Cape Coral City Council at their July 16 meeting agreed on moving forward with repairing the Sands Bridge at Sands Boulevard over Eternity Canal in the southwest Cape. Its status deteriorated after Hurricane Ian damaged it, followed by Helen and Milton. City staff said they expect the Federal Highway Administration to award it funds for a portion of the repair, but due to a formal approval process, it is not yet guaranteed. That leaves the city paying somewhere between $377,608, with FHWA’s help, or $1,483,719 without it, for the design and construction needed to make the repairs. Council was not in favor of a full bridge replacement, which could have cost upward of $3 million, or a permanent removal option estimated to cost $1,473,771.