Repairs begin at South Jetty walkway in Venice's Humphris Park after damage from Debby

VENICE – Venice public works employees started repairs on the South Jetty walkway this week to relocate rocks shifted by Tropical Storm Debby as it passed last month.

City officials anticipate that the repairs will take about two weeks, depending on weather, equipment and materials.

Most of Humphris Park – including Jetty Jack’s snack bar – is open to the public but people should stay outside of the barricaded area.

People who cross the barricade into the construction area could face a $75 file from Venice Police.

The South Jetty walkway, a popular fishing spot, was closed for nearly a year because of damage from Hurricane Idalia.

After work by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the West Coast Inland Navigation District, it reopened July 31, but only for about five days , until it was damaged again by Debby's wind and storm surge.

How is the South Jetty Walkway being rebuilt?

Unlike the post-Idalia repair, this job does not require Venice Public Works employees to bring in more rocks.

They will focus on relocating rocks that shifted by Debby and fill voids.

After that is done, a crew from Ajax Paving will bring in a fresh layer of asphalt.

Will there be another permanent fix?

The North and South jetties were built in 1937, when the channel was dredged between Roberts Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Army Corps is working on a larger, long-term project to restore both the South and North Jetty to their original specifications.

That project is still in the planning stages, with no timetable for when it would occur.

Humphris Park is closed nightly to vehicles from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Repairs begin at South Jetty walkway in Venice's Humphris Park after damage from Debby