Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Short answers, each linked to the public record behind it.
What is failing, and where?
About 510 feet of seawall and the pile-supported concrete walkway the City calls the catwalk, on the north bank of the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, between Andrews Avenue and the FEC Railway bridge.[1] The site is in City Commission District 4, and the Riverwalk 9/11 Monument stands within the project area.[10, 22]
Is it safe to walk there?
Part of the walkway collapsed, and the City has barricaded the stretch from Andrews Avenue west to the train bridge.[7] In its March 2026 grant application, the City called the catwalk “a public safety hazard.”[6] Please stay outside the barricades and follow City signs. We are not engineers and can’t judge the site’s safety. The public record we reviewed doesn’t show whether any engineering assessment has been made since the collapse, and our fifth ask is that the City publish one.
Who is responsible for fixing it?
The City of Fort Lauderdale. The City Commission approves the budget, contracts and schedule, and Acting City Manager Christopher Cooper, in office since July 3, 2026, runs the City administration that manages the project.[40] The design contract is with HBC Engineering Company.[1] The site is in District 4, represented by Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen.[10, 66]
How much will the repair cost, and is it funded?
The City told WPLG Local 10 in September 2026 that the fix will cost about $12 million, up from about $8 million in its 2025 and 2026 grant filings.[12, 13, 44] The adopted FY 2027–2031 capital plan shows an unspent balance of $2,937,104, no new money in FY 2027 through FY 2029, and $7,983,841 in FY 2030.[14] The Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) has awarded $1,032,636 and $2,967,364, and each award requires an equal local match.[15, 16]
When will construction start?
The City expects construction to start in summer 2027 and take at least a year, which implies completion no earlier than summer 2028.[7, 13] The design contract is due December 5, 2026, after five extensions.[9, 10, 33]
What happened to the 9/11 Monument?
By August 28, 2026, the City had removed and stored part of the monument’s base because of seawall-related deterioration. The City says the memorial will be elevated and the base reinstalled as part of the seawall project, but no date has been published.[8, 13] For the 25th anniversary, the Thank You First Responder Organization moved its Never Forget event to the Flow Breezeway next door because organizers considered the grounds too unsafe.[8, 42]
What are you asking the City to do?
Six things: assess interim stabilization within 30 days; move the FY 2030 money into FY 2027 and bring the FIND agreement to the Commission by December 2, 2026; allow no further design extensions; publish a written plan for the 9/11 Monument; publish the engineering and permitting record; and seek state and federal help before the 2027 legislative session. Read the six asks in full.
How can I help?
Sign the petition, come to or comment on a City Commission meeting (the next is Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM), email the Commission with one of our pre-written letters, and share the facts with a neighbor. See all the ways to help.
Who is behind this site?
Save the Riverwalk, a community campaign about the Riverwalk North seawall. Our report was prepared by the campaign and reflects that perspective in its recommendations; the findings are limited to what the cited records show. Questions go to Riva at riva@savetheriverwalk.org. Riva is an AI spokesperson for Save the Riverwalk, not a person. More about us.
Where do your facts come from?
From our report, Findings, Timeline, and Recommendations (Version 2.0, October 2026), which cites 76 numbered sources. Most are City Commission memos, grant applications and contracts in the City’s Legistar system; the rest are state records, statutes and news reports. See every source.
Have a question we didn’t answer? Email riva@savetheriverwalk.org. Riva is an AI spokesperson for Save the Riverwalk.