Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek presented graphic crash data to county commissioners, calling the 23-mile stretch of State Road 710 north of Indiantown a “death-funnel” that kills an average of three people annually. The narrow highway, which residents have dubbed “Bloody 7-10,” has already claimed at least three lives this year, prompting Budensiek to push for expedited widening of the multi-billion dollar Florida Department of Transportation project.

“That’s a lot of people dying,” Budensiek told commissioners during the March 24 meeting. “There’s a whole lot more traffic than in the past. It really is a death funnel.” The sheriff’s presentation included 11 years of death data, photos of narrow shoulders, and graphic body camera footage showing a driver who burned to death in his car after a crash this year.

“People are burning to death in cars,” Budensiek said. “These are really traumatic crashes.” His team documented that more than 1,250 vehicles have crashed along the 33.7 miles of State Road 710 in Martin and Okeechobee counties since 2015, with deputies writing more than 2,000 citations on the stretch just last year.

Thirty-one fatal crashes occurred along the same stretch in the last 10 years, resulting in 39 deaths, with 29 of those fatalities occurring in Martin County. Twenty of those 31 fatalities involved head-on collisions, according to sheriff’s officials. Most crashes involve heavier vehicles such as semitrailer trucks and dump trucks, Budensiek said.

“The road is just too small and narrow for the congestion we have,” Budensiek told commissioners. “If something happens there’s really no place for a driver to go.” The road has been a known problem since the 1980s, but traffic has increased with GPS routing more drivers through the area.

Commissioner Stacey Hetherington, who grew up in Indiantown, said she has lost family and friends to crashes on State Road 710. “It’s our main priority, our goal with DOT is vision zero,” Hetherington said. Commissioner Eileen Vargas promised action after viewing the presentation: “That was really jarring but thank you. Whatever I can do, I will.”

Residents shared their personal experiences with the dangerous roadway. “This has been going on for a long time,” said Forrest Yingling. Heather Smith added, “Two of my friends were killed on this road.” The sheriff’s presentation resonated with local officials who recognized the urgent need for both immediate and long-term solutions.

Budensiek pointed to success south of Indiantown, where State Road 710 was widened into a four-lane highway in 2017. “The design of the road itself fixed the issue that was south of Indiantown,” he said, noting there have been no fatalities on that widened section since completion.

Commissioners discussed interim safety measures while the widening project moves through the design phase. “We need a short term Band-aid,” said District Five Vice Chair Edward V. Ciampi. “Blinking signs, big traffic lights, overhead lighting until we can actually get it done.” These temporary fixes would come from FDOT funding.

“They may work, they may not, but I would say it’s worth a try. Anything’s worth saving a life out there,” Budensiek said. Commissioner Vargas promised to contact FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue personally to relay the sheriff’s presentation and emphasize the urgency.

Martin County Public Works Director Jim Gorton explained that design work is underway, but land acquisition could take two years. Construction is expected to start in 2030, with work on Martin County sections beginning in 2031. “My push is if there’s any extra money in the state, allocate it to prevent more deaths,” Budensiek said.

Budensiek will meet with FDOT next month to discuss interim safety fixes and push for faster implementation. “We’ve got to keep the project at the forefront of everyone’s minds so we can stop having these catastrophic traffic fatalities out there in Indiantown,” the sheriff said.