Lauderdale's A1A Emergency Fix Almost Complete

FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – An emergency fix to State Road A1A along a stretch of Ft. Lauderdale beach is almost complete.

The road and sidewalk from NE 14th Court to NE 18th Street, just north of Sunrise Boulevard, began to crack and crumble last January due to seasonal high tides and the pounding surf caused by the passing of Hurricane Sandy.  The seawall was completely destroyed.

Over the last few months, crews have installed 500 pieces of sheet metal to form a new seawall and spread 27,000 tons of sand to replenish the beach, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. The $8.3 million project was supposed to wrap up in late May but rain stalled some of the finishing touches.

"Mostly it's been the weather that has been holding us back," Barbara Kelleher, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, told the paper. "The pavement has to be totally dry before we put the pavement markings in."

The project is now scheduled to wrap up at the end of this weekend, but even that could be pushed back because of this week's rain.

Two lanes of four remain closed, with one in each direction. The lanes will reopen once the road has reached completion.

The emergency fix is only temporary. The city, along with a number of other agencies including FDOT and the county's planning organization, are currently working on a permanent solution. That project is expected to receive funding and start work in late 2014.

CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.