It’s been just over nine months since Hurricane Harvey hit the Coastal Bend and while many places are being rebuilt, the damage to the Packery Channel jetties, appears to be untouched.
Cracks in the pavement, parts of the revetment caving in or completely sunken in.
City councilman Greg Smith says it’s going to cost about $4 to $8 million to repair. "We’re talking about damage in the millions it could run $4 to $8 million are the numbers I’ve heard because of that damage."
The jetties are currently open to the public as the City says it’s a long process, working with FEMA. FEMA has agreed to reimburse up to 90% of that $4 to $8 million dollar storm damage cost.
Jeff Edmonds, Director of Engineering with the City says "Part of the delay is FEMA is very insistent that you do things with full and open competition."
Edmonds says he hopes to have construction started by the beginning of 2019 and assures the community that construction plans won’t close off Packery Channel.
The City is currently in the design phase of this project. Once there’s a design, they’ll begin bids on those repairs.
As for who will front that bill, that would come from the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone also known as TIRZ with the expectation that FEMA will reimburse it.
