Beach renourishment expected to be completed this week

Town of Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said the latest target date for the town’s beach renourishment project to be completed is the end of August.

The project, which has been granted extensions every month since it was expected to be completed in January, could be mostly wrapped up by this Thursday, Allers said.

“The staff has informed me that the beach renourishment project is expected to wrap up around August 14, with full demobilization scheduled by the end of the month,” Allers said.

Ahtna Marine and Construction, which was contracted by the town for the $21.7 million project after a bid protest over its low bid, initially encountered delays in part to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton last fall. In more recent months, the company has been delayed by equipment breakdowns, weather issues and other issues such as water leaks from its sand dredging pipe.

Under the terms of the agreement, the work was was supposed to be completed in January in order to avoid shorebird nesting season and sea turtle nesting season – both of which the project has interfered with.

To date, 42 loggerhead sea turtles have been relocated by Turtle Time to avoid impacts from the beach renourishment project. Turtle Time has also recorded more than 300 false crawls this season by nesting sea turtles, one of the highest on record for Fort Myers Beach.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Counbcil awarded the bid in May of 2024 despite the bid protest under the advice of Town Attorney Becky Vose and Town Manager Andy Hyatt. It was alleged under the bid protest from Callen Marine that Ahtna Marine and Construction was not responsive to the town’s bid specifications as it would not have the appropriate equipment on hand to complete the work in time. The work was supposed to be completed within 180 days and an allowance of up to 195 days. If they didn’t finish the work in time, they face penalties of $750 a day. Callen Marine has bid $37 million on the project, which is largely being covered by county, state and federal funds.

Fort Myers Beach Environmental Project Manager Chadd Chustz announced in May that he expected the work to be completed by June 30. That was the fourth extension the town had given the contractors following previous extensions the town and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had signed off on for the project to go into shorebird nesting season, including work in and around the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area.

The remaining work is outside the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area and doesn’t require DEP permits.

Areas around the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area are currently taped off by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to protect nesting shorebirds, their hatchlings and their nests.