Hanson is jumping into action, helping our Florida clients prepare for the effects of climate change by developing projects that will qualify for grants and working with them to carry out effective design.
The Federal Highway Administration defines resilience as “the ability of a project to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, withstand, respond to or recover rapidly from disruptions.” As the climate and weather patterns change, the need for local and state governments to plan and adjust becomes more urgent. Hurricanes have been occurring more often and becoming more intense, according to a WUSF-FM report on Oct. 19, 2022, and resiliency is a growing concern as hurricanes become increasingly disruptive and destructive to U.S. coastal areas.
The federal government has offered funding for communities looking to strengthen their coastal resilience. In February 2024, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced it would invest about $140 million — the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law providing $96 million of it — in coastal resilience projects incorporating nature-sourced solutions.
Hanson is jumping into action, helping our Florida clients prepare for the effects of climate change by developing projects that will qualify for grants and working with them to carry out effective design. Two such projects are the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) resiliency improvements at State Road A1A (Mayport and Vilano roads) in District 2. In recent years, extreme weather events have caused continual flooding, erosion, scour and deterioration in these low-lying areas along coastal SR A1A, which serves as a hurricane evacuation route for these coastal communities.
To fortify the two affected stretches of SR A1A, Hanson is working with FDOT to provide support and solutions, including assisting with the preparation of the grant application that resulted in funding for the projects. Hanson is now performing the design work on an accelerated, 12-month schedule.
Hanson partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation to provide a cost-benefit analysis to justify a single, long-term solution instead of continually repairing damaged roadway in Mayport, Florida.
Sustainable solutions in Mayport
SR A1A provides sole access to the village of Mayport and the back gate of Naval Station Mayport, the second-largest naval facility on the East Coast and the third largest in the U.S. Damage to this section of the roadway can be devastating to residents, military personnel and local businesses.
Hanson partnered with FDOT to provide a cost-benefit analysis to justify a single, long-term solution instead of continually repairing damaged roadway. The team then prepared construction documents and permits for repairing and stabilizing the roadway, including a buried sheet pile retaining wall system to guard against scour and undermining of the roadway. Bank and shore rubble rip rap also add resiliency to the coastal segment.
Hanson also worked with FDOT on a cost-benefit analysis to show the advantages of a more comprehensive and long-lasting solution in Vilano Beach, Florida. Hanson also studied the area and developed a buried retaining wall concept.
Building resiliency in Vilano Beach
Thirty-six miles south of Mayport, in the barrier-island town of Vilano Beach, tourists heavily travel SR A1A, which is a primary access road for the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. The community has experienced flooding, erosion, scour and deterioration of its low-lying stretch of SR A1A. The roadway and dune system have been affected by shifting sand, rough surf and strong tides, and when the roadway becomes impassable, residents and others can only access their homes and businesses via a 16-mile detour to the north. Earlier repairs have not held up to repeated storms.
As with the Mayport project, Hanson worked with FDOT on a cost-benefit analysis to show the advantages of a more comprehensive and long-lasting solution. Hanson also studied the area and developed a buried retaining wall concept like the one used at Mayport.
Strengthening communities
Both coastal communities will benefit from the techniques used to address their individual needs and provide increased resiliency, reliability, connectivity and safe evacuation.
“It is always rewarding to support a client — in this case, FDOT District 2, with such an important initiative. Strengthening the infrastructure and improving safety where we live and play is good for our communities, and we are proud to be a part of that effort,” said Hanson Senior Vice President and Senior Project Manager Jeff Bowen, P.E., who works at the Jacksonville, Florida, office.
Hanson Assistant Vice President and Florida Disciplines Manager Clint Smith, P.E., CFM, who works at the Jacksonville office and serves as the project manager of the Mayport and Vilano Beach projects, can be reached at csmith@hanson-inc.com.