Sanibel city officials provide an update on hurricane recovery
FDOT engineer discusses repairs to causeway, design alternatives
The city of Sanibel shared the following during its Facebook Live update on Tuesday, Dec. 13:
• City Manager Dana Souza reported that Jan. 2 is still the target date for reopening the Sanibel Causeway to those without city-issued hurricane re-entry passes. He added that part of the intention for discontinuing the use of the passes is to help in the recovery efforts for residents and businesses.
Souza also reported that the city’s beaches and beach access parks will remain closed and are not open for beach business, and the fishing pier and boat ramp are closed. Most businesses are also closed.
“There is nothing to see or do — yet,” Souza said.
He also shared the following benchmark criteria for the city to reopen the causeway:
• Right-of-way debris collection at 80 percent.
• East Periwinkle Bridge open to traffic.
• LCEC completes majority of pole replacement on main roadways.
— Traffic will not interfere with FDOT causeway construction.
— Police security is sufficient.
— Continuing use of re-entry passes does not interfere with recovery efforts.
• Souza also reviewed the city’s recent mayoral proclamation that prohibits pool water from being discharged into a waterbody, canal or other neighboring property, and noted the following:
— Discharge on your own property.
— Contain water with adsorbent booms.
— Use slow release if needed.
— Penalty is $500 citation issued by police.
• Sanibel Police Department Police Chief William “Bill” Dalton reported that some areas have a Neighborhood Watch program in place and that he encourages interested residents to start one.
“That would just give us more eyes, more ears out in the community,” he said.
• The Sanibel Fire and Rescue District is asking people not to burn on their property due to the conditions, and reminded the public not to cover fire hydrants, water meters and such with debris.
• Comcast Senior Manager of External Affairs Jen Boyett reported that Sanibel is serviceable.
“The entire island is serviceable,” she said.
Long-term causeway plans
At the recent meeting of the Sanibel council, Florida Department of Transportation resident construction engineer Kati Sherrard gave a presentation on designs for the Sanibel Causeway.
She shared that the pre-Hurricane Ian design included existing bulkhead or seawall elevations of 3-5 feet and a causeway elevation of approximately 7 feet. The FDOT knows from the recent storm:
• Surge was approximately 12 feet
• Wave action was approximately 8 feet
• Hurricane exceeded the design storm event
Sherrard also presented resiliency design considerations for the following:
Causeway
• Buried sheet pile walls at shoulders
• Protect sides with “mattresses” — buried baskets filled with rock
• Protect ocean side with rip rap
• Raise roadway approximately 2 feet
Bridge approaches
• Install larger and heavier protection at exposed areas between seawall and bridge abutments
• Buried toe protection for upland walls
• Replace MSE — retaining — wall with deep foundation wall
Seawalls
• Raise seawall elevation to 8 feet
• Provide deep steel sheet pile walls
• Reinforce toe of seawall
• Heavy rip rap protection along seawalls
• Oversized rip rap protection along channel walls
Infrastructure
• Grey versus green infrastructure
• Install native/resilient planting for natural hardening, like mangroves
She explained that the FDOT’s alternatives analysis included:
• No build
• Reconstruct per original design: Previous design no longer meeting 100 year storm event
• Construct bridge over remains of vulnerable causeway sections: Not cost effective, would greatly exceed schedule expectations, and excessive design
• Improve armoring along causeway and bridge approaches: May be insufficient as long-term solution
• Reconstruction with steel sheet pile walls placed outside of existing walls: Provides greater coastal protection from future storms and sea level rise, eliminates conflicts with failed structures and existing tie backs, and requires building outside of existing footprint
As for next steps, Sherrard reported that the FDOT will complete the alternatives analysis, meet with local agencies and then finalize the design. The goal to complete the permanent repairs is October.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI, please email trepecki@breezenewspapers.com