Still Dealing With Sandy Flooding, Portion Of A1A Closed

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Hurricane Sandy, which later became Superstorm Sandy when it blew through the Northeast, is still causing problems for a stretch of A1A along Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Workers are putting up thousands of feet of concrete barriers along a portion of the beach in Fort Lauderdale that is washing away just north of Sunrise Boulevard on A1A.

City officials say it's a massive emergency project that will be a short term fix to a problem that will require a long term solution.

The relentless rush of waves and sand from Hurricane Sandy in October caused sidewalks to crumble and a seawall to disappear.

"These are the highest tides we've ever seen since we've lived here," said longtime resident Craig Mayor. "What we all have known is no longer there."

Mayor floated a possible solution to CBS4's Carey Codd; reduce the number of lanes in this part of A1A.

"I'd love to see us go down to two lanes here, for this section, which would be ideal for the beach because you could increase the size of the beach," said Mayor.

But with every wave, residents fear the beach they knew and loved may never recover.

We live on beachfront property that's not going to be beachfront property anymore. But what can we do it's Mother Nature you know," said resident Dave Nicholas.

The mayor of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler told Carey Codd that he is urging drivers to slow down in this area while this work continue and the road is reduced to two lanes.

Seiler said the city will need a strong partnership with local, state and federal agencies to renourish the beach.