Cape Coral city leaders addressed concerns over the Sands Boulevard Bridge Wednesday at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
Currently, those who drive along Sands Boulevard Bridge have to avoid barricades in Cape Coral. Also, northbound and southbound have to share a lane.
The bridge, between SW 51st Street and SW 52nd Street in Cape Coral, sustained major damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022.
More of the seawall failed because of erosion from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The seawall has caused stress on the anchor rods and displacement of the wall panels. The city said this is a potential safety hazard for drivers, boaters and pedestrians. It is also a possible threat to nearby private property.
Today, city leaders talked about three long-term options: remove the bridge, repair it or replace it. All the options have a hefty price tag.
The removal would cost about $1.5 million, the repairs would cost $1.7 millon, and the replacement would cost $3.3 million.
"That community needs as many access points as it can get because of the canal situation," said Cape Coral resident Patricia Schumacher. "In 2021, my son-in-law had a heart attack. It took emergency services 20 minutes to get to him. He was clinically dead."
The city said both the police and fire departments signed no objection letters, saying the removal wouldn’t affect emergency response times.
The city says northbound lanes will be closed until work starts. Staff will also continue with emergency mitigation repairs.
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