Boring of a new 24-inch water main is underway and about 60 feet underwater just below the Crosstown Parkway Bridge. There are currently two east/west water mains that cross the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, one located at Port St. Lucie Blvd. and the other at Prima Vista Blvd. This new water main will tie into and enhance the service east of the river and serve as a backup should one of the existing mains fail and compromise the water pressure. 

The boring takes several weeks to complete as it is a slow and steady three-stage process. The first stage is directionally drilling a small diameter pilot hole along the designed path—approximately 3,900 feet across the river in this case. The second stage is to enlarge the pilot hole diameter in order to accommodate the pipe. And lastly, the pipe must be pulled back into the enlarged hole.

The pipe must be deep enough below the river floor so as not to disrupt any aquatic life or plants. Each section of the thick pipe is welded together for maximum stability and integrity. Visually, there’s not much to see during construction, however, engineering genius is at work during this horizontal bore! The grand opening of the bridge is set for September 28.

For more information, contact:
Jenny Tomes
Utility Marketing and Digital Video Coordinator
(772) 871-5131
jtomes@cityofpsl.com