400,000 tons of sand is coming to Sanibel. What to know from impact on traffic to shelling
The City of Sanibel is about to take another big step in the ongoing efforts to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Starting the week of Dec. 18, it is expected that trucks will begin delivering sand to beaches on the island that had erosion when Ian hit on Sept. 28, 2022. It's a project that will take place in phases. When one beach has gotten the sand it needs, crews will move on to the next.
There are five stretches of beach where sand will be hauled to, according to City of Sanibel Public Information Officer Eric Jackson. Jackson said there's a possibility that crews will work simultaneously on one to two stretches of beach throughout the duration of the project.
Here's what to know about the Sanibel Beach Recovery & Resilience Project, according to Jackson and Sanibel Natural Resources Director Holly Milbrandt:
Q. What is the project timeline?
A. The contractors were mobilizing equipment the week of Dec. 11, Jackson said, and they plan to begin hauling sand to the island Monday, Dec. 18. The project is expected to be completed in early April.
Q. Approximately how much sand will be trucked to the island?
A. Over 400,000 tons of sand will be brought to the island’s beaches.
Q. Where is the sand coming from?
A. The sand is being brought in from Vulcan Materials Company out of Moore Haven.
Q. What is the cost of the sand for this project?
A. It’s approximately $14 million and is being completed with state and federal funding.
Q. How many trucks will be used to haul the sand?
A. Between 120 to 160 trucks will be hauling sand to the island, completing two to three hauls each day.
Q. Will there be any impact on traffic?
A. The work will be completed between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, Jackson said. Some Saturdays may be worked if needed. Motorists may notice a larger concentration of the trucks early on in the day as they arrive with the first loads of the sand, but the trucks will be spread out along the routes as the day progresses.
Q. Will there be any impact for people going to the beach?
A. The sections of beaches being worked on will be closed, while the other public beaches will remain open. There will still be plenty of places for residents and visitors to enjoy the beaches during the project.
Q. What about shells/shelling? People would likely want to know about how new sand could impact shelling?
A. Shelling should not be impacted as the sand will be placed above the high water line.
Q. Was there a particular area or areas on Sanibel as far as beach impact by Ian compared to other places on the island?
A. All of the beaches along Sanibel were impacted by Hurricane Ian. However, the more severe impacts were on the east end of the Island. Jackson said Gulfside City Park is one of the stretches of beaches that took the brunt of Ian with the result being a large gully or cut-out in the beach.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Sanibel sand project will fix erosion caused by Hurricane Ian
