Sanibel Island completes erosion protection project

Sanibel Island recently completed a project to protect a vital roadway from erosion, but is it ready to within upcoming storms?

INVESTIGATING THE LETTERS ANDTHE PROPERTY ASSOCIATION OVERTHE CYPRESS CAY NEIGHBORHOODSANIBEL LEADERS ARE KEEPING ACLOSE EYE ON THE POSSIBILITY OFTROPICAL STORM ISAIAS AFFECTINGTHE ISLAND.SANIBEL RECENTLY COMPLETED APROJECT TO PROTECT A VITALROADWAY FROM EROSION... BUT ISIT READY TO WITHSTAND A STORMLIKE THIS.FOX 4’S SANDRA RODRIGUEZ SPOKEWITH THE DIRECTOR OF NATURALRESOURCES FOR SANIBEL ISLAND TOGET THAT ANSWER.:44 - :51INTRO:WELL, THE DIRECTOR OF NATURALRESOURCES TELLS ME RECENT STORMSHAVE BEEN IMPACTING THECOMPLETED PROJECT -- LEADING TOLOSS OF SAND -- BUT HE REMAINSCONFIDENT THE PROJECT WILLWITHSTAND UPCOMING STORMS ANDKEEP PROTECTING THIS ROADWAYFROM EROSION...ASIDE FROM YELLOW TAPE ANDCAUTION SIGNS━ A STRETCH OFSANIBEL-CAPTIVA ROAD JUST SOUTHOF BLIND PASS NOW LOOKS LIKE ANATURAL BEACH17:44(James Evans, Director, NaturalResources for The City ofSanibel Island):"This is an area of criticalerosion that we’ve been dealingwith for decades now."LAST YEAR━ SANIBEL DECLARED ASTATE OF EMERGENCY WITH THEEROSION CREEPING DANGEROUSLYCLOSE TO THE ISLAND’S MAINEVACUATION ROUTE...100-SAND BAGS WERE PUT IN PLACETEMPORARILY AS OFFICIALS WORKEDON A PERMANENT SOLUTION...44:42(James Evans, Director, NaturalResources for The City ofSanibel Island):"The idea was to build aprotective wall and a revetment,which is a rock structure, andreplace the sand that had beenlost along with some duneplants."THE 1.4 MILLION PROTECTIONPROJECT WAS COMPLETED IN JUNEBUT RECENT STORMS HAVE LED TOLOSS OF A SAND IN THERESTORATION AREA1:27:23(James Evans, Director, NaturalResources for The City ofSanibel Island):"But of course these beachesthese beaches are very dynamicsystems and we expect thosesystems to change and we haveseen some sand recovery over thelast week."BUT NOW━ THERE’S ANOTHER THREAT━ THE POSSIBILITY OF TROPICALSTORM ISAIAS AFFECTING THISAREA1:53:32(James Evans, Director, NaturalResources for The City ofSanibel Island):"With these storm events we doget wind and we can get somewave action along the shorelinesso we’re continuing to follow itvery closely."BUT EVANS REMAINS CONFIDENT THEPROJECT WILL WITHIN STANDUPCOMING STORMS AND PROTECT THEROADWAY...2:07:36(James Evans, Director, NaturalResources for The City ofSanibel Island):"This project was designed, it’sa 50-year project protection ofthe roadway."LL TAG:EVANS SAYS WITH THE RECENTSTORMS THEY THE RECENT STORMSTHEY HAVE BEEN SEEING QUITE ABIT OF EROSION IN OTHER PARTS OFTHE ISLAND BUT THEY’