Pinellas County commissioners voted unanimously on March 24 to approve a funding agreement that will direct more than $1.3 million in federal dollars toward repairing hurricane damage at the Dunedin Causeway.
The agreement, a Local Agency Program arrangement with the Florida Department of Transportation, covers construction and engineering inspection services along county-managed segments of the causeway. FDOT will contribute up to $1.3 million, with the county covering the remaining $105,000 of the $1.42 million total. County staff will carry out the work.
The project focuses on permanent repairs to infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Helene in 2024, including restoring eroded right-of-way, stabilizing the shoreline, and repairing the bridge. Crews will also repair or replace the bag wall system for shoreline protection and address the bridge fender system — including whale boards and handrails — to restore structural integrity and navigational safety. Construction is expected to be complete by December.
Public Works Director Kelli Hammer Levy explained that the lengthy approval process — which drew complaints from causeway users — was due to the project having to go through the Federal Highway Administration before being routed through FDOT. “This is the agreement that we needed in order to get that work done,” she told commissioners.
Commission Chairman Dave Eggers also confirmed that the county plans to incorporate a one-way clockwise traffic pilot project on the north side of the causeway into the repair work. The repairs cover the county’s section of the causeway; the area near the bathroom facility falls under the city of Dunedin’s jurisdiction.
Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Google, & X
St. Pete-Clearwater Sun: local St. Pete-Clearwater news at PIE-Sun.com
Leave a Reply