FDOT continues repairs to washed out area near U.S. Highway 1

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Crews with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) spent Saturday morning continuing to repair the damage to U.S. Highway 1 in Melbourne, where a chunk of the road slid into the Intracoastal waterway on Friday. 

"I think it's pretty crazy," said Ivan Hagans, who works at a car dealership across the street, "I've always heard about it, erosion, stuff like that."

Melbourne saw more than four inches of rain, Friday morning. FDOT said the heavy rains damaged a drainage pipe and eroded the outside northbound lanes. 

"I've obviously never seen something like that, especially so close," Hagans said, "right across from my workplace here."

Florida Department of Transportation crews work to repair a washout alongside U.S. Highway 1 in Melbourne, Florida, on April 1, 2022.

Workers closed the northbound U.S. 1 lanes, shifting northbound traffic to the center lane. FDOT said they're keeping an eye on the weather conditions, which may hamper repair efforts. 

FDOT said they don't have a timeline for when crews will finish the work. Some residents, like Marc Terry, say they avoid U.S. 1 if they can. 

"I try to take 95, but if there's an accident out there I just take US 1. It's already congested enough. With this going on right here? It's scary, in a way."

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