No, Star Trek is not filming a new series here in St. Lucie County.

That specialized piece of equipment you might have seen around town is the IrisPRO-Pave and it assesses the conditions of paved local roads.

Following up on the initial survey in 2023 and 2024 of 200 miles of arterial and collector roads, Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) is back to look at the remaining 215 miles of County-owned paved local roads.

Cameras and sensors on the IrisPRO-Pave measure and record the surface conditions of roads. They look at cracks, slope, erosion, obstructions, and more.  The survey will also inventory the location and condition of several other roadway assets including, signs, drainage structures, curbs, crosswalks and handicap ramps.  IMS will also evaluate the condition of 113 miles of sidewalk utilizing similar technology.

Using the pavement data collected IMS will develop a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score for each of the roads.  Software that predicts future roadway degradation will be utilized to develop a Pavement Management Plan.  The Plan optimizes the timing and type of pavement resurfacing strategies necessary for each road based on different budget scenarios and desired future PCI score outcomes.

Gas taxes almost exclusively fund road maintenance, which includes road signs, traffic signals, mowing, drainage, pothole patching, landscaping, irrigation, guardrails, and sidewalks. Approximately $650,000 from this source is available for resurfacing, annually. Since 2018, the voter-approved Half-Cent Infrastructure Sales Tax  has provided an additional $3 to $4 million annually for roadway resurfacing projects.

For information about the original study, or to learn more about the Pavement Management Plan, please visit Road and Bridge Division | St. Lucie County, FL.