Roadway Preservation and Resurfacing Plan

Port St. Lucie maintains more than 900 miles of roads. To keep them safe and in good condition, the City follows a long‑term plan that identifies which streets need resurfacing and when. This allows us to maintain quality roads while being cost-efficient.

2025-2026 Progress Update

  • Status date: Jan. 27, 2026
  • Completed to date: 13.5 miles (5.2 miles CIP; 8.3 miles Sales Tax)
  • Contract completion: Anticipated by Oct. 31, 2026
  • Advanced segments (thanks to Half-Cent Sales Tax): Neighborhood groups in Northport Village (Mid), Palm Trails, Rosser Reserve (East), Sandpiper Bay (Mid), Southbend Lakes, Tulip Park/Crane Landing.

Ten-year resurfacing schedule

The City updates the plan each year to reflect any changes in funding, road conditions and material costs.

See a proposed schedule outlining which neighborhoods are currently planned to be resurfaced each fiscal year through 2035:

Frequently asked questions

How is the plan is funded?

Resurfacing is paid for through the City’s resurfacing budget and St. Lucie County’s voter‑approved Half-Cent Sales Tax in 2018.

The sales tax has significantly increased the number of miles we can pave each year, helping us stay ahead of long‑term maintenance needs.

How do we check road conditions?

Instead of relying only on visual inspections, the City contracts with an outside vendor to use a Laser Road Surface Tester (LRST) — a high‑tech vehicle that scans every street and gives each roadway a score called a Pavement Condition Index (PCI).

  • PCI 86–100: Good
  • PCI 71–85: Satisfactory
  • PCI 56–70: Fair
  • PCI 41–55: Poor
  • PCI 26–40: Very poor
  • PCI 11–25: Serious
  • PCI 0–10: Failed

The City updates this data every 3–4 years, which helps ensure our resurfacing schedule stays accurate as neighborhoods age.

How do commodity and labor costs affect PCI?
Higher costs reduce the number of miles treated per dollar, potentially lowering the citywide PCI over time if funding stays flat.

Pavement Condition Index Interactive Map

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How are streets selected?

Because funding is limited, the City uses a data‑driven process to decide which roads are resurfaced each year.

  1. Road condition comes first.
    Streets with the lowest PCI scores get priority. If two roads have the same score but one has higher traffic volume, it will take priority.

  2. We look at the street’s foundation.
    If the base layer under the pavement is determined to be compromised or failing, the street may be considered for full rehabilitation through the Capital Improvement Progam (CIP).

  3. We pave by neighborhood where possible.
    Grouping nearby streets together lowers costs, reduces traffic impacts and gives neighborhoods a clean, consistent look. 

Pavement preservation: saving money long-term

What’s the difference between resurfacing and preservation?

  • Resurfacing replaces the asphalt surface (middle‑range cost).
  • Preservation (e.g., rejuvenation) extends life at a lower cost when performed at the correct time. 

Preservation treatments slow down deterioration, save taxpayer money and help keep PCI scores stable citywide. A portion of the resurfacing budget is set aside for these treatments each year.

Types of distress for asphalt pavement

Reflection Cracking & Block Cracking

These are lines or patterns you often see on neighborhood streets. They happen when the asphalt on top reflects the cracks in the hardened base underneath.

In Port St. Lucie, most residential streets were originally built with a soil‑cement base. Because of this, the cracks in the base will naturally “show through” the asphalt — sometimes even a short time after resurfacing.

Good news: This type of cracking is normal and harmless. It does not mean the road is failing, and it does not require repair. It’s simply the base layer showing through the top layer.

pavement reflection cracking at joints and block cracking pavement reflection cracking at joints and block cracking

Fatigue Cracking (Alligator Cracking)

Fatigue cracking usually appears in areas that get a lot of repeated traffic — especially from heavier vehicles. At first, it may look like a series of small, connected cracks. Over time, it forms a pattern that looks like alligator skin.

This type of cracking is more common on busier roads than on neighborhood streets and often shows up along with other pavement issues.

pavement fatigue cracking pavement fatigue cracking

Edge cracking

Edge cracking is found along the outer edges of pavement, especially where roads do not have curb and gutter. You may see:

  • Crescent‑shaped cracks
  • Long cracks running close to the pavement edge

These cracks can also appear in areas where the asphalt has been overlaid and now sits slightly higher than the curb.

pavement edge cracking

Longitudinal cracking

These cracks run parallel to the center of the roadway. They can appear in the wheel paths or between lanes and are typically found on streets built with curb and gutter and a non–soil‑cement base.

pavement longitudinal cracking

Transverse cracking

Transverse cracks run across the road — perpendicular to the centerline. They often occur when the pavement expands and contracts with temperature changes.

pavement transverse cracking pavement transverse cracking 2

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