BOCC approves Beach restoration change order
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a change order with Florida Dredge and Dock, LLC, the contractor for the Estero Island Beach Restoration project, in the amount of $660,950 and an increased contract time of 55 days at the commission’s weekly meeting in downtown Fort Myers.
County records disclosed that adding an additional 105,752 cubic yards and assuming the same production requirement necessitates an additional 51 days to complete the work. The additional 4 days would compensate the Contractor for his good faith effort to cease operations over the July 4th weekend.
The action also addressed concerns about the delay in the restoration since the May 1 start. The additional time was viewed as necessary to allow adequate time to complete the additional work.
The re-nourishment project had an original contract time of 150 days and a proposed sand placement of 315,000 cubic yards. But, due to weather conditions and equipment mechanical problems, the extended contract time and added estimated volume to 420,752 cubic yards of sand appeared to be needed increases.
Dredge goals include the ability to sustain operations 18 hours a day or 75 percent of the 24-hour period. Yet, abnormal seasonal wind patterns have caused contractor equipment problems and damage.
“We can stand the chop, but we just can’t stand the roll (ground swells) that starts moving the dredge and slamming it against the spuds,” said Florida Dredge & Dock owner Don Fletcher at the first restoration update meeting. “If it’s anymore than probably 10 to 15 knots of sustained southwest-to-west winds, it’s going to shut us down.”
The funding source for the 1.2-mile county project comes from the county’s General Revenue Fund with an expected reimbursement from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection agency as well as Capital Improvement Tourist Development Council dollars allotted for the Beach. The project started at Bowditch Point and extends to the south terminus of Crescent Beach Family Park.
In the latest update on the restoration, project coordinator Robert Neal noted that “progress has increased considerably with the new equipment (cutterhead)” and that “production rates have nearly doubled since installing the equipment on Aug. 28.”
County and contractor officials held their second and most recent restoration progress meeting at Pink Shell Resort on Sept. 27. Attendee consensus focused on completing the project with the available equipment assuming that completion can occur prior to 2012.
In his emailed updated report, Neal said completion is projected for mid-December.
As of Monday, Oct. 17, the project had reached the Best Western Plus Beach Resort, but was immobile due to weather.
According to county records, bathymetric surveys conducted in April 2011 showed an erosion of approximately 55,460 cubic yards since March 2010. Adjustment to the dredge volume acceptable for payment will account for these erosion losses and for material placed within construction tolerances – a 6-inch tolerance above the construction template for state and federal permits. The tolerance volume is approximately 50,292 cubic yards. Increasing the contract volume to include the tolerance ensures the maximum benefit allowable by permit across the entire project.