Crumbled sidewalks and seawalls are now what separate parts of Fort Lauderdale Beach from A1A.
“You used to be able to walk 30, 40 yards out there, and now the waves are crashing right at the street,” Fort Lauderdale resident Eric Taylor said.
With 2,500 feet of cement barriers put in place to block the water, it’s not the seaside view longtime residents of the city remember.
“To see the damage to our infrastructure between the sea walls, the road, the whole beach erosion, it’s extremely frustrating, and something we’re focused on trying to find a fix to,” Mayor Jack Seiler said.
The erosion hasn’t affected the commercial side of the beach and the mayor says it’s still open for business. He says the priority is to reclaim the beach with a long-term renourishment plan.
“Can they do anything about it?” Boca Raton resident David Pilossof asked as he stood at the beach. “I’m not so sure.”
The Florida Department of Transportation had staffers assessing the situation Monday. Cleo Marsh said the FDOT would be meeting with the city of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County to decide where to go from here.
One four-lane stretch of A1A has been reduced to two lanes because of all the damage, and crews say it will be several months before the beach and traffic flow will return back to normal.
“We’re just very hopeful and obviously praying, too, that this is the worst of it,” Seiler said.
