The Army Corps of Engineers is in the process of preparing for a beach replenishment project in Sea Isle City. The contractor for the project is Norfolk Dredging Company out of Chesapeake, VA.

Currently, the contractor has mobilized equipment and pipeline onto the beach in the area between JFK Blvd. and 43rd Street.

Sand pumping is expected to start between Sunday, June 7 and Tuesday, June 9.

Approximately a half million cubic yards of sand will be placed between 29th and 55th Streets.

Initially, the work will proceed from 43rd Street to the south toward 55th Street. Once the area between 43rd and 55th Street is completed, the sand pumping will proceed from 43rd to 29th Street.

Once the project begins, access to the beaches where the work is being performed will be closed, but the beach will remain open outside of the work area. No more than 1,000 feet (between 3 and 4 blocks) of beach will be closed at any one time.

We will update this notice with the streets where beach access is closed as the project proceeds.

The current schedule is to complete all work by the end of June. The work is dependent on favorable sea conditions, which can impact the project schedule.

We apologize for any inconvenience. This is a much-needed improvement to ensure vital shore protection for our community. The city is part of a 50-year program with the Army Corps of Engineers. The program started in 2015, and this is the third cycle of beach replenishment since then.

We are often asked why this needs to be done at this time of year. With only a few companies in the country capable of performing work of this nature, we must take the projects when they become available. The city relies largely on funding from the federal and state governments, and this is an Army Corps contract that is one of a multitude of shore improvement projects that the Corps of Engineers oversees. While we would prefer the work to be done immediately prior to the summer season, that is not always possible.