ORMOND BY THE SEA, Fla. — With hurricane season well underway, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is highlighting the construction progress of two buried seawalls along state road A1A in Flagler and Volusia counties.
Residents and visitors that are near these projects say they look forward to seeing how they will impact the area for the better.
“We’re going to set our chairs out by the water so I can keep my feet in, keep cool, and hang out," beach visitor Kari Soto said. "We plan to be here all day."
Soto is visiting the Sunshine State from Tennessee with her kids.
They, like her, love the water.
“I love the beach," Jordan Soto said. "It’s my favorite place.”
With these seawall projects underway, Kari Soto says it’s a win for visitors and locals.
“Everyone seems to be very informative about rules, regulations, just how they want to keep the community,” she said.
FDOT officials say this is an important step forward for coastal resiliency in the area.
“The plan was to construct two 1.3 miles of secant walls, and this is the first one," DeLand operations engineer Chris Barone said. "So, this is really exciting for us to be this far along in the process of construction.”
One seawall is along Clubhouse Drive in Flagler Beach.
The other is along Briggs Drive in Ormond by the Sea.
“I’m hopeful of good things for A1A with all of these efforts,” District 5 maintenance engineer Ron Meade said.
Local business leaders applaud these projects.
The Golden Lion Cafe has been a staple in Flagler Beach for over 30 years.
“There’s been a lot of work done with the beach renourishment and rebuilding the seawall," said owner Christopher Marlow. "That will ultimately protect our homes, protect our businesses, and protect the beaches, that’s what it’s all about."
Visitors like Soto agree — she says projects like this draw her to the area.
“It’s nice to feel welcome someplace new and not feel like so much of an outsider," she said. "We feel very at home here."
FDOT leaders say the seawalls are engineered to safeguard the A1A corridor against erosion and storm damage.
The project in Ormond by the Sea is expected to be complete by the end of the year.