Cars have been crossing the new fixed bridge between Fort Pierce and North Hutchinson Island since Friday, May 15, 2026. That was only the first part of the project to open. On the Florida Department of Transportation's Treasure Coast traffic report for October 23 to 30, the bike lanes, the wider path and the observation deck are still closed while construction continues. The channel under the bridge is a work zone every weekday. The county boat ramp at the island end of the causeway is on a separate schedule.
The bridge was built for drivers first. Walkers, cyclists and boaters get their access back in stages, and for anyone who uses the causeway for more than driving, the next few months follow that schedule.
What Opened on May 15
The new span is officially the S.R. A1A/E.C. Summerlin Family Bridge. It's a high-level fixed bridge that connects directly to U.S. 1 and crosses over the Florida East Coast Railroad, Old Dixie Highway and the Intracoastal Waterway. FDOT puts the full project at $111.5 million. The contractor is Vecellio & Grogan, Inc.
What opened that Friday was one 12-foot travel lane in each direction and the 8-foot, barrier-protected sidewalk on the south side, the eastbound side heading toward the island. The bridge has no drawspan, so cars no longer wait for openings, and the railroad crossing is gone because the bridge passes over the FEC tracks.
What's Still Closed, as of FDOT's Latest Report
Hometown News listed the full design before the opening, and FDOT's October report still describes most of the walking and biking features as closed for construction.
| Feature in the design | Where it is | Status in FDOT's Oct. 23 report |
|---|---|---|
| 8-foot barrier-protected sidewalk | South side, eastbound | Open; pedestrians are detoured here |
| 12-foot barrier-protected shared-use path | North side, westbound | Closed during construction |
| 7-foot buffered bicycle lanes | Both shoulders of A1A | Closed during construction |
| Observation deck | Beneath the west end of the bridge | Closed during this construction phase |
| Shared-use path along Old Dixie Highway | Mainland, linking to the East Coast Greenway | Part of the project scope |
The north-side path is the feature that will matter most to people on foot or bike. At 12 feet, it's half again as wide as the south sidewalk, and it's built for walkers and cyclists together. Until it opens, everyone crossing on foot uses the 8-foot sidewalk. The FDOT project description puts the observation deck under the west side of the bridge, on the mainland end, not on the island.
The Busiest Work Zone Is the Water
On land the causeway looks almost finished. In the water, the work is still at full pace. FDOT is demolishing the old bascule drawbridge, and its piers are being pulled out of the waterway using cofferdams. A temporary work trestle sits on the northeast side of the bridge, and barges are working right next to and across the navigable channel.
Here are FDOT's terms for boaters through Monday, December 1:
From Wednesday, September 23 through Monday, December 1, 2026, the channel will be partially obstructed providing 40 feet of horizontal clearance for the passage of vessels between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., daily. A full channel passage will be available with 1 hour notice to the on-scene tug "MANDI" on VHF-FM marine radio channel 13. Outside work hours, 85 feet of horizontal clearance will be available.
In practice, a boater who needs more than 40 feet of beam room during a weekday morning has to plan an hour ahead and radio the tug. After 5 p.m., the channel opens to 85 feet. FDOT asks mariners to slow down and transit with caution, and it says all in-water equipment will be properly lighted.
The other change for boaters is permanent. FDOT stopped enforcing the old drawbridge operating schedule at 6 p.m. on August 8, 2026. The fixed span now limits vertical clearance to 85 feet at mean high water. The design's horizontal clearance at the channel is 125 feet. Opening requests and bridge-tender schedules are gone for good. A mast taller than 85 feet now needs a different route. For waterway questions, FDOT refers mariners to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami Waterways Division at 305-535-4317.
The Island Ramp Is on Its Own Schedule
For many island boaters, the closest launch has always been at the foot of the causeway: North Causeway Park at 500 N. Causeway. It's still closed. On its parks and recreation closures page, St. Lucie County describes a full rebuild. The work replaces and expands the boat ramp and parking area to create a safer, ADA-accessible launch with more trailer parking and ADA trailer spaces. It also adds updated restrooms, pavilions, picnic tables, a kayak and canoe launch area, better lighting, and upgraded stormwater and utility systems.
The Board of County Commissioners awarded the $3,190,704 contract in February 2024 to Vecellio & Grogan, the same contractor building the bridge. A $1.27 million grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission covers part of the cost. The county projects a January 2027 reopening.
The park and the bridge are tied together in one more way. The county says the stormwater, road and infrastructure work for the park's new entrance and drainage comes after the new North Causeway Bridge opens. The bridge had to open before that part of the park work could start.
Where to Launch Until the Park Reopens
The county's North Causeway Island Park ramp page lists the other public ramps it points boaters to during the closure:
- Stan Blum Boat Ramp, an Intracoastal access ramp on the same causeway
- Fort Pierce Manatee Center, Intracoastal access
- Fishermans Wharf, Intracoastal access
- South Beach Causeway, Intracoastal access
- Little Mud Creek, Intracoastal access
- White City Park, a St. Lucie River ramp
- River Park Marina, a St. Lucie River ramp
For North Hutchinson Island, Stan Blum is the closest. The county facility listing puts it at 613 North Causeway, with four boat ramps, a floating dock, a restroom, canoe and kayak access, and capacity listed as 100-plus. The park office number is (772) 462-1522. Stan Blum also sits next to the bridge work, so through December 1 its boaters face the same 40-foot weekday channel restriction described above.
The Drive to the Mainland Changed Too
The new bridge lands differently on the mainland side. It connects directly to U.S. 1, and FDOT says it does not connect to Old Dixie Highway, County Road 605. Here's how FDOT says to get between the two now:
- From U.S. 1 to Old Dixie Highway: use Juanita Avenue.
- From Old Dixie Highway to U.S. 1: use Juanita Avenue for northbound or southbound U.S. 1, or Sunny Lane for northbound U.S. 1 only.
The new traffic signal at Juanita Avenue and U.S. 1 is working. The project also includes a new access road under the bridge to the businesses east of the railroad. On the island side, FDOT scheduled one lane closed in each direction on A1A from just east of the E.C. Summerlin Family Bridge to Little Jim's Bridge. That closure ran 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, from October 5 through October 31, with flaggers directing traffic. Through the rest of construction, FDOT says signal timing may be adjusted temporarily to ease congestion.
The Schedule From Here
Taken together, the project's dates show the order in which island access comes back:
- Now through Monday, December 1, 2026: the channel stays at 40 feet of horizontal clearance from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily while the old bascule piers come out. Full passage requires an hour's notice to the tug MANDI on VHF channel 13.
- January 2027: the county's projected reopening for North Causeway Park, with its larger ramp and new kayak and canoe launch.
- 2027: demolition of the old drawbridge continues as the final phase of work. FDOT's October 23 traffic report lists completion as "Late 2027." FDOT's project page gives "Summer 2027."
The north-side shared-use path, the A1A bike lanes and the observation deck remain closed as of FDOT's October 23 report. FDOT's Treasure Coast traffic report comes out weekly, and project questions go to FDOT Community Outreach Specialist Samantha Kayser at 772-579-5479.
Ramp access, bridge clearance and how long it takes to reach the mainland all affect daily life on North Hutchinson Island, and they come up when buyers weigh a home there. If you'd like to know how the new bridge and the upcoming ramp reopening factor into your home's value, Kathleen Provancher and our team are glad to talk it through, starting with an instant home valuation.
