As Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Ian, on Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the Florida Department of Transportation ( FDOT) to prioritize repairs to the Sanibel Causeway.
“These repairs are needed for first responders and Sanibel residents to access the island, as well as other recovery efforts such as power restoration and debris removal. Today, the contract for the bridge repair was awarded,” the governor’s office noted on Tuesday.
“FDOT has already made tremendous progress on the temporary bridge to Pine Island,” said DeSantis. “Now, I’ve asked them to work with Lee County to immediately begin work to provide temporary access and begin repairs to the Sanibel Causeway. Access to our barrier islands is a priority for our first responders and emergency services who have been working day and night to bring relief to all Floridians affected by Hurricane Ian.”
“FDOT is proud to play a part in restoring our communities across the state. The Pine Island bridge is well on its way for completion. I’m confident we can provide the same level of service for the Sanibel Island community,” said FDOT Sec. Jared Perdue. “Much like Pine Island, the Sanibel Causeway was affected when the land that the road was built on was washed away. A bridge stability analysis will be performed, and repairs needed range from repairing bridge approaches to restoring the roadway across most of the causeway. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Lee County and helping them take another step towards recovery.”
The governor’s office noted that inspections have been completed on state bridges and FDOT is also helping inspect local bridges.
“Completing repairs will then allow first responders access to the island in order to conduct their life and safety missions. This will then give residents drivable access from the mainland to Sanibel Island,” the governor’s office noted.
Currently, emergency repairs are being done on the Sanibel Causeway, which should be accessible by the end of October. Once those are finished, FDOT will start on making permanent repairs.
