PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — Port St. Lucie City Council has unanimously approved a $1.5 million redesign of the intersection at Village Parkway and Tradition Parkway, a fix drivers in the Tradition community have been waiting on for years.

The vote came Monday night. It’s the most expensive of the three options proposed by engineers — and the one residents pushed hardest for.

“This intersection is a nightmare all throughout the day, all throughout the night, especially during peak time in the evenings,” Mayor Shannon Martin said during the meeting.

The approved plan will add a third lane for drivers going straight, extend the eastbound left turn lanes, add a new dedicated right turn lane, and relocate the city’s most-used bus stop to create more room for traffic. It also includes drainage improvements along Tradition Parkway.

The design was reworked after residents pushed back on an earlier version at a public workshop last August. Engineers with the firm DRMP revised the plan to preserve a dedicated right turn lane, which residents said was critical to keeping traffic moving.

See also: Four arrested after trying to pass fake $100 bills at Publix stores, deputies say

“The three biggest words, and most important words, in this presentation for me were ‘per resident feedback,'” a Councilmember said after the vote, praising residents who showed up and spoke out.

CBS12 News has been following safety issues at this intersection. In June 2024, a 14-year-old bicyclist was airlifted to a hospital after being struck by a vehicle at SW Village Parkway and SW Tradition Parkway. In November 2025, the intersection was named one of the top 10 locations in Port St. Lucie recommended by police for red light cameras.

City officials say the project will go out to bid in June, with construction expected to begin as soon as August. To limit disruption for drivers, council members signaled they’re open to having contractors do some of the work overnight — and officials said extra money has been built into the budget to allow for it. The final design work is expected to wrap up in the next four to six weeks.