The Florida Department of Transportation is once again patching up portions of State Road A1A in Flagler Beach after recent downpours caused more washouts.

  • Heavy rains again wash out portions of State Road A1A
  • Problem area is the same spot as washout in April
  • About $57.5M set aside for permanent repairs 

"The longer we wait, the greater the hazard," said Robert Sweeney, who lives across the street from where one washout happened.

"It's not a solution, it's a Band-Aid on a very large wound," said Patricia Devico, who also lives in Flagler Beach.

Permanent repairs along the highway can't come soon enough for the frustrated people who live in the area and have been dealing with washouts since Hurricane Matthew swept north along the coast in October 2016. Crews dumped loads of sand from North 21st Street to North 23rd Street, patching up areas where transportation officials said the road caved in Tuesday evening.

"They need to build a barrier to keep the water from running off the edge, otherwise this is going to erode again and again," Sweeney said. "This is a process that unfortunately is not effective."

In April, heavy rains caused the roadway to erode. It also happened last week before washing out again Tuesday.

"It's a hazard to the road, it's a hazard to the drivers, it's a hazard to the people walking along here," Sweeney said

Added Devico: "They're not fixing anything by putting dirt over more dirt. That just washes away."

Larry Newsom, the city manager for Flagler Beach, said the washouts continue to happen in the same area. Temporary repairs aren't permanently stabilizing the roadway.

Newsom said there isn't enough vegetation on the dunes to help protect the road from caving in. He said he's hoping the Department of Transportation can come up with a better solution.

The permanent repair work, however, isn't slated to start until October 2018.

Transportation officials, in a statement, said they are monitoring the road, adding: "SR A1A is under contract with an asset maintenance contractor to assist us in maintaining and keeping the road safe."

People who live in the area want the process expedited, though.

"Do it soon or we're not going to have a street," Devico said.

"It's got to be expedited because the longer we wait, the longer we have inadequate protection," Sweeney said.

About $57.5 million has been set aside for the permanent project.