Lee County will host a ground breaking ceremony for the Fort Myers Beach pier this morning at 10AM. In 2022 Hurricane Ian destroyed the entire structure. Beach Talk Radio will be at the event to broadcast live.
The new pier will be 1,000 feet long and 12 feet wide. That’s 71% longer and 50% wider than the pier destroyed by the storm. The pier will incorporate reinforced concrete piles, a concrete deck, aluminum railings, an entry gate and three shade structures. The pilings currently seen just off Times Square will be removed.
Lee County is funding the $14.4 million project (design and construction) using FEMA Public Assistance, Tourist Development Taxes and RESTORE ACT grants.
The build is expected to take about a year.
Can the old pilings be repurposed into structure/habitat to hold fish around the new pier?
Do all the old concrete pilings have to be replaced?
I wondered that too! Why would they have left them there for four years if they are being removed. Somebody even got hurt on them recently I thought.