Access to Pine Island should be improving soon with Governor Ron DeSantis announced that FDOT will help fix the roads and bridges there. NBC 6 Miami’s Heather Walker has the latest.
Residents wanted to get the message out that they needed a new road to be built to get on and off Pine Island.
Their barrier island was one of the hardest hit coastal communities when Hurricane Ian blasted through Wednesday with 150 mph winds, massive storm surge and flooding.
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They reached out to NBC 6 because no other news crews had made it to the island and they needed help.
“We’re gonna tell everyone,” Cherie Herrera said. “It’s like Christmas on the island today!”
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“No, no it’s like 20 Christmases,” her dad Randy said.
Both rejoiced after learning that road work from the mainland to Pine Island will be expedited.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced Sunday that the Florida Department of Transportation will assist Lee County to expedite emergency repairs to the road and bridges, providing motorists access to Pine Island.
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The road washed out from the high waters leaving the only way to get supplies is by boat and helicopter.
“We’re completely isolated we have people that desperately need help and this is our road,” Herrera said.
Some people lost everything, their homes are in pieces and others came back to the island to find their homes unlivable.
“I thought the whole thing to be in the canal,” said Sayde Kama who is happy that she and her husband still have some possessions.
People have been working to clear the roads on Pine Island, but there are still power lines and boats in the middle of the road.
"All of a sudden I heard the biggest crash and Pat said we’ve been hit, and I said do you think it’s Rosebud,” Becky Cole said to her husband.
Rosebud is their catamaran and it ended up on their roof. The boat is destroyed, but their lives were spared.
“We’re just thanking God that we’re here we’re alive we went through something unthinkable,” Cole said, who rode out the storm in her Pine Island home.
Pine Island is in a tough spot because there is no electricity, no gas, and no grocery stores are open.
Some people have set up temporary kitchens to serve food, but how long they will stay on the island there is unclear.
