Drawbridge Drama Over Soon: New Bridge Opens This Month in Fort Pierce
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
(City of Fort Pierce) The City of Fort Pierce shared that the FDOT Southeast Florida will open the new S.R. A1A North Causeway Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway on Friday, May 15, 2026, by 8:00 a.m., weather permitting.
City officials say that this new high-level fixed bridge replaces the existing drawbridge, providing a more reliable connection between S.R. A1A and U.S. 1/S.R. 5. The orginal drawbridge, known as the D.H. "Banty" Saunders Bridge, was constructed in 1963. By the 2000s–2020s, the bridge began showing its age. Maintenance became more frequent, and openings for boat traffic increasingly affected vehicle flow. In addition to creating unpredictable traffic woes, the bridge was eventually deemed structurally deficient and in need of major rehabilitation. Construction of the new bridge began in 2023.
The replacement, which keeps pace with the new era of modern, high-clearance spans, also comes with a name change, with plans to designate it as the E.C. Summerlin Family Bridge. The Summerlin name has been connected with Florida since 1770, when members of the family came from England and Scotland and settled on the St. Mary's River in the border between the British colony of Georgia and the Spanish colony of Florida. In 1888, Edward Cabell Summerlin and his wife, Pollyanna, arrived near St. Lucie Village. Edward Cabell Summerlin and his wife had 14 children. More than 250 people of varying degrees of kinship to E.C. Summerlin have spread over the Treasure Coast and the state.
According to the city, the project represents a major investment in improving safety, enhancing infrastructure resiliency, and strengthening connectivity for residents, visitors, and marine traffic throughout St. Lucie County.
Key features include:
• One 12-foot travel lane in each direction
• Improved navigational clearance for marine traffic (85 ft vertical / 125 ft horizontal)
• Barrier-protected sidewalk and shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists
• Buffered bicycle lanes on both sides of the bridge
• New observation deck (opening at a later phase)
Additional improvements enhance access and connectivity along Old Dixie Highway, Juanita Avenue, and Sunny Lane, while also linking to the East Coast Greenway.
At opening, the city notes that some pedestrian and bicycle features, as well as the observation deck, will remain temporarily closed as construction continues. The existing drawbridge will be permanently closed and removed as part of the final phase of the project, with construction continuing through late 2027.