The Challenges of Repairing Sanibel Causeway After Hurricane Ian

Less than 30 days after the worst hurricane to make landfall in Lee County, Florida, the Sanibel Causeway bridge reopens to traffic. Ryan Hamrick, of Superior Construction, discusses the unique challenges Superior Construction faced to get it done.

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Sanibel Island is home to just over 6,000 local residents, but receives more than 1.5 million tourist visits annually. The community depends on tourism and business coming over from the mainland to sustain its local economy. On September 28th, the devastation of hurricane Ian brought the most intense and destructive winds that Lee County, Florida has ever seen. During the storm, the Sanibel Causeway partially collapsed.

In the days after the storm passed through, the Florida Department of Transportation awarded a contract to a joint group of companies, all working together to restore access and make final repairs and reinforcements. That joint venture is made up of Superior Construction and The De Moya Group, as well as additional paving services conducted by Ajax Paving. We spoke with Central Florida Division Manager Ryan Hamrick about the difficulty faced with a job like this, and how everyone worked together to get it done as quickly as possible. For a more in-depth article on the Sanibel Causeway repair project, you can read our interview and analysis here.

Digging Deeper is a podcast series highlighting various aspects of the construction industry, including the equipment, people, companies and associations making it all happen. Click here to access more episodes.

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