Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Beach Roads Re-do Redux

Repair work to reopen the Opal Beach road to Pensacola Beach began earlier this month. Today, the News Journal reports reconstruction of the road to Fort Pickens on the west end of Pensacola Beach "likely will begin in mid-November."

We've heard this before, of course. Gulf Islands National Park superintendent Jerry Eubanks has the luck of John McCain's economic plan writers. Every time he announces repairs will start at last, another storm comes along or the plovers decide to nest -- and he has to change plans again.

The west and the east end roads from Pensacola Beach were torn up, first, by hurricanes Ivan (2004) and then Hurricane Dennis (2005). Even Hurricane Ike (2008) over-washed much of Ft. Pickens Road.

The incomparable Barrier Island Girl has been building a fascinating photographic archive of the island roads au naturel as Mother Nature has its way with them. Ft. Pickens photos are here. Bowden Way photos on the eastern leg to Opal Beach are here.

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