North Estero Boulevard Project: The making of a road
The North Estero Boulevard Drainage Improvement Project is underway on Fort Myers Beach. Southwest Utility Systems, Inc. began mobilizing for construction Monday, and the clearing of the construction area is expected to start tomorrow.
Inquisitive Residents of the 0.9-mile stretch of road from Bowditch Point Park to Old San Carlos Boulevard were informed about the project’s depth of scope at a public information session at Town Hall Thursday evening.
Led by interim Public Works Director Cathie Lewis, an eight-person panel of utility, construction and public works experts held an hour-long Q & A session for 25 interested neighbors about the expected 395-day project. The other panel members were Senior Engineer Gary Ferrante of AECOM Water; Associate Scientist Joseph Harmon of Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.; Southwest Utility’s Richard Cowart, Rick Mauch and Brett Eckerrode; FMB interim Town Manager Jack Green; and FMB Special Projects Supervisor Scott Baker, the project manager for the site.
“Just think how wonderful it’ll be a year from now,” said Green. “We want you to understand the magnitude of the project. There is going to be a lot of inconvenience. But, this is a one-time inconvenience. If we can stay in contact and you can stay upbeat, we’ll do our best to try to accommodate folks as they come and go.”
Construction will begin at the entrance to Bowditch on the Gulf side with the installation of the new water lines and appurtenances. Once the Gulf side is constructed, the water lines will be constructed on the Bay side of the road. Upon completion of that phase (an expected date of mid-December), the lines will be tested and approved for use and service connections and hydrants will be switched over to the new lines for service.
The construction crew will work four 10-hour days beginning at 7 a.m., and a half day on Friday. When the road is laid, the lime rock base and two layers of asphalt will extend into the public right-of-way up to the property lines. Signs and other structures located on private property will not be impacted during the project, but will need to be moved if in the ROW. Sidewalks and bicycle lanes are planned for both sides of the street.
The schedule for trash, recycling and vegetation removal is not expected to change. However, mail will be delivered to centrally located boxes and mailboxes will be removed by contractor and given to resident or business for storage until completion of project.
During the project, one-lane traffic for 500-feet sections only will be maintained during the work day while two-lane traffic is expected during the off hours. Ramp access to driveways is expected during the concrete phase, and the Town anticipates that overhead utility services may be placed underground if details are worked out with FPL.
Project site restoration will commence once all infrastructure is placed in the ground and concrete work and street-scape elements are completed. The contractor is responsible for many of the ‘re-conditioning’ of properties.
If questions arise during construction, property is damaged or there is a need to make a complaint about a construction-related activity, contact the Town at 765-0202, ext. 109 to record the situation. It is not advised to ask contractors or the special projects supervisor questions or voice concerns while they are on site. Your inquiry may be forgotten before the official returns to office. Your phone call will be forwarded to the Town’s project manager for resolution.
“What we don’t want you to do is to get upset over something and let it fester,” said Green. “That just makes it worse even though we may have been able to solve the problem initially. So, if you have a problem, call.”