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Johnston Road Project Updates

Follow this page for updates on the road projects taking place along Johnston Road.
Post Date:08/07/2026 12:00 PM

Bookmark this page to stay updated on the progress of projects along Johnston Road. The current project is the replacement of two failing drainage culvert pipes beneath the roadway at Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District (FPFWCD) Canals 16 and 17. Johnston Road is expected to fully reopen by late August.

Have questions about this page? Email publicworks@stlucieco.gov.

August 7, 2026 Updates:

Two large metal sheet piles are loaded onto the bed of a truck.

Sheet pile is loaded onto a truck on August 7.

  • The sheet pile has been removed and water is flowing through the culvert at Canal 16; 
  • Work continues to restore the surface above the culvert pipe; 

July 29, 2026 Updates:

Construction workers work atop of a concrete rectangular pipe surrounded by brown soil.

Work continues on the box culvert at Canal 16 on July 29.

July 24, 2026 Updates:

A construction vehicle sits on a dirt base in the distance. In front of it, and leading to the viewer, is shallow, excavated earth with the top of a rectangular concrete pipe visible.

All four side pipes have been installed and covered.

  • PRP compacting material with plate tamper; 
  • Densities of compacted material is being tested; 

July 23, 2026 Updates:

Construction workers on a rectangular concrete box culvert inside of a trench.

Work takes place on the Canal 16 box culvert on July 23.

  • A trench for the northeast drainage pipe is being excavated;
  • Two southern drainage pipes have been installed;

July 20, 2026 Updates:

A long concrete box culvert rises from excavated ground.

Workers have made progress with dewatering of the Canal 16 project site.

July 16, 2026 Updates:

Water fills an excavated canal around a newly-installed concrete box culvert.

Water is seen filling the project site on July 16 following recent rainfall. Progress has been slowed this week due to recent stormy weather.

July 14, 2026 Updates:

  • All segments of the concrete box culvert have been installed;
  • Dewatering of the project site is underway following recent heavy rainfall;

July 9, 2026 Updates:

A construction worker helps guide a large concrete box, suspended by a chain, into position as it is led down a long concrete box culvert.

One of the final segments of the Canal 16 concrete box culvert is guided into position on July 9.

Water in a canal rises nearly to the top of one side of a sheet metal dam, while the opposite side remains mostly dry.

The water level of Canal 16 is seen against the sheet pile dam on July 9. Recent rainfall and stormwater runoff from surrounding areas impacted some of the culvert installation earlier in the week.

July 6, 2026 Updates:

A section of rectangular concrete box culvert emerges from the ground within an excavated section of canal.

The Canal 16 concrete box culvert project is seen on July 6. Dewatering of the site continues following recent rainfall.

July 1, 2026 Updates:

A dump truck unloads a pile of bedding stone on a road.

Bedding stone is unloaded onto Johnston Road on July 1.

  • Well points have been installed and dewatering of the new trench area is under way;
  • The contractor is back filling the new boxes on the western half of the project;
  • The remaining pipe beneath Johnston Road is being excavated;
  • Installation of the remaining boxes is scheduled for next week;

June 30, 2026 Updates:

A large piece of sheet metal sticks out of the foreground, while workers assist as another piece of metal is pulled straight up out of the ground in the distance. A piece of sheet metal, longer than the road is wide, is carried by forklift on a dirt road.

Pieces of sheet metal used to strengthen the sides of the work site are being removed from the western half of the culvert on June 30.

  • PRP Construction continues to remove side sheet piles from the western half of the Canal 16 culvert;
  • Following the removal of the sheet piles, PRP will start excavating the roadway section and filling in the 11 installed boxes;
  • Once this backfilling and excavation are complete, PRP will begin installing the remaining segments of the box culvert;

June 29, 2026 Updates:

A long rectangular concrete pipe sits in an excavated channel between two patches of earth.

Eleven of 24 segments of the concrete box culvert beneath Johnston Road at Canal 16 are seen on June 29.

  • As work progresses on the culvert pipe at Canal 16, the contractor is planning to remove the side sheet piles this afternoon;
  • PRP will start excavating the roadway section and filling in the 11 installed boxes;
  • Once this backfilling and excavation are complete, PRP will restart installing boxes for the eastern half of the culvert;

June 25, 2026 Updates:

A section of a rectangular concrete tunnel is seen within a manmade valley between masses of dirt and earth.

Multiple segments of the concrete box culvert at Canal 16 are seen during installation on the west side of Johnston Road on June 25.

Two rectangular segments of concrete pipe sit on the roadway.

Two segments of the concrete box culvert are seen on June 25 prior to installation.

 

June 23, 2026 Updates:

A manmade canyon between two banks of sand and dirt ends at a wall of tall metal sheets.

Water flows between two man-made sheet metal walls as pumps dewater the Canal 16 culvert site on June 23.

  • Dewatering of the work site at Canal 16 is under way;
  • Dewatering is expected to take five to seven days to complete. During this time, residents may see little to no additional work taking place, as the ground needs to be dried before the culvert replacement may proceed;
  • Chip sealing of Johnston Road north of the Canal 16 project is currently under way. Full depth reclamation of the roadway is taking place this week, with that work expected to continue through Friday, June 26. One lane of traffic remains open during this operation, with flaggers directing motorists; 
A construction vehicle grades the dirt on a roadway that was recently milled.

Full depth reclamation of Johnston Road north of the Canal 16 site is seen in progress on June 23.

June 19, 2026 Updates:

A tall piece of metal is driven into the ground alongside others by a piece of construction equipment.

Workers install sheet piles on June 19 to reinforce the sides and effectively "box in" their work area at the Canal 16 site. The sheet piles will help prevent the sides from collapsing into the work area.

An unpaved section of road is seen between two paved sections.

The box culvert at Canal 17 has been installed, with the road above it still to be paved.

 

June 4, 2026 Updates:

A piece of construction equipment is lowered to the water within a gap between sheets of metal rising from the surface.

Work continues on Johnston Road at the C-16 Canal project site ahead of the arrival of the box culverts.

 

Water flows into a rectangular concrete pipe that is surrounded by white rocks. A road crosses above it.

The C-17 Culvert site is seen on June 4.

 

May 29, 2026 Updates:

Construction workers guide a large, long sheet of metal into a canal with the help of a crane.

Sheet pile installation takes place on the eastern side of Canal 16 on May 29.

 

May 28, 2026 Updates:

Layers of white rocks cover part of the bank of a canal. Beyond the rocks, workers lay sod.

Workers lay sod along the southwestern bank of Canal 17 on May 28.

 

Construction equipment carves a swale in dirt beside a road.

Workers construct a roadside drainage swale on May 28.

 

Tall sheets of metal lined against each other to form a dam rise out of a canal

Sheet piles are seen in place on the western side of the Canal 16 project on May 28.

 

May 27, 2026 Updates:

A concrete box culvert sits between two symmetrical banks of bright white rocks lining a canal.

Water flows through the concrete box culvert on May 27, 2026.

 

A smooth layer of dirt dips down to a shallow canal as a swale is being created next to a road.

One of the side drain pipes is visible as work continues on swales parallel to Johnston Road at Canal 17.

 

A crane sets a large metal plank into the ground beside a canal.

Sheet pile installation has begun at the C-16 culvert project site.

  • Rubble riprap has been installed along the banks;
  • Work is progressing on swales along either side of the road that lead to drainage pipes connecting to the culvert;
  • Sheet piles at either end of the C-17 project site have been removed, allowing water to flow through the box culvert;
  • Sheet piles are being installed at the C-16 project site;

 

May 14, 2026 Updates:

Construction workers attach a pipe to the side of an underground box culvert.

Underground drainage pipes are attached to the sides of the box culvert.

 

May 13, 2026 Updates:

A construction excavator loads piles of large stones along the bank of a canal beside a concrete box culvert.

Rubble riprap is placed along the northeastern bank of Canal 17 on May 13, 2026. This material will help stabilize the terrain and prevent erosion.

 

May 5, 2026 Updates:

Construction workers guide a concrete box into position at the end of a box culvert.

The final segment of the box culvert at Canal 17 is set in place on May 5, 2026. 

  • The full 144-feet long box culvert beneath Johnston Road at Canal 17 is now in place.
  • Workers will ensure that joints are sealed and begin backfilling around the box culvert.

 

May 4, 2026 Updates:

Construction workers add a section of concrete box culvert to a long pipe.

The box culvert continues to take shape, as work continues on the eastern half of the pipe in Canal C-17 on May 4, 2026.

 

April 30, 2026 Updates:

A rectangular concrete pipe emerges from a layer of earth above it as construction equipment sit in the background.

The eastern side of the project is seen on April 30. With backfilling complete, the next box culverts are scheduled to be delivered next week.

  • The last pieces of the 84-inch corrugated metal pipe (CMP) have been removed;
  • Bedding stone on the east side of the project has been set in place ahead of the installation of the remaining box culverts;

 

 April 29, 2026 Updates:

A construction excavator drops a load of dirt into a pile.
A rectangular concrete tunnel emerges from mounds of dirt.

Work is under way to build the road back up over the western half of the project. Once complete, installation of the remaining segments of the box culvert will take place on the eastern half.

 

April 23, 2026 Updates:

Multiple concrete blocks are lined up in a row within a muddy canal.

Two additional segments of the culvert have been installed, as seen on April 23.

 

April 22, 2026 Updates:

A rectangular tunnel of concrete boxes is lined up within a canal leading towards a road. Construction equipment sits on the road and ground above, working around the site.

Multiple concrete boxes are lined up in the C-17 Canal on the west side of Johnston Road, as seen on April 22.

A construction excavator lifts a large, damaged cylindrical pipe from a dirt pit beneath it.

A section of the existing failing culvert pipe is removed on April 22.

  • Workers are excavating to reveal and remove portions of the existing culvert pipe that remain beneath the roadway.
  • Crane operations to install additional segments of the concrete structure are expected to resume on Thursday, April 23.
  • As of Wednesday morning, 10 of the 29 boxes are installed.

 

April 21, 2026 Updates:

A large, open concrete box is lowered by crane into a canal, guided by several construction workers. In the distance, on the road above them sit two more concrete boxes on a flatbed truck.

A segment of the concrete box culvert is lowered into the canal as two additional segments arrive on April 21.

  • Segments of the concrete box culverts have begun arriving at the project site.
  • Six segments were set in place.
  • Additional segments are scheduled to be installed on Wednesday.

 

April 16, 2026 Updates:

A pair of construction vehicles with long excavator arms sit atop the edge of a canal that has been dug around a metal pipe.

A portion of the underground culvert pipe is removed, as seen on April 16.

 

April 14, 2026 Updates:

A pair of construction vehicles with long excavator arms sit atop the edge of a canal that has been dug around a metal pipe.

PRP Construction lowers a hose into FPFWCD Canal 17 on April 14. Work continues to remove water left over from last week's rain so that normal operations may resume.

  • PRP Construction continues to remove water from the project area. Once the water table is lowered and the ground is dry, crews can continue removing the existing pipe and setting the new concrete box in place.

 

April 10, 2026 Updates:

Water pools within an excavated section of roadway as a piece of heavy equipment sits in the background.

More than six inches of rain fell over Fort Pierce between April 6 and April 9, per TCPalm reporting.

 

April 6, 2026 Updates:

A construction excavator sits on a muddy bank as it digs into muck in front of it. Beside it the mouth of a large metal pipe can be seen emerging from dirt and mud. Mounds of dirt are piled along the roadway beyond them.

A crew excavates to uncover the culvert pipe that crosses beneath Johnston Road at Canal 17 on April 6, 2026.

 

Orange cylindrical barricades sit beside a concrete barricade in the foreground, just in front of a pile of small, white rocks that take up one lane of the two-lane road.

Mounds of bedding stone have been placed along the road on April 6, 2026.

 

March 11, 2026 Updates:

  • A road closure notice is issued for culvert repairs at FPFWCD Canals 16 and 17, north of Meadowood. Beginning March 30, this section of road will close so that two failing drainage culvert pipes beneath the roadway may be replaced. The road is expected to remain closed for approximately three months while this work is underway.

 

 March 6, 2026 Updates:

 

February 12, 2026 Updates:

 

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