City begins work on new I-95/Becker Road Interchange

The City of Port St. Lucie took yet another big step forward Friday morning as construction officially began on an interchange that will be built at I-95 and Becker Road.

Several community leaders and city officials gathered for a brief ceremony, turning the ceremonial first shovels of dirt and talking about the importance of the new interchange, which is expected to open the southwest part of the city to a new world of business opportunity, shopping malls and office space. The new interchange also will allow commuters to cut substantial amounts of time off trips to and from the south.

The plan to build an interchange led to a commitment by Taubman Centers ( http://www.taubman.com/ )to build a regional mall at the northwest corner of Becker and I-95. It also is helping attract internationally respected biotech firms to the city, which will benefit from long-term economic development improvements encouraged by new industry.

Construction of the $35 million interchange will take about two years, and work to widen the rest of Becker Road should start some time next year. When the interchange and widening work are complete, Becker will be one of the few roads in South Florida that will have direct access to both I-95 and the Florida Turnpike.

The interchange is being built by Johnson Bros. ( http://www.johnson-bros.com/index.htm ), which built the interchange and bridge at Becker and the Turnpike, and is finishing construction on the Crosstown Parkway bridge over the Turnpike.

For more information, contact:
Ed Cunningham
Interim Communications Director
City of Port St. Lucie
(772) 871-5219