Directional drilling project begins in Naples for stormwater improvements

NAPLES, Fla. — The City of Naples and DBE Utilities Services began the directional drilling at 3^rd Avenue North beach end to 1,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico as part of the overall stormwater improvements.

The Director of Naples Public Works Bob Middleton says that this directional drilling project will be more eco-friendly than the old system it will be replacing.

“There will be treatment best management practices involved in that to remove the nutrients, down to a level that is much better than we have now," says Middleton.

This portion of the project will take approximately three months and will be completed in March 2023. The City of Naples will provide the public with an updated schedule every two weeks.

A drilling rig has been set up at the 3^rd Avenue North beach end that will drill the pipe carrier holes from land to 1,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico to allow the pipes to be installed.

At the 3rd Avenue North Beach there exists a few bits of exposed piping already there. “Thats one of the existing beach outfall pipes that we are going to eliminate," Middleton said.

The 2^nd Avenue North beach end has been closed for the construction crew, engineer, and city representative parking.

This is the initial step of the construction of the stormwater pump station on 3^rd Avenue North and the stormwater improvements along Gulf Shore Boulevard North.

“That pump station doesn't care about the tide, if it's got water coming to it, it's going to pump it to the gulf," Middleton said.

The following work items are scheduled through the installation of the first of two beach outfall pipes:

• January 9^th – January 12^th, – Drilling of the first outfall pipe from 3^rd Avenue North beach end to the Gulf begins.
• January 11^th – January 13^th – The eastbound lane of 3^rd Avenue North will be partially closed to stage and fuse the pipe.
• January 13^th – January 16^th – Both east and westbound lanes of 3^rd Avenue North will be closed to complete the pipe fusing and string the pipe along the north side of 3^rd Avenue North.
• January 16^th – January 17^th – The intersection of 3^rd Avenue North and Gulf Shore Boulevard North will be closed to pull the fused pipe from 3^rd Avenue North across both lanes of Gulf Shore Boulevard North to the 3^rd Avenue North beach end and then into the Gulf.