FDOT unveils plan to rebuild A1A in wake of Matthew’s destruction
Some of the more iconic damage inflicted by Hurricane Matthew’s tour of Florida’s Atlantic coast last fall were monstrous “shark bites” left along State Road A1A about 20 miles north of Daytona Beach.
While perhaps not found in engineering manuals, that term describes the half-moon gouges in A1A’s blacktop. The damage left a messy, treacherous beach, provoked an uncertain traffic future for the city of Flagler Beach and illustrated the ferocity of a hurricane that never made landfall in Florida.
A rushed, temporary fix was competed late last year for nearly $5 million, and now the Florida Department of Transportation is publicizing its proposal for a permanent rebuilding of the scenic stretch of shore-hugging road that residents had long considered as especially vulnerable to storm damage.
“I think the design of this A1A repair is awesome,” said Karen Joiner in comments to the Florida road agency.
Joiner and her husband built a home along the road nearly three years ago.
“Let’s say we take a direct hit, can we guarantee nothing will happen? We can’t make that guarantee.” FDOT spokesman Steve Olson
What they like about the proposal is better drainage, a new median and a proposed speed limit of 30 mph, reduced from 45 mph.
She said that she and her husband gave much thought to whether the design would be robust enough to withstand future storms, including those ushered by higher sea levels predicted in coming decades.
“Do I think it’s strong enough? I hope so,” Joiner said Thursday. “Do I think it will last for very long? I don’t think so.”
Lending to the visually striking damage that occurred is the coastline’s steep rise from surf to shoulder along the road, which provides an unobstructed panorama of the Atlantic.
According to the DOT, the difference in elevation is as much as 18 feet.
While a beachgoer couldn’t dive into the Atlantic from A1A, it’s not far from the edge of the road to wet sand.
Matthew’s northbound dash a few dozen miles offshore pummeled that steep incline, eroding sand beneath the road until it collapsed in the shape of shark bites 20 to 30 feet wide and penetrating as deeply as the road’s center line in places.
An average of nearly 10,000 cars daily had been using the road, which leads north to St. Augustine and south to Ormond Beach. Traffic was detoured to quiet, residential streets.
DOT spokesman Steve Olson said the proposed, permanent replacement, at an estimated cost of $5 million, isn’t intended to be stormproof.
“Let’s say we take a direct hit, can we guarantee nothing will happen? We can’t make that guarantee,” Olson said.
Along the 1.4-mile stretch that was most beaten up, the roadway was armored by the temporary fix with 30,000 tons of boulders, which would remain as part of the permanent version.
Another protection for that segment would be drainage features.
The road would be tilted slightly so that storm water flows inland, protecting the seaside shoulder from erosion.
To further protect the Atlantic side of the road, parking would be prohibited there to encourage plant growth to anchor soil.
The biggest visual feature would be a center median designed to catch and direct runoff into the ground.
“The reason we are putting that drainage system in is to keep any topdown erosion from occurring and worsening,” DOT project manager Ty Garner said.
Designed to have breaks for side streets and businesses, the median concept isn’t universally popular.
Some residents have urged DOT to forgo the median, widen travel lanes and broaden a proposed sidewalk from 6 feet to 10 feet.
As part of A1A’s rehabilitation, a mile section just to the south of where the shark bites occurred would be bolstered with a buildup of beach sand and plantings of sea oats. The cost has not been estimated yet.
A mile section to the north, where Irma inflicted little destruction, is slated for the most extensive and costly remake along that part of A1A.
A seawall would be installed and then buried under sand, a feature meant to withstand heavy punishment.
Garner said that work would cost $31 million and was deemed necessary because of the likely consequences of shark bites occurring there.
“If we lose the road in that segment, there is no alternative route around it,” Garner said.