A number of eateries are back up and serving post-hurricane menus. The storm killed more than 100 people in Florida, many of them in Lee County, where Sanibel and its famed seashell beaches are a top tourist destination. City officials emphasize that even once the causeway opens to the public, a 9 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew will remain in effect. Updated: May 24, 2022 5:00 PM EDT. While Ian leveled most of those dreams wreaking havoc on the pier, Times Squares pedestrian mall, and 97 percent of the towns structures hope still remains. "Today is a day where our sunrisesare going to be a little bit brighter and our sky will become a little bit bluer as it's a day that transforms and accelerates the recovery for each and every Sanibel resident, business and property owner on behalf of the Sanibel community," said City of Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith. The fishing pier and boat ramp are closed. The causeway has been closed since Hurricane Ian made landfall. Its flagship restaurant, Old Captiva House, reopened on November 28. Ian has demolished the causeway in three different places with its 155 mph winds and up to 12 foot storm surge. [5], In early 2003, during a routine inspection, severe cracks were discovered underneath a 48-foot (15m) deck section on Bridge B. Notice: The City of Sanibel's street camera system was destroyed in Hurricane Ian and will be down for repairs until further notice. The repairs to the Sanibel Causeway will require. Home News Local Lee County Major changes possible for Sanibel Causeway in proposed plan. Downtown Fort Myers and areas of south Fort Myers and Cape Coral suffered from surge that came from the Caloosahatchee River. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Its like fine art.. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. As he spoke, trucks moved in the background above. There is not much to see or do as of now. On Tuesday afternoon, more than 350 trucks and trailers bringing help to the Hurricane Ian. By the early 1990s, the original bridges began showing signs of rapid deterioration due to the bay's saltwater, prompting the county to make major repairs. 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[4], An early proposal would have had a bridge running from Point Ybel (where Sanibel Lighthouse is currently located) to the mainland, since it was the shortest route. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. "More information regarding permanent repairs will be available as we move further through the design process," Pichette said. [12] After undergoing emergency repairs, the causeway reopened to trucks on October 11, and reopened to all vehicular traffic on October 20.[13]. 13. Less than 3 weeks after Ian, Sanibel Island causeway reopens, Save on costly dcor trends with these DIY design tricks, Camila Morrone talks Daisy Jones & the Six, Bringing photos to life and other mind-blowing A.I. Looking East from the intersection of Periwinkle Way & Tarpon Bay Rd. The Florida Department of Transportation will continue to work on a permanent fix for the causeway, officials said. Lee County then filed a counter lawsuit, claiming Sanibel was interfering with construction. Sanibel Island residents on Wednesday were crossing the causeway for the first time since Hurricane Ian damaged the only road onto the popular Gulf Coast destination. One lifelong Sanibel resident, Troy Thompson, said having the causeway back will really help the barrier island because so much recovery work remains. The Sanibel Causeway will reopen to civilian traffic on Wednesday, three weeks after Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida's southwestern coast and destroyed portions of the vital link between Sanibel Island and the mainland. . CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. The current Bridge B opened for traffic on April 11, 2007, making it the first of the current spans to open. The only Sanibel resort currently accepting reservations remains Island Inn, with limited capacity. IE 11 is not supported. Further details weren't immediately. SANIBEL, Fla. On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear that the wait to get back onto the Sanibel Causeway would not be long. Since the completion of the current bridges, the islands have been operated as Causeway Islands Park by Lee County Parks and Recreation. By all accounts, expect heavy traffic to the island once the causeway fully reopens. The Police checkpoint place since the causeway reopened to . Workers used 8,200 loads of fill dirt, 2,400 loads of rock, and 4,000 tons of asphalt. It has been held annually for 85 years-the longest running shell show in the world. Gov. The temporarily repaired Sanibel Island Causeway in late October 2022, Slow recovery from Hurricane Ian continues on Sanibel Island. Sept. 30, 202202:46 Sanibel, home to about 6,300 people, is located on Sanibel Island off the west coast of Florida, just south of Fort Myers . appreciated. About 25% of Sanibel Island should have power back this week, while northern parts of neighboring Captiva Island may not get power restored until November, the governor said. Damage to the causeway and bridge forced first responders to rely mainly on helicopters to conduct search and rescue operations as well as airlift vehicles and other assets onto Pine and Sanibel islands. The Sanibel Causeway was damaged in five different areas when Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida on September 28. Bridge A is 70 feet (21m) tall and stands as the tallest bridge in Lee County. Did you encounter any technical issues? Instead, the span reopened just three weeks after the storm blew ashore Sept. 28. Known for its joyful holiday decorations, the resort even replaced a tall palm tree at the entrance so that a life-size Santa could once again climb a ladder to the top. It means everything to get it back, said Thompson, operations manager at his familys Lazy Flamingo restaurant. At least five sections of the causeway, which connects Sanibel to the mainland, were washed away by Hurricane Ian, Lee County officials said. Pink Shell Beach Resort, too, has a limited availability of guest rooms for displaced residents and others. The current route was ultimately selected due to the bay being shallower and two causeway islands could be created by dredging. He was heartbroken when he saw it collapse. Once it was decided to replace the drawbridge, a debate commenced on replacing it with another drawbridge versus a high-span bridge. Those amendments today still provide the legal underpinning for the city's post-disaster build-back and resort redevelopment ordinances. Officials say motorists should expect heavy traffic and delays. Fort Myers Beach opened its bridges relatively early in the recovery game, but non-residents must cross back over the bridges by 8 p.m. Beach access is open to foot travel, and the town and residents have been working steadily to clear the sand of debris. We are going to continue to work with the county on plans for permanent repairs to the causeway but were happy to be able to take the lead on the restoration, he said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Sanibel Causeway tolls resume Jan. 1 after a Hurricane Ian-prompted pause, Lee County officials announced Thursday. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: DeSantis: Sanibel Causeway reopens after Hurricane Ian's hit, 'Always positive': Ian victim Glenn Scroggy loved photography and his Philadelphia Eagles, Bonita Shores residents pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ian, DeSantis: Sanibel Causeway reopens after Hurricane Ian's hit. Most businesses remain closed. Its just so precious to so many people, said Massey. Of the most severe damage, a 50-60 foot section of the "A" span . Ron DeSantis announced that the bridge will be open for residents that same day, two days before itsscheduled reopening on Friday, Oct. 21. Construction of the current bridges commenced in May 2004. While the county initially planned to demolish the entire structure, a grassroots campaign was launched by local fisherman to have part of the span left intact for a fishing pier similar to the former spans of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Overseas Highway. Durch Klicken auf Alle akzeptieren erklren Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Yahoo und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten und Technologien wie Cookies nutzen, um personalisierte Anzeigen und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr ber die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie fr die Entwicklung von Produkten. North Captiva will take longer, hecautioned, because the underground electrical grid has been destroyed, although he said November restoration is expected. That's where her daughter Brianna Geerlof, 27, and her boyfriend were . Today, there are four buildings left - including a structure . We had an ambitious agenda and ambitious roadmap to get this done, Gov. The causeway is our lifeline, and without it we have no opportunity to get back to the island, to get back to our homes, Thompson said. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in Fort Myers, noting 100 crews worked for some 36,000 work hours on the causeway. Monday morning marked another reopening after Hurricane Ian. We still do not have water. TODAY Less than 3 weeks after Ian, Sanibel Island causeway reopens Share this - Less than three weeks after Hurricane Ian destroyed Florida's Sanibel Island causeway, the bridge reopened. Currently, public beach access is closed and not expected to reopen by January 2, 2023. A Warner Bros. They used 8,200 loads of fill dirt and 4,000 tons of asphalt. After this discovery, all three of the bridges were very closely monitored, and the damaged section was braced with additional steel pilings. Looking South from the intersection of Periwinkle Way & Lindgren Blvd. The causeway is our lifeline, and without it we have no opportunity to get back to the island, to get back to our homes, said longtime resident Troy Thompson, who manages the Lazy Flamingo restaurants. During the Sanibel City Councils meeting on December 20, Mayor Holly Smith said the reopening of the causeway isnt for tourists and reminded the public of the following: Administration at the J.N. A temporary 10-ton weight limit was put in place. Despite supply issues, Margaritaville spokesperson Robert Kisabeth reported, We are back to full construction, and we will open in 2023, between September and November.. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. A convoy of trucks drove across the bridge Tuesday so that crews could start repairing the power grids in Sanibel and. Wildfires on the island in 1955 further convinced the county to build a bridge as it would improve access to the island for firefighters. Some of its trails will reopen at the same time, and its concession at Tarpon Bay Recreation Area plans to recommence kayak rentals and limited tours by mid-February. DeSantis noted that the repairs on Sanibel are still ongoing and workers are moving asquickly as possible as residents make their way back to their homes and businesses. The. Officials confirmed the recent Sanibel Causeway lane closures are part of the process to complete permanent repairs, expected done by end of 2023 Start the day smarter USA TODAY podcasts . The full-service resort opened its rooms, beach, and pool areas to the public on December 17 after housing restoration workers for 2 months. Lee County -- home to Fort Myers and the barrier islands Sanibel and Pine -- was especially hard-hit by the powerful Category 4 storm. [7] The $3 administrative fee for vehicles without transponders was suspended during the pandemic and was reinstated on October 1. The first few sets of piling from the original bridge on the south shore remain today. Despite the campaign initially succeeding, plans to install new deck sections on top of the pilings for the pier were scrapped in early 2010 due to budget cuts.[15]. The announcement of the imminent removal of checkpoints on the causeway which currently allow only island residents, business owners, workers, and registered restoration workers came much earlier than initially anticipated. Bridge B's speed limit was temporarily lowered to 10 miles per hour (16km/h), and the rest of the causeway's speed limit was lowered to 20 miles per hour (32km/h). For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Looking North from the intersection of Periwinkle Way & Tarpon Bay Rd. Connect with him on Twitter@TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram@tomasfrobeltranand Facebook@tomasrodrigueznews. Its sad. There is hope, said Cecil Pendergrass, chairman of the Lee County Commission. Unlike the other two bridges, Bridge B is a low-level bridge, and has no navigation channel passing underneath. Construction on the entire causeway and the three original bridges lasted 15 months and cost $2.73million. "When you have real significant damage like that, you can't let it toil for months without attention, we needed to get people back on the island," DeSantis said. Get the Sanibel Bound live traffic cameras app today for iOS and Android. The same is largely true for St. James City, but the Bokeelia area is coming back on the island. Bob Raymond, mayor of Fort Myers Beach, predicted 5 years to rebuild. The first few sets of piling from the original bridge on the south shore remain today. Seasonal Sanibel residents Bob and Ana Finks won the raffle, and they also got to keep the operating lever from the drawbridge's control room as part of the prize.[14]. The causeway's islands were dredged from the San Carlos Bay when the original bridges were built. ", Lane closures:Expect delays: Sanibel city officials announce FDOT temporary work on Sanibel Causeway, Tolls to resume:Sanibel Causeway tolls re-start Jan. 1 for residents, workers; no word on when public allowed back. DeSantis said this requires repairing transmission lines, rebuilding the islands substation, removing vegetation, and setting poles. However, FDOT, along with our law enforcement partners at the Florida Highway Patrol, Lee County and Florida Department of Emergency Management made use of strategic and innovative techniques to rebuild the causeways quickly, Perdue said. Its too soon to speculate on any aesthetics and amenities that may come next, said a Lee County spokesperson. In 2001, the county made plans to replace Bridges B and C, and make major repairs to Bridge A (the drawbridge). Sanibel Island will remain cut off from the Florida mainland until major repairs can be made. Looking West from the intersection of Periwinkle Way & Casa Ybel Rd. However, a few restaurants have already reopened, including Bayfront Bistro, Yucatan Beach Stand, and Wahoo Willies Tiki Bar & Grill near Times Square, as well as Coste Island Cuisine at DiamondHead Beach Resort, which recently opened a limited number of suites. At a chamber of commerce meeting early in the month, Sanibel officials announced that they would be grooming the public beach accesses, a practice that the island employs only in emergencies to avoid disrupting bird and sea turtle habitats. Joined by other local and state leaders, DeSantis spoke of how his team jumped into actions with the Florida Department of Transportation to develop a plan to get Sanibel repaired and get residents back on the island. The work that has been done to restore vehicle access to Sanibel Island has been historic, the governor added. I think the tenacity of the people on the island, the tremendous desire for the return of a sense of community, has been so inspiring and has motivated the pace of recovery, said resident Barbara Hill, an artist who grew up on Fort Myers Beach and had since returned for retirement. Crews could start repairing the power grids in Sanibel and has been done to restore access. 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