign in St. Lucie County, moving closer to approval More: Buc-ee's 100-foot-tall St. Lucie sign would not be tallest on Treasure Coast. See what is "The site plan is an administrative review and action Unless there’s a developer’s agreement or impact-fee credit agreement the (County Commission) is unlikely to see the project again Once the final site plan is approved, construction of a typical Buc-ee’s takes 12-15 months from start to doors opening, company officials have said That could put an opening sometime in 2026 Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com LUCIE COUNTY – Three people died following an early Wednesday mobile home fire off North U.S Fire District crews went to the 4000 block of North U.S 1 and found the mobile home about 60% engulfed in flames The home is in the Country Cove Mobile Home Park on the west side of U.S but three others were found dead in the home Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said when officials got to the fire They said there were three additional people inside the home “We know that six people live in the residence and three deceased individuals were located inside the residence,” Pearson said are working with the medical examiner’s office to identify the deceased “The three other residents that lived in there are unaccounted for,” he said Lucie County Fire District spokesperson Brenda Smith said the fire was out at about 2:55 a.m She said via text she could disclose no other information about the fire because it’s under investigation Pearson said there's nothing to indicate foul play in terms of the cause of the fire “The fire marshals are going to conduct a very very thorough investigation along with our detectives just to ensure that we properly bring closure and find out exactly what took place,” Pearson said Pearson said officials "did make mention that they believe it could be electrical in nature." A mobile home park official declined to allow news media on the property which was lined with a number of first responders’ vehicles Wednesday morning A person exiting the property declined to speak to the media Looking back: 20 years ago, Hurricane Frances brought widespread damage to Treasure Coast Gunfire in Fort Pierce: Police investigating after shooting incident in Fort Pierce North Atlantic right whales Koala and Curlew were spotted off Vero Beach 10-12 as they lumbered south along the Atlantic Coast They are unrelated and possibly pregnant females that have become traveling companions director of right whale sightings for Blue World Research Institute Spotting right whales this time of year is not uncommon Pregnant females typically leave the North's colder waters for the South's warmer waters so their calves don't die from hypothermia Curlew and Koala: North Atlantic right whale pair seen off Treasure Coast over the weekend Fuel farm: Grupo Mexico has history of safety and environmental violations This map shows their approximate locations Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene Lucie County Sheriff's Office (SLCSO) deputy and a Fort Pierce Police Department (FPPD) officer were injured following a crash on U.S Lucie County deputies and one Fort Pierce Police officer were standing outside their vehicles conducting a felony stop of a reckless driver within the outside lane of U.S was driving northbound on 25th Street in the outside lane which due to the impact struck two other law enforcement vehicles and two of the officers Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson said that all three law enforcement vehicles had their emergency lighting equipment turned on during the stationary stop as Peables was approaching “It doesn’t really get any clearer than that that they’re doing a traffic stop they’re on a hill that’s not crested yet so you could see this a mile away," Pearson said was arrested on six counts of DUI with property damage and injury This wreck comes less than two weeks after three Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies were killed after being hit by a car on Southern Boulevard so you feel it wrenched inside your heart when you hear these calls come out," Pearson said Pearson said as more people move to the area and roads become more congested, it's more important than ever to not be distracted while driving and to follow Florida's “Move Over” laws The roadway has since reopened to the public Pearson said the officers have been released from the hospital "The deputies and officer are banged up but all will be OK," Pearson said "We are thankful for all the prayers and the support." — Fort Pierce police said Tuesday a 15-year-old boy is in critical condition in the hospital after he was shot during a fight over a gun The Fort Pierce Police Department said officers responded to 431 North 25th St. Police said the teen and another person were fighting over a gun the weapon fired and the 15-year-old was shot The teen was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital The other person stayed at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation the public affairs manager for the Fort Pierce Police Department Lee added that this was an isolated incident Our WPTV News crew at the scene saw a red hatchback vehicle being towed away along with multiple police cruisers outside the restaurant If you have any information that can help detectives call Officer Nicholas Aton at 772-370-6800 or email at nanton@fppd.org You can also call Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477 "I think that the people in this community need to see something positive happen," Lee said Lee feels there's more to the Lincoln Park neighborhood than the crime we hear about so he wants to create a space that will inspire youth "We call this the Village Keeper's Garden of Hope It's going to be a beautiful botanical garden It will have Black history throughout," Lee said The garden will be located at 25th Street and Avenue E It's just one block from the "Rice Hut" where Monday night's shooting occurred "We just need to help these kids find their talent," Lee said "They're searching and until we as adults help them to find their way you will continue to have what we had the other night with that shooting." Lee plans to highlight historical Black figures throughout the garden He hopes it'll help the area outgrow its image "I want people to ride through the Lincoln Park area and see something other than eye sores or be reminded of something bad happening on this street," Lee said "We're hoping that the people of the neighborhood embrace this." The garden is expected to be complete by January it'll be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of St LUCIE COUNTY — Four people died following suspected tornadoes Wednesday that ripped through Spanish Lakes County Club Village and other areas near Lakewood Park in northern Fort Pierce Lucie County Medical Examiner confirmed the fatalities Lucie County news release Thursday morning As St. Lucie County residents wake up Thursday to power outages, building damage, downed lines, debris and flooding officials will assess everything when it's safe to do so One of the worst-impacted areas in the county so far was Spanish Lakes Country Club Village A suspected tornado Wednesday afternoon damaged dozens of homes in Indian River Estates and Lakewood Park, officials said. "Multiple fatalities" were reported by Sheriff Keith Pearson First responders were conducting search-and-rescue operations Wednesday ahead of peak winds a Lakewood Park resident who works for R & S Metalworks & Co. saw a tornado crossing Kings Highway as he was heading home from an errand around 5 p.m "I followed the wreckage into Spanish Lakes." "It looked like someone had dropped a weight from the sky and flattened a bunch of houses," he said Anderson said he had never done any kind of good Samaritan work before but felt he needed to help out if he could "I had never been in that position before," he said Sheriff's deputies on scene allowed Anderson to help move people injured by suspected tornadoes to a makeshift medical triage center at the Spanish Lakes clubhouse Anderson said he spent about five hours on the scene before he was told to go home he witnessed numerous people with injuries including a woman he transported who had a broken leg and two broken wrists "There's still blood on the side of my truck," Anderson said "One of the last houses I went to looked like it had been ripped in half," he said Anderson said it was difficult to manage his emotions while he worked "It was very heartbreaking to watch," he said "It's very hard to keep your composure when you see someone so helpless." Anderson gave credit to the Sheriff's Office and the other first responders who were working at the scene The path of the deadly EF3 tornado on the Treasure Coast continues to grow The tornado stayed on the ground for at least 21 miles in a nearly continuous path through northern St Lucie County and southeast Indian River County according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service in Melbourne That path could grow even more to the south with more surveying but it updated the path Sunday night after assessing more damage to homes in the Bethel Creek neighborhood near Jaycee Park in Vero Beach NWS officials continue daily surveys of the damage from an historic outbreak of tornadoes on the Treasure Coast Wednesday from Hurricane Milton They started with the worst tornado that killed at least six people in the Spanish Lakes Country Club Village Martin County: F2 tornado, F1 tornado both confirmed That tornado was described as “an unusually strong long-tracked tornado” with widespread EF1 to EF2 damage and periodic EF3 damage It was rated an EF2 tornado when it hit Spanish Lakes Country Club Village The deadly tornado started south of Midway Road just west of the Interstate 95 interchange the tornado damaged structures in the Creekside subdivision on Okeechobee Road Many mobile and manufactured homes within the nearby Sunnier Palms Nudist Park and Campground had major damage or were destroyed It continued north-northeast over rural portions of St where it strengthened to an EF3 tornado with peak winds up to 155 mph Two large warehouses at the South Florida Logistics Center 95 on Orange Avenue had major damage with more than half of the structure collapsed The tornado then traveled north through rural areas near Kings Highway resulting in occasional significant structural damage and numerous downed trees and power lines EF3 tornado damage occurred one final time at Southern Truss Co where more than half of a steel-metal building collapsed The tornado intersected subdivisions in the northern part of St where multiple single-family homes in Holiday Pines and Portofino Shores with peak winds estimated between 110 mph and 125 mph The most prolific and extensive damage was in Spanish Lakes Country Club Village Many mobile and manufactured homes were destroyed along the western edge of the community where the tornado produced high-end EF2 winds between 125 mph and 135 mph An initial survey showed more than 20 homes were tossed Despite the extensive damage to the manufactured homes nearly all concrete-block structures in the community had relatively minor or moderate damage the tornado moved into Indian River County multiple properties had roof and outbuilding damage and healthy hardwood trees either were toppled or snapped along a few blocks along Sixth Avenue Southwest the Publix Super Market at South Vero Square had broken windows Roof air-conditioning units were dislodged and fell to the ground The damage was consistent with EF1 winds of 90-110 mph After the tornado crossed the Indian River Lagoon it caused damaged on the barrier island of Vero Beach Significant damage occurred at the Bayou condominiums where sections of the roof were torn off both the east and west buildings and thrown northward into a neighboring tree line A pontoon boat was lifted out of the water and landed upside-down on the seawall Winds in the small area likely were 115-125 mph but that wind might be higher because it was close to open water Missing shingles and roof tiles were found on several homes and businesses that were consistent with either EF0 or EF1 winds many homes had lost more than half of their roofs multifamily building lost over 20% of its roof The Bethel Creek area had EF2 damage with winds between 115 mph and 125 mph The tornado continued into a wooded area along the beach before it moved offshore into the Atlantic Ocean The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: (CBS12) — An RV caught fire Sunday morning on the Florida Turnpike North in northern Fort Pierce Lucie County Fire District (SLCFD) responded to a call at 10:06 a.m. reporting an RV with a tire on fireon the Florida Turnpike North at Mile Marker 163 SLCFD reported that the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames when units arrived on the scene The fire was put out by SLCFD by 10:35 a.m FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Fort Pierce police said Friday a 15-year-old boy who was shot during a fight over a gun earlier this week has died The Fort Pierce Police Department said officers responded to 431 North 25th Street The teen was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in critical condition told WPTV on Friday that the teen has died She added that this was an isolated incident and there's no danger to the public Lucie County officials told city commissioners Monday The recommendation came during an update on EDC projects which included a preview of 10 new code‐named projects — economic development projects that are assigned code names to keep the names of the businesses involved private as negotiations take place — totaling tens of millions of potential investments across St Fort Pierce can have "a world-class commerce center and industrial corridor," said EDC Executive Committee Chair Azlina Goldstein While many of the large projects EDC has helped attract have been in the southern part of the county there is a lot of potential for future growth in the northern section of the county said the committee's chair-elect Robert Barfield Lucie's Southern Grove jobs corridor is almost built out," Barfield said Much of that growth in the northern section is likely to be either in Fort Pierce or in nearby areas that could potentially be annexed by the city is a perfect model for how Fort Pierce can plan that growth on its own terms we can do it on Kings Highway," Goldstein said While details of a potential plan are still being ironed out by the EDC and City Manager Nick Mimms before they will be brought to the commission EDC President Pete Tesch touched on a number of the potential aspects and benefits of a planned jobs corridor on Kings Highway Tesch said it will be important to have in place affordable workforce housing and necessary infrastructure and utilities Increased tax revenue from economic development can provide significant help in paying for those necessities The current plan has the jobs corridor initially stretching the roughly 2.4 miles between Okeechobee Road and Orange Avenue with the potential for its future expansion said District Planning Group co-principal Leslie Olson There are ideas to go further north on Kings Highway but that the plan is to "start small," Olson said Planning a jobs corridor requires listening to the community "We'll be doing a lot of interviews," Olson said There have been discussions about a jobs corridor on Kings Highway before He remembers being a part of planning for Kings Highway in 2000 and 2001 though those plans did not come to fruition Tesch pointed to the fact that though much of the explosive growth at Southern Grove has taken place since the city purchased the area in 2018 planning there dated back over 20 years as well The Kings Highway area is right on the border of Fort Pierce and unincorporated St meaning some of these projects would happen in areas that are not currently part of the city multiple speakers hinted at the possibility of future city annexations I want to annex all of it," Commissioner Michael Broderick said Commissioner Curtis Johnson reiterated the importance of having affordable housing and workforce development to ensure that the jobs created by these projects go first to people who already live in Fort Pierce "The last thing I want is driving our residents out," Curtis Johnson said More: Warehouse boom: Do jobs, taxes, economic diversity outweigh roads, traffic, environment? One possible avenue to keeping residents from leaving is working with Indian River State College A significant number of IRSC students are from the Treasure Coast Tesch said the EDC does work with IRSC and will explore ways to grow its partnership — My conversation with Rupert Blackwood at our WPTV Let’s Hear It Fort Pierce began with a trip down memory lane positive impacts of playing sports as a kid Blackwood grew up playing sports with Northside Bat & Ball in Fort Pierce He’s now a coach for his own kids through the very same organization and even serves as the president of Northside Bat & Ball especially when they hit a ball or catch a ball We’re clapping," Blackwood said while describing his favorite part about being involved with the organization for all these years Our Let’s Hear It conversation quickly dampened and the glimmer in Blackwood’s eyes faded as he described an issue facing his beloved Northside Bat & Ball today but the only thing I can do is keep pushing that we are safe here," he said Blackwood continued explaining that the recent violence in Fort Pierce has put a timeout on the league Parents have been pulling their kids from the program due to safety concerns in the area "We recently had our All Stars Game scheduled and I got a phone call saying they were pulling the game away from us because of a shooting in the area," said Blackwood "The parents say they don't feel safe bringing their kids here but nothing has ever happened while we are on this field." The generational league is now in danger of having to call it quits Board members of Northside Bat & Ball say they know they can't control what goes on outside of their gates but they can certainly control what goes on inside of them Fort Pierce police officer Jose Maldondo has volunteered to coach the Little League in hopes of making more families feel safe on the field it means everything to me," said Blackwood The league is in need of community support to get these young athletes back on the field “Anybody that's listening that wants to coach and wants to coach kids that have talent Coaches like Blackwood and Gains understand the importance of sports at a young age and want to continue that passion and discipline for the youth of Fort Pierce FORT PIERCE — The North Causeway Island Park will be closed for about a year Lucie County announced in a news release Friday afternoon It is slated to reopen in March after more than $3.1 million in improvements county commissioners voted to award a $3,190,704 contract to Vecellio & Grogan for improvements to the park to include replacing and expanding the existing boat ramp and parking area from 30 paved boat trailer and 10 car parking spaces to 62 paved boat trailer and 19 car parking spaces The project will also focus on increasing safety at the boat launch and making it ADA-accessible with additional trailer and ADA trailer parking spaces Additional upgrades will include new restrooms lighting and upgraded stormwater and utilities infrastructure including the demolition of the current bridge The new bridge is scheduled to first open to cars and pedestrians in 2026 — Authorities were investigating an officer-involved shooting in Fort Pierce that left a man dead Fort Pierce police said officers received a call Saturday about a man who had been shot near North 24th Street and Avenue O They started taking care of that particular incident when they encountered shots being fired," Maj Santiago said several officers followed the sounds of gunshots and came across Bernard Smith That situation ended with an officer-involved shooting in which Smith was killed investigators found two dead bodies in separate homes near North 24th Street and Avenue P "What we're looking at right now is four victims three of which have since passed away," Santiago said A man who only identified himself as John lives on 24th Street He said it sounded like a gun range in his neighborhood "I don't know who's doing the shooting – he or the police." One of the victims happens to be John's neighbor across the street from him "Got one brother up north and he just lost his mother about 3 years ago," John said The Florida Department of Law Enforcement was investigating the officer-involved shooting The Fort Pierce Police Department was investigating the other deaths Police were trying to determine a motive and if the crimes were connected FORT PIERCE — The new North Causeway Bridge, which will span the Indian River Lagoon to North Hutchinson Island could provide more evacuation access from the barrier island during hurricanes and other storms than the current bridge provides it won't have the same high-wind closing procedures as the current drawbridge according to the Florida Department of Transportation which is expected to cost $111.5 million and become the tallest on the Treasure Coast remains on track for completion in late 2027 according to FDOT spokesperson Guillermo Canedo and must be locked in the closed position whenever sustained winds exceed 39 mph or about half the threshold for a Category 1 hurricane meaning that no such restriction will be necessary "This is a fixed bridge without moving parts so this bridge will not follow the same storm procedures as a movable (bascule) bridge during a storm," Canedo said Local agencies may still implement their own safety procedures around high winds and storms with the new bridge local law enforcement may close the new North bridge in storm events if deemed necessary and reopen when it is safe to do so," Canedo said The navigational clearance of the new bridge will be 85 feet at its tallest point a big jump from the current 25-foot clearance when in closed position It will also have wider clearances than the current bridge More: New North Causeway Bridge construction begins More: Cost to replace North Causeway Bridge in Fort Pierce jumps 21%, from $65 million to $79 million The new bridge will be the tallest on the Treasure Coast surpassing five bridges that stand at 65 feet: the Ernest Lyons Bridge Evans Crary Bridge and the Roosevelt Bridge One aspect that remains to be resolved is whether there will be the opportunity to fish the lagoon once the new bridge is completed The existing bridge includes a walkway that is regularly used for fishing There are plans to build a new walkway and pedestrian observation deck underneath the western portion of the new bridge but the approval for fishing needs to come only from local entities only after the bridge is built 2024: The North Causeway Island Park will be closed this evening and it will remain closed until at least March 2025 as contractors begin preparing the site for more than $3.1 million in improvements Lucie County Board of County Commissioners awarded a $3,190,704 contract in February to Vecellio & Grogan to make major renovations to the island park and boat ramp Part of the funding for this project comes from a $1.27 million grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District (F.I.N.D) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Renovations to the park include replacing and expanding the existing boat ramp and parking area creating a safer and ADA-accessible boat launch with additional trailer and ADA trailer parking spaces Additional upgrades include newer restroom facilities lighting and upgraded stormwater/utilities Parking will be expanded from 30 paved boat trailer and 10 car parking spaces to 62 paved boat trailer and 19 car parking spaces This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page North Causeway Island Park will close on Friday evening and is not set to reopen until 2025 as contractors prepare to improve the popular park on the Intracoastal Lucie County Board of County Commissioners approved a $3.19 million contract in February to make major renovations to the island park and boat ramp Lucie County Board of County Commissioners) (CBS12) — North Causeway Island Park will close on Friday evening and is not set to reopen until 2025 Lucie County Board of County Commissioners approved a $3.19 million contract in Februaryto make major renovations to the island park and boat ramp Expanding parking will also be a focus during the improvement period Parking will be expanded from 30 paved boat trailers and 10 car parking spaces to 62 paved boat trailers and 19 car parking spaces The County says along with the renovations With the numerous renovations and additions to the park it isn't expected to reopen until March 2025 County Commissioners say roughly $1.27 million of this project comes from the Florida Inland Navigation District (F.I.N.D) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) LUCIE COUNTY — Construction for the new North Causeway Bridge has been pushed back for a third time Work on the $65 million span is scheduled to begin January 2022 five months later than the August 2021 start date announced in 2017 and two years later than the original start date this year More: These Treasure Coast bridges are structurally deficient More: Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County still seeking solutions to slow speeders on Indian River Drive Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2026 Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Billy Canedo said The newest delay is because engineers have a new design that would allow access to Harbortown Marina and other businesses along the east of Old Dixie Highway and the railroad tracks Florida Department of Transportation officials said The west end of the new bridge will be between Old Dixie Highway and U.S.1 it will pass over Old Dixie and the railroad tracks and then cross the Intracoastal Waterway Juanita Avenue will be extended eastward to Old Dixie and will provide access to Old Dixie and the businesses on State Road A1A east of Old Dixie The new bridge would have an 86-foot clearance making it the tallest on the Treasure Coast allowing one sailboat with an 83-foot mast to safely clear it More: Docks and fishing? Restaurants? Water taxis? Fort Pierce mulls makeover for Fisherman's Wharf The new bridge would include 8-foot shoulders on each side a 6- to 8-foot sidewalk on the south side and a 10-foot shared multi-use path on the north side according to an FDOT engineering report The old bridge would remain until the new bridge is opened Replacing the existing 57-year-old drawbridge is needed because it is “structurally deficient” and past its 50-year life cycle Residents have said they want a fixed-span bridge instead of another drawbridge to lessen traffic delays from the bridge opening for boat traffic and traffic waiting for freight trains Keona Gardner covers the cities of Port St Contact her at 772-221-4206 or keona.gardner@tcpalm.com with news tips If you like articles like this and want more local-news coverage from TCPalm, please subscribe FORT PIERCE — Construction of the new $65 million North Causeway Bridge has been delayed a year Work on the high-span bridge was to start in August 2020 but has been pushed back to August 2021 according to the Florida Department of Transportation The state has had problems acquiring the property needed for the project and designing a plan that would allow access to Harbortown Marina at the western foot of the bridge More: Closed indefinitely: St. Lucie County needs $2M to fix Old Dixie bridge over Taylor Creek Construction would take about 3½ years FDOT design project manager for the bridge Replacing the 56-year-old drawbridge is needed because it is “structurally deficient” and past its 50-year life cycle Residents have said they want a fixed bridge instead of another drawbridge to minimize traffic delays from the bridge opening for boats traffic and traffic waiting for freight trains The new bridge would be built about 2,000 feet east of the existing bridge and go over Old Dixie Highway and Florida East Coast Railway tracks The design would extend Juanita Avenue east across U.S.1 to Old Dixie he new bridge would have an 86-foot clearance level making it the tallest bridge on the Treasure Coast The height of the new bridge makes it impossible to build an exit ramp Pessoa said. That's why the west end would take motorists past the 30-acre Harbortown Marina  westbound motorists exiting the bridge can turn left to enter Harbortown More: Fort Pierce's Indian Hills Golf Course operating $358K in the red Harbortown manager Audrey Willmot said the new bridge is long overdue “We understand there is a need for the bridge We see the traffic stopped when the bridge it up,” Willmot said “But we don’t think the new bridge should make it difficult for our customers to reach us.” The state is aware of the marina’s concern, and engineers are designing a new access road to the south of the new bridge to allow marina access from Old Dixie Highw, Pessoa said.  More: Poll: Fort Pierce wants your opinion on what to build in downtown a 6- to 8-foot sidewalk on the south side and 10-foot shared multi-use path on the north according to an FDOT preliminary engineering report Lucie County officials have yet to decide whether remnants of the old bridge would be left maintained as a fishing pier FORT PIERCE — With construction now more than one-third done the $111.6 million North Causeway bridge relocation project remains on track for completion in late 2027 Florida Department of Transportation officials said late last week which will span the Intracoastal Waterway and connect northern Fort Pierce to North Hutchinson Island could open even earlier than first planned with the most recent timelines aiming for public access by the end of 2026 there will be about a year of additional work "Banty" Saunders Drawbridge — often just called "North Bridge" — which was built in 1963 Construction is "about 38% done," according to FDOT spokesperson Grace Ducanis. The newest cost estimate reflects a slight increase from the $111.5 million estimate on the FDOT website and reported by TCPalm in December the new bridge will greatly benefit motorists The new bridge is slated to be the highest on the Treasure Coast It will measure 125 feet wide and span 4,152 feet from end to end the new bridge will cross over Old Dixie Highway and the Florida East Coast Railway corridor currently used by freight and Brightline trains Delays due to bridge openings will also be eliminated the new bridge will feature buffered bicycle lanes The current bridge has only a small unbuffered walkway There are also plans to build a pedestrian observation deck under the western portion of the new bridge but it is not yet known if any of those spaces will allow fishing Approval for fishing needs to come only from local entities after the bridge is built FDOT spokesperson Guillermo Canedo said in December One of the main focuses of current construction is the foundation foundation work for the new bridge continues including pile-driving operations," Ducanis said "We anticipate substructure concrete installation beginning in the next several months and continuing through 2024." Also underway is bridge substructure and roadway construction on the west side of the project Sunny Lane and Old Dixie Highway and close (State Road) A1A between Old Dixie Highway and U.S Concrete from demolition of the current bridge will be added to an existing St Lucie County artificial reef about 4 miles northeast of the Fort Pierce inlet More: New North Causeway bridge in Fort Pierce may offer more Hutchinson Island evacuation access More: North Causeway Bridge construction in Fort Pierce is estimated to finish summer of 2026 "Workers will use the old bridge material for environmental benefit," Ducanis said "The reef will benefit hundreds of sea creatures Construction timelines are dependent upon weather Florida's North Causeway bridge relocation is making some good progress. The $111.6 million project is right on track for a late 2027 completion according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) The new bridge will span the Intracoastal Waterway and connect northern Fort Pierce to North Hutchinson Island "Banty" Saunders Drawbridge which was built in 1963 Construction is "about 38% done," according to FDOT spokesperson Grace Ducanis It will measure 125 feet wide and span 4,152 feet.  The new bridge will also include buffered bicycle lanes --------------------------------------------- FORT PIERCE— After repeated delays over several years, construction of the new North Causeway Bridge is scheduled to begin May 1 according to Florida Department of Transportation officials The 85-foot high bridge, with a 125-foot-wide clearance for boats, will replace the 1963 drawbridge, which is structurally deficient and past its 50-year life cycle The existing bridge has a 25-foot vertical clearance when closed and a 90-foot wide clearance for marine traffic The new bridge will be 4,153 feet long and include a 300-foot long observation deck and an 800-foot ramp for the East Coast Greenway below It also will have separate pathways for cars The project has been delayed five times since 2015 Opinion: Brightline's plans for high-speed rail bring focus to Treasure Coast railroad crossings 'flesh-eating zombie drug': This 'flesh-eating zombie drug' is showing up on Treasure Coast The project price tag has risen to $111.5 million, more than a $46 million increase since 2020 The new bridge is expected to be completed by late 2025 while demolition and removal of the existing bridge will take another two years The existing bridge will be open during construction except for planned detours during beam installation but the public will be notified in advance Nighttime lane closures will be occur as needed permitted 9 p.m work will begin on the project's west side work will begin on new bridge foundations and a new access road to North Causeway Island Park Prior delays: Construction of new, $65 million North Causeway Bridge now delayed to January 2022 Stalled project: FDOT construction on North Causeway Bridge delayed again; work expected to begin May 16 A 7-foot buffered bicycle lanes within the shoulders on both sides of SR A1AAn observation deck beneath the west side of the new bridgeA 12-foot shared-use path along Old Dixie Highway to connect to the East Coast GreenwayOnce the new bridge is open concrete from the old bridge will be removed and added to an existing offshore artificial reef about 4 miles northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet Fishing on the new bridge may be permitted but that will not be decided until the project is completed FDOT will host a virtual meeting 5-6 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the project. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/3IE6PUD An in-person open house meeting is scheduled 5-7 p.m Project representatives will be available to answer questions following a brief presentation 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 — A major bridge project is making progress in Fort Pierce City leaders on Monday heard the latest plans to completely rebuild the 57-year-old North Causeway Bridge at an estimated cost of $76 million, according to the Florida Department of Transportation FDOT officials said the bridge is being replaced due to structural deficiencies functional obsolescence and traffic impacts caused by the draw bridge A new plan calls for doing away with the draw bridge and building a longer I'm excited about this design," said Fort Pierce Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson The bridge would extend from the current 2,100 feet to 4,152 feet rise from 26 feet to 85 feet and include a 300-foot long observation deck beneath the bridge The bridge would include designated bike and pedestrian lanes with lighting There will also be a ramp to connect the bridge to the pedestrian East Coast Greenway trail which Johnson said brings its own benefits to the city "It is going to create a space for our greenways and trails which is from Maine to Key West," said Johnson "By building a trail on the bridge and then an off-ramp to offload those tourists or residents that are utilizing the trail it's going to create more activity for the businesses that are on Old Dixie Highway at the connection of the bridge and U.S Juanita Avenue will extend 520 additional feet to span beyond U.S Sunny Lane will extend 500 additional feet to also span beyond U.S providing for more connectivity to the bridge There will also be a new access road to North Causeway Island Park and a new access road for Harbortown Marina and nearby businesses Johnson said residents and businesses along North Hutchinson Island will benefit from eliminating the draw bridge "We have to worry about mechanical failures," said Johnson so it's an inconvenience to city and county residents and if you can create a more reliable system Commissioner Reggie Sessions expressed concerns about the bridge plan not incorporating a designated fishing area "A lot of people could care less about the bridge in its present state but it is going to hit them detrimentally to not be able to fish from that bridge," said Sessions but Johnson said that concern will be explored Transportation officials are aiming to have a public hearing in September or October The construction could begin by January 2022 with the project taking nearly six years to complete that's a very short time to wait for a bridge that's going to be here 40