Nearly six years in the making, construction of a boardwalk along the shoreline by the Anna Maria City Pier is slated to begin May 16, two days after the pier centennial celebration ends.
Few members of the public appeared at the May 3 meeting with Florida Department of Transportation officials to learn more about the planned boardwalk. Commissioner Jo Ann Mattick, who chairs the transportation enhancement grant committee that oversees the project, said that was probably a good thing.
“If there had been a lot of complaints, we would have heard them tonight. I think the committee did a good job of keeping people informed from the start of the project benefits and how it fits with the community,” Mattick said.
The meeting with the DOT and engineers from contractor Woodruff & Sons was for informational purposes and no formal presentation was planned, said DOT spokesperson Cindy Clemmons.
Those who attended seemed pleased with the project.
“I’m very glad this is happening,” said Judge McCaffery. “It will allow us old folks to sit and watch the pier and water and not have to walk.”
Mattick, who spearheaded funding for the $857,000 project, said she’s heard nothing but positive comments about the boardwalk.
“One couple did send me a letter last week that they were worried it would look like the Atlantic City boardwalk and ruin the environment,” Mattick said.
“I wrote back explaining that this is not that type of boardwalk, it’s more like what they have at the Robinson Preserve, and it will enhance the environment by creating more habitat for birds and other wildlife along the shore.”
The boardwalk will be about 575 feet long and 8 feet wide at most points, but some areas will be wider to allow wheelchair users to rest unobstructed by walkers.
Lighting will be installed along the boardwalk, and the boardwalk will be no more than 8-10 inches above ground level, Woodruff engineer Matt Anderson said.
Anderson said the wood used for boardwalk construction is “ipe,” pronounced “e-pay,” that comes from South America and should last from 15-20 years against the salt and elements before any replacement is required.
“It’s an extremely hard wood and was chosen specifically for projects near the sea,” he said.
Two covered shelters will be constructed on each side of the pier entrance, complete with picnic tables. The north shelter will serve as a trolley stop and shelter, Mattick said.
Parking will be angled in the north pier parking lot, while Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant parking will be provided in the south lot. The parking lots will be covered with crushed shell to facilitate stormwater runoff.
New, native landscaping will be installed in a random fashion along the entire boardwalk to “enhance the natural beauty of the area and provide shade and wildlife habitat, Mattick said.
Other amenities include a bike rack, concrete pads for newspaper racks, trash enclosures and a new sign for the pier entrance, she added.
“The boardwalk will enable those with disabilities, as well as local residents and visitors of all ages the opportunity to have a ‘pier experience,’” Mattick said.
The first phase of the project will be on the north side of the pier — that parking lot and boardwalk should be ready by July 11, she said.
The south parking lot and south boardwalk should open by Aug. 16.
Anderson said the plan is to finish in mid-August, depending upon the weather.
“No matter when we did this, someone would be inconvenienced. We just hope the weather holds up and we’re done by mid-August.”
All work will be done during daylight hours and there will be a few lane closures on Bay Boulevard with a flagging operation, Anderson said.
Work on the project began in 2006, when Mattick applied for a federal transportation enhancement grant for a new beautification project. The original grant was for $359,000 but was later increased to $857,000 by the federal government.
The project is administered by the DOT, which selected the contractor under a “design-and-build” contract. Under the terms of the grant, the funds could only be used for a new beautification project, not to remodel or enhance an existing one.
The project website is at www.MySR789.com.