With a new U.S. Customs facility at Witham Field in Stuart, Florida, those travelling from the islands of the Bahamas will have a convenient place to clear customs in Martin County.
The Martin County Board of County Commissioners announced a late spring opening of the U.S. Customs Facility at Witham Field, which will process international travelers arriving in Martin County via aircraft and marine vessels, allowing boaters, pilots, residents and visitors to clear Customs without having to travel to Fort Pierce or West Palm Beach. This project is the first intermodal clearance facility of its kind built in Florida.
This facility has been welcomed by the marine community not only in Martin County but throughout the State of Florida. With Stuart’s location on the east end of the Cross-Florida Canal/Okeechobee Waterway, boaters returning from the Bahamas will be able to conveniently clear back into the U.S. and continue on their way to Florida’s west coast and the Gulf of Mexico or continue to points north via the Intracoastal Waterway.
The Witham Field location is conveniently located within a 10-minute drive of 90 percent of the marinas in Martin County. This facility will greatly enhance Martin County’s tourism efforts, specifically in the recreational boating sector and related marine industries.
When complete, the facility will consist of a 3,210-square-foot concrete block structure with road access for marine trailers, parking lot and a customer-friendly environment.
Funding for the project is provided through an 80/20 grant partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation Aviation (Multimodal) Division and the Airport Enterprise Fund. The facility will be operated by U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection. As it is with Witham Field, user fees will cover the cost of operations expenses.
The Customs facility at Witham Field is anticipated to open in May.
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