Fix the Roads: How We End Potholes, Traffic Nightmares, and Dangerous Streets 🚗

Let me paint you a picture. It's 6:45 AM. You're rushing to get the kids to school before heading to work. You're already running late because someone had a meltdown over cereal choices (we've all been there). You turn onto Southbend Boulevard, and suddenly—WHAM—your front tire finds a pothole the size of a kiddie pool. Your coffee goes flying. Your kid drops their phone. And now you're praying you don't have a flat on top of everything else.

Sound familiar? 😤

Or how about this one: You're stuck at the same red light for the third cycle while absolutely nobody is crossing the intersection. You've got somewhere to be, but the traffic signal from 1987 doesn't care about your schedule. So you sit. And you wait. And you watch precious minutes of your life tick away.

I've lived in Port St. Lucie for years. I've raised my family here. I've driven these roads thousands of times. And I'm done pretending this is acceptable. We deserve better. Way better.

The Crisis on Our Streets: By the Numbers 📊

Let's get real about what's happening out there. Port St. Lucie isn't the sleepy little town it used to be. We're the fastest-growing city on the Treasure Coast, and our infrastructure is struggling to keep up. Here's what we're dealing with:

Residents call Southbend Boulevard a "death trap." That's not hyperbole—that's what actual people who drive it every single day are saying. When you've got 15,000 cars cramming onto a single-lane road designed for a fraction of that traffic, you're not just talking about inconvenience. You're talking about danger. You're talking about fender benders, road rage incidents, and worse.

And here's the kicker: this isn't news to City Hall. They've known about these problems for years. Yet here we are, still white-knuckling our steering wheels and replacing our tires twice as often as we should.

Major Projects Underway (Finally) 🚧

Look, I'm not here to just complain. There ARE some projects happening, and I want to give credit where it's due. But I also want to be honest about timelines, because "underway" doesn't mean "done"—and done is what we need.

Project	Timeline	Investment
Southbend Boulevard Widening	Complete Fall 2026	City/FDOT Partnership
Turnpike Widening (Martin Co to Becker Rd)	2025-2029	$88.3 Million
US-1 Lighting Improvements	2025-2026	$1.3 Million
I-95 Resurfacing & Safety Upgrades	Completed Summer 2024	$9.9 Million

The I-95 work is done, and that's great. But notice something? Three of these four major projects are still ongoing or just starting. We've got years of construction ahead of us. Years of detours. Years of orange cones.

Now, I'm not anti-construction. Infrastructure improvements require work, and work takes time. But here's my question: What are we doing RIGHT NOW for the roads that aren't part of these big projects? What about the pothole on your street that's been there since the last hurricane? What about the intersection near your kid's school that desperately needs a turn lane? What about the traffic light that seems programmed by someone who's never actually driven in PSL?

That's where we need leadership. That's where we need someone who treats every road issue like the priority it is—not just the ones with multi-million dollar budgets and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

Why Good Roads Matter (Beyond the Obvious) 🎯

Let me get philosophical for a minute, because this matters more than people think.

Safety First, Always 🛡️

Potholes aren't just annoying—they're dangerous. When drivers swerve to avoid a crater in the road, they can drift into other lanes, hit pedestrians, or cause chain-reaction accidents. Poor road conditions contribute to thousands of accidents in Florida every year. When we fix our roads, we're literally saving lives.

And don't get me started on the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. We talk a big game about being a family-friendly community, but how many of our neighborhoods have safe sidewalks? How many kids can actually walk to school without their parents worrying about them getting hit by a car? Good infrastructure isn't a luxury—it's a basic requirement for a civilized society.

Your Wallet Will Thank You 💰

Here's something the politicians won't tell you: bad roads are a hidden tax on every driver. The average American spends nearly $600 per year on vehicle damage caused by poor road conditions. Tires, rims, alignments, suspension repairs—it all adds up fast.

When you're already struggling with property taxes, insurance costs, and everything else, the last thing you need is a $400 repair bill because the city couldn't be bothered to fill a pothole. Fixing our roads puts money back in your pocket.

Economic Development Depends on It 📈

You know what businesses look at when they're deciding where to locate? Infrastructure. They want to know that their employees can get to work safely, that their delivery trucks won't get damaged on local roads, that the city they're investing in actually invests in itself.

When I talk about attracting a cool billionaire to PSL (Priority #4, by the way), I'm not just dreaming—I'm being practical. Nobody wants to build their headquarters in a city with crumbling roads. Good infrastructure signals that we're serious about growth, that we're open for business, that we take pride in our community.

Quality of Life Is Real 🌟

At the end of the day, this is about how it feels to live here. Do you feel proud when you drive through your neighborhood? Or do you dodge potholes like you're in a video game? Do your kids have safe routes to school? Can you get to work without losing your mind in traffic?

These things matter. They affect your stress levels, your property values, your overall happiness. We spend so much time in our cars—shouldn't that time be at least somewhat pleasant? Shouldn't we expect basic competence from the people maintaining our streets?

Steven's Plan: Seven Steps to Better Roads 🛠️

Alright, enough about the problem. Let's talk solutions. Because I'm not running for Mayor to whine—I'm running to fix things. Here's exactly how we'll get our roads back on track:

1. 48-Hour Pothole Response Guarantee ⚡

You report it, we fix it—within 48 hours. Period.

I'm not talking about some bureaucratic black hole where your complaint goes to die. I'm talking about a real system: you snap a photo, you submit it through an app or phone line, and within two days, that pothole is filled. If it's not, you get a personal explanation from my office about why.

Will this require more crew members? Probably. Will it require better management? Absolutely. But here's the thing: when you do preventive maintenance right, you actually save money in the long run. Small potholes become big potholes. Big potholes become cratered streets that need complete reconstruction. We're going to be proactive, not reactive.

2. Smart Traffic Signals That Actually Work 🚦

You know what drives me absolutely crazy? Sitting at a red light at 10 PM with no other cars in sight. Or watching a left-turn arrow stay green while the main intersection backs up for blocks. It's 2026, people—we have the technology to fix this!

We're upgrading our traffic signals with adaptive timing systems. These aren't your grandfather's traffic lights. They use sensors and AI to adjust signal timing based on actual traffic flow. Rush hour? Longer green lights on main corridors. Late night? Shorter cycles so you're not sitting forever. Accident ahead? The system automatically reroutes traffic to reduce congestion.

This technology exists. Other cities use it. There's no reason PSL should be stuck with dumb signals that treat every hour of the day exactly the same.

3. Complete Southbend on Time (Or Early) ✅

The Southbend widening project is scheduled for completion in Fall 2026. As your Mayor, I will treat that deadline as sacred. No delays. No excuses. No "unforeseen circumstances" that push it to 2027 or 2028.

How? By having weekly check-ins with the contractors. By removing bureaucratic obstacles before they become problems. By making it crystal clear that this project is Priority Number One until it's done. When the city shows contractors that we mean business, contractors show up and deliver.

And if we can get it done early? Even better. Every day that project finishes ahead of schedule is a day that 15,000+ drivers have a safer, smoother commute.

4. Neighborhood Paving on a Real Schedule 🏘️

Here's a radical idea: every residential street in Port St. Lucie should be resurfaced at least once every 15 years. Not when someone complains loud enough. Not when it becomes undriveable. On a schedule, like clockwork.

We're going to create a rotating maintenance calendar that covers every neighborhood. You'll know when your street is coming up. You can plan around it. And most importantly, you'll never have to wonder if your road is just going to be left to crumble.

This requires planning. It requires budgeting. But you know what? That's literally what we pay city government to do. Let's do it right for once.

5. Sidewalks That Connect Communities 🚶

I want to live in a city where kids can walk to school safely. Where seniors can get to the grocery store without risking their lives. Where families can take an evening stroll without hugging the shoulder of a busy road.

We're going to build sidewalks that actually connect places people need to go. Schools. Parks. Shopping centers. Bus stops. Not just random segments that start and stop for no reason, but continuous, safe walking routes.

This isn't just about convenience—it's about health, environment, and community. When people can walk safely, they do. And when they walk, they meet their neighbors. They support local businesses. They build the kind of tight-knit community that makes PSL special.

6. Protected Bike Lanes on Major Corridors 🚴

Look, I'm a realist. Most people in PSL are going to drive most places. But there's a growing number of residents who want to bike—for exercise, for the environment, or just because they enjoy it. And right now, we're telling those people: "Good luck, hope you don't die."

That's unacceptable. We're going to add protected bike lanes on major corridors—actual physical barriers separating cyclists from vehicle traffic, not just paint on the road. This makes biking safer, which means more people do it, which means fewer cars on the road, which means less traffic for everyone.

It's a win-win-win. And it's the right thing to do for a modern, forward-thinking city.

7. Public Dashboard: See Where Your Money Goes 📱

Transparency isn't just a buzzword—it's how we build trust. We're creating a public online dashboard that shows every road project in the city: what's planned, what's in progress, what's completed, and how much it cost.

You'll be able to see that the pothole you reported was filled. You'll be able to track when your neighborhood's turn for paving is coming up. You'll be able to hold us accountable if projects run over budget or behind schedule.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. When everyone can see what's happening, everyone has a stake in making sure it happens right.

How We Pay For It: Finding the Money 💵

"This all sounds great, Steven, but how are we going to pay for it?"

Fair question. And I've got fair answers:

FDOT Grants and State Funding 🏛️

The Florida Department of Transportation has billions of dollars available for road improvements. Are we getting our fair share? I don't think so. As Mayor, I'll have our team aggressively pursuing every grant, every funding opportunity, every partnership program available.

Other cities get millions in state money. There's no reason PSL shouldn't be at the front of that line. It's about relationships, it's about persistence, and it's about making a compelling case. I know how to do all three.

Local Option Gas Tax ⛽

This is a dedicated funding source that can only be used for transportation projects. Every gallon of gas sold in our area generates a small amount of tax that goes directly to roads. It's already being collected—we just need to make sure we're maximizing it and spending it wisely.

The beauty of this funding is that it's paid by everyone who uses our roads, including visitors and pass-through traffic. It's fair, it's stable, and it's designed exactly for this purpose.

Mobility Fees from New Development 🏗️

When developers build new housing or commercial projects, they create additional traffic. Mobility fees are charges paid by developers to help offset the infrastructure costs of that growth. As PSL continues to expand, these fees should be a major source of road funding.

We need to make sure our mobility fee structure is appropriate—not so high that it discourages development, but not so low that taxpayers are subsidizing private profits. It's about balance, and it's about making growth pay for itself.

Smart Prioritization of Existing Budget 🎯

Here's the truth: we already spend a lot of money on roads. The question is whether we're spending it smart. Are we prioritizing high-traffic corridors or politically connected neighborhoods? Are we doing preventive maintenance or waiting for emergencies? Are we getting competitive bids on contracts?

Remember my Priority #1: Find the Money. When we cut waste and inefficiency in other areas, we free up resources for priorities like roads. Every dollar we save on bloated contracts or redundant positions is a dollar that can fix a pothole or upgrade a traffic signal.

The Bottom Line: Roads Are a Basic Promise 🇺🇸

Here's what I believe: when you pay taxes, you're entering into a contract with your government. You give them money, and in return, they provide basic services. Roads are about as basic as it gets.

I'm not asking for gold-plated streets. I'm not demanding perfection overnight. I'm saying that every resident of Port St. Lucie deserves safe, well-maintained roads that get them where they need to go without damaging their vehicles or risking their lives.

That's not a luxury. That's not a "nice to have." That's the bare minimum we should expect from the people we elect to run our city.

As your Mayor, I will treat road maintenance as the urgent priority it is. No more waiting years for basic repairs. No more dangerous intersections left unaddressed. No more excuses.

Just safe, smooth streets that work for everyone. 💯

See a pothole that needs fixing? Got an intersection that drives you crazy? I want to hear about it. Email me at stevengiordanoformayor@aol.com or call (772) 812-3930. Let's build the roads Port St. Lucie deserves.