Photo by:(WPEC)
All lanes on SR-710 were temporarily blocked on Wednesday after a crash.
The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office says the road has now reopened. The crash briefly blocked SE 128th Avenue, causing traffic to be rerouted to 15A and 15B to help maintain vehicle flow.
One man who regularly takes SR-710 described the chaos.
“They diverted traffic,” he said. “This place was jammed up, so something must be done.”
Earlier, Florida 511 described the crash as major, with emergency vehicles on the scene.
Photos show a semi-truck partially tipped onto its side, with Florida Highway Patrol troopers on scene.
The ‘Death Trap’
Some officials along the Treasure Coast called State Road 710 a ‘Death Trap’. Urging Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek to push for safer action to improve safety.
Budensiek addressed county commissioners Tuesday, highlighting ongoing concerns about deadly crashes along the corridor that runs through Indiantown and western Martin County. The renewed push comes after a series of deadly crashes earlier this year, including multiple deaths in a matter of days along the roadway.
“We have a consistent pattern of death on this road,” Budensiek said. “We need to fix it.”
Data presented during the Tuesday meeting shows State Road 710 has seen dozens of fatalities over the past decade, with a consistent number of deadly crashes each year.
In the last 10 years, 39 people have been killed in 31 crashes along SR-710 — about one death every three months.
Officials say the road’s design is a major factor, with narrow lanes, limited shoulders and heavy truck traffic creating dangerous conditions, especially when drivers attempt to pass slower vehicles.
While much of the focus has been on speeding and reckless driving, Okeechobee County deputies say they have now run into a new issue: drivers traveling below the posted speed limit.
The Florida Department of Transportation has plans to widen the road, but construction is not expected to begin until 2030.
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Source: cbs12
