TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Hurricane recovery is still going strong, especially along the barrier islands.

The city of Treasure Island says it is seeing more snowbirds make their way to the beach, and work is underway to try to get things back to normal.

What You Need To Know

  • The city of Treasure Island is working to fix its beach trail as residents and visitors make their return 

  • The city has approved two construction projects at nearly a half-million dollars to fix the beach wall toppers and the turtle-friendly lighting

  • The turtle lighting project that was just approved by the city will utilize waterproof wiring and fixtures to mitigate damage from the next storm

  • Visitors express gratitude on the city approving the repairs

Residents and visitors along the entire stretch of the beach’s mile-long trail said they’re happy to see all the work being done to fix it.

The city has approved two construction projects at nearly a half-million dollars.

“We’re seeing more and more people out here,” said Treasure Island Public Information Officer Jason Beisel. “We’re seeing more people from our friends to the north and Canada, from Indiana to all these other states coming here.”

Julie Neustadt is one of those snowbirds, hailing from Chicago.

She said she appreciates having paved access to the Treasure Island Beach trail. It gets her closer to the city’s main asset.

“It makes it very easy, obviously, to move in a wheelchair. Sometimes, sidewalks are uneven or blocked or crumbling in different spots. So this having a nice, long straight or level access is really enjoyable,” Neustadt said.

An enjoyable experience on the trail, but it is still scarred and recovering from Hurricane Helene.

Helene’s storm surge tore off the beach wall toppers or caps.

It also destroyed the turtle-friendly lighting that spans the mile-long trial, and is required to comply with city code.

Scott Loomis, a snowbird from Cleveland, says he’s thankful to the city for approving the funding to make these repairs.

“Most of the snowbirds are older, so they can use that little illumination while on the walking path,” he said. “The last week or so, I’ve been down here — you’re walking down. It’s really dark at night, but the path is here. But the lights are going to help out big time.”

The multi-functional beach wall is almost done and 216 lights will soon be replaced.

“It provides seating all up and down the beach trail, and provides, when the wind blows, some of these hotels in their pool to help stop some of that sand coming up onto the beach trail, or into their property," Beisel said. "And we’re also told by one of our hotels that way it got some water inside it, during Hurricane Helene, that this wall actually helped stop some of that water from going inside this hotel."

So the beach wall is not just for sitting — there are other benefits.

The turtle lighting project that was just approved by the city will utilize waterproof wiring and fixtures to mitigate damage from the next storm.

The hurricane recovery price tag to repair the Treasure Island beach wall is a little more than $239,000. The turtle-friendly lighting is estimated at $237,000.