Downtown Fort Pierce's waterfront is getting a $10.25M makeover
A multi-million-dollar overhaul of Indian River Drive is adding wide sidewalks, better lighting, and more parking along the downtown Fort Pierce waterfront — with businesses staying open through construction.
Downtown Fort Pierce's waterfront is in the middle of a serious glow-up. The $10.25 million Indian River Drive Corridor Improvements Project is rebuilding the roadway between Seaway Drive and Marina Way.
The plan adds a 10-foot sidewalk on the east side, a 6-foot sidewalk on the west side, enhanced pedestrian lighting, and about 25 new on-street parking spaces — exactly the kind of pedestrian-friendly upgrades that make a downtown worth lingering in.
Funding is a mix: a $2.7 million Florida Commerce grant, $3 million from the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency, and roughly $4 million in road impact fees and surtax funds.
It broke ground in November 2025, with completion expected by early 2027. Construction is phased so businesses — including the Backus Museum and the Manatee Center — stay open the whole time.
Fort Pierce has quietly become one of the most charming downtowns on the Treasure Coast, and this is the city betting on that momentum. Better sidewalks and parking right on the water? Yes please.