Efforts to rebuild the Pine Island Bridge were finished on Thursday, three days after Hurricane Ian touched down in Florida.
After Hurricane Ian ripped through Florida, Pine Island was one of two barrier islands to be cut off from mainland Florida. Hurricane Ian destroyed causeways and bridges in the area, leaving residents stranded.
"Construction on the Pine Island bridge has been completed today – just three days after construction began," DeSantis wrote in a press release. "Happy to have the state step in and help get our Pine Island residents back on their feet."
Although efforts are still underway to repair the Sanibel Causeway, DeSantis ordered the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to prioritize repairing access to barrier islands on Wednesday. FDOT expects repairs to the Sanibel Causeway to be completed by the end of October.
"FDOT has already made tremendous progress on the temporary bridge to Pine Island," DeSantis said Wednesday as construction neared completion. "Now, I’ve asked them to work with Lee County to immediately begin work to provide temporary access and begin repairs to the Sanibel Causeway."
"Access to our barrier islands is a priority for our first responders and emergency services who have been working day and night to bring relief to all Floridians affected by Hurricane Ian," he added.
Ian was the fourth-strongest landfalling hurricane to strike Florida in that state's history. Approximately 2.5 million people across Florida were without power in the immediate aftermath of the storm.
------------------------------
Source: MSN.com
