BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Work continues to repair parts of Sebastian Inlet that were torn apart by Hurricane Milton last year.

Officials say the goal is to make the area more storm resilient and safer for around 1 million people who visit each year.

As a result of the project, a construction zone occupies much of the North Jetty Pier at Sebastian Inlet State Park.

It’s the reason Melbourne’s Gregg Hayda had to find a different spot to cast his line.

“I was actually here when the storm blew out the sand, and that’s what they are trying to fix now,” he said.

The project involves fortifying a 190-foot stretch with large granite boulders and constructing a sheet pile seawall with a concrete sidewalk deck.

Some parts of the jetty are 50 years old or older.

So far, crews have demolished the area that was compromised, made progress on the seawall and soon the boulders will be brought in.

“The repairs at the jetty are very important to the regional economy," said Sebastian Inlet District spokesman Ed Garland. "It’s over a billion dollars a year when it comes to recreational boating, fishing, sightseeing, bird watching."

Storms compromised the site so badly that sand from the beach was flowing underneath and into the inlet.

“That’s not going to happen anymore,” Garland said. “This is a navigable channel, and one of our duties is to keep that channel clear for boating traffic.”

The district also had to shut down the popular jetty webcam because it’s in the construction zone.

Hayda said he is OK with being patient, because when the work is finished, he will have a brand new spot to hook some fish.

“The pier needed a little break from some of the traffic," he said. "Hopefully it gets the fish fired back up again. And I’m sure everyone will be happy once that’s done, and they can come back out and enjoy the inlet again."

The $2,500,000 project is expected to be complete by July.