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Estero Island beach sand replenishment project started

A beach sand replenishment program got started Tuesday on Estero Island to repair sand issues that arose when Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers Beach in 2022.
Town of Fort Myers Beach
/
Special to WGCU
A beach sand replenishment program got started Tuesday on Estero Island to repair sand issues that arose when Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers Beach in 2022.

The Estero Island Beach Sand Truck Haul project got underway Tuesday with some 112,000 tons of beach-compatible sand eventually being used to replace sand eroded away by Hurricane Ian.

The replacement sand is from Stewart Mine in Immokalee.

The project area on the beach extends from Margaritaville south to Big Carlos Pass.

Beach construction activities will initially focus on South Estero Island onto Carlos Pointe Beach, filling in scours and raising the elevation of the beach to pre‐Ian conditions.

The project will continue north installing and repairing the sand berm and filling in scours.

The project is being funded by a Florida Department of Emergency Management grant appropriated by the Florida Legislature.

Motorists and pedestrians are advised to use caution when approaching areas of construction on Estero Boulevard and the beach while trucks are bringing the sand on the weekdays.

The project is expected to take 3 months.

Additional information about the Town’s beach recovery projects can be found on the Town’s website www.fmbgov.com/beach.

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