New Seven Mile Bridge in the works for Florida Keys
MIAMI - Hurricane Ian danced past Key West and "The Southern Most City" experienced flooding, a hundred homes were impacted but it was Fort Meyers, Naples and Marco Island that took the main hit.
What went down there had high interest in the Keys.
Roman Gastesi is the Monroe County Manager. He told CBS4 News, "When you live in Florida, when you live in the area we live in it, it is not if you are going to get hit by a hurricane, it is when are you going to get hit by a hurricane."
On September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the Lower Keys. What was the lesson learned from Irma that Roman Gastesi passed on to Lee and Collier counties leaders?
"I told 'em the community will improve. It is going to be better built, more resilient,and they will be a better community in the long run," Gastesi said.
For several Keys residents and officials, one image stood out in the TV coverage.
That was the severely damaged bridge and causeway that linked the mainland to Sanibel Island.
There are 42 bridges linking the Keys to the mainland including the iconic Seven Mile Bridge, West of Marathon. Roman Gastesi commented, "If a bridge goes down that is a total mess."
So, that's why there is going to be an all-new Seven Mile Bridge.
A move already in the works reinforced by lessons learned from Ian.
Roman Gastesi said, "The Seven Mile Bridge is the scariest one because those are just panels sitting on top of the bridge itself and can be popped up due to wave action."
There are also other issues with the bridge. Construction is projected to begin within the decade.
The current bridge will be taken down and replaced by a new one.
"We just got an update the other day and we are looking at $5-600 million for a new Seven Mile Bridge," said Gastesi.