The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Escambia County will hold two public information meetings to discuss work set to begin on the Bob Sikes Fishing Pier, parking and trail restoration project. The project aims to improve access and enhance the experience for users at the fishing pier located on Santa Rosa Island.
The first meeting will be held in conjunction with the Marine Advisory Committee meeting today at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place. The MAC meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. The second meeting will be held tomorrow night at the Santa Rosa Island Authority Board Room, 1 Via de Luna, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
County leaders are planning several improvements to the pier. They include improved access, lighting, railing upgrades, additional handicap parking and an access roadway from the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk to the pier parking lot.
Access roadway upgrades between the Quietwater bathrooms and the fishing bridge will include additional paved parking, extension of the pedestrian trail all the way to the fishing bridge, stormwater improvements and a new crosswalk across the access roadway.
The county will use BP grant funding awarded by the FDEP along with county funds to construct the improvements. Funding was received as part of an early restoration settlement to offset recreational loss from the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill.
Design work is underway and construction is anticipated to begin Spring 2017.