North Estero Boulevard project underway
Damage done to the north section of Estero Boulevard by one the worst hurricanes ever to hit Fort Myers Beach is in the final prepping stages to be restored.
At the Fort Myers Beach Town Council meeting last week, Ron Edenfield, a hired engineer for the town from Environmental Consulting and Technologies, gave an elaborate solution to repair the road conditions caused by Hurricane Charley in 2004. He discussed the current conditions of the area and presented a project time line, preliminary design and final concept of north Estero.
During Edenfield’s presentation, he explained in his design the multitude of issues that need to be addressed to repair north Estero Boulevard including the flood mitigation cost; the water management control system (incorporating new water lines on both sides of right of way to design a looped waterway system); public transportation (trolley stops along corridor); mass transit (bicycle lanes and sidewalks on both sides of right of way); pipe replacement (replace existing asbestos pipes with looped network along each edge of right of way); and landscaping during his project design.
He stated that current conditions on the main road of the north section included a substandard drainage system; drainage pockets (large puddles tearing up the pavement resulting in pavement failure); the absence of storm water quality treatment; a lack of a continuous sidewalk and bike path; no trolley stops in traffic lanes; extensive encroachments along the entire right of way (i.e. parking, dumpsters, landscaping, business signs); and no aesthetic continuity along the corridor.
Edenfield explained after Hurricane Charley, the Federal Emergency Management Agency began an application process for funding, which was followed by a South Florida Water Management District grant process in mid 2005, then a design process beginning in early 2006, the SFWMD grant approval in mid 2006; followed by a utility assessment in mid 2008; The actual funding by FEMA began in late 2008.
His preliminary concept called for a designed drainage system; a “Treatment Train” process for water quality; an Inverted Crown design utilized to collect storm water and treat storm water out of the right of way when possible and within right of way where necessary.
The initial concept also required five new easements for drainage outfalls; meandering travel lanes to accommodate trolley stops; and the incorporation of utility, pedestrian, bicycle, transportation, and beautification elements.
Edenfield’s final concept included securing easements from a single entity; centering travel lanes within the right of way; a more involved strategy for pedestrian and bicycle elements; and the utilization of an inverted curb and slot gutter to collect storm water and treat storm water out of right of way in all cases to allow significant room for the water line replacement project.
Beach residents voiced concern over the possibility that parking at their businesses would be taken away during the project. Mayor Larry Kiker and his council then unanimously passed a motion on a policy to allow the town staff to consider possible exceptions to that rule.
“We set a policy to allow the staff to identify exceptions, make recommendations and bring them forward to the council for consideration,” said Kiker. “That’s particularly important as we move forward to the remaining portion of Estero Boulevard where we will experience other issues. We established the right of way as a result of the survey being done.”