FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — Crews returned to South Indian River Drive in Fort Pierce on Wednesday to repair a washed-out embankment for the second time in a week, as king tides and recent rain continue to affect parts of South Florida.
Skid loaders were working along the narrow roadway beside the Indian River Lagoon, adding dirt and sand to reinforce an area where erosion has left the road’s edge vulnerable.
Crews brought 32 loads of dirt to the site Sept. 20. But only days later, the embankment again needed repairs.
Resident Gene Barnes said the recurring work is not a long-term solution.
“We’re losing ground year by year,” Barnes said. “Until the Corps of Engineers or something like that comes and puts a headwall in to stabilize it, it’s not going to be an easy fix.”
A large section of South Indian River Drive in Fort Pierce washed out along the Indian River Lagoon amid king tides and recent rain. (Photo by Bruce Moorhead)
The road has faced erosion problems before. Heavy rain damaged sections in 2014, and Hurricane Nicole caused additional washouts in 2022.
Barnes said continued rain and tidal action could undermine the roadway itself.
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“If we keep getting rains like this, it’s going to undermine the road, and then the road is going to collapse and the school bus is going to fall in the hole,” he said.
The latest repairs follow an emergency sand operation at nearby Jetty Park that cost taxpayers nearly $500,000. While repairs on South Indian River Drive may be less costly, residents said the erosion is likely to remain a concern as more rain and tidal action are forecast.