Beach Replenishment Updates
The Army Corps of Engineers is performing a beach replenishment project in Sea Isle City. The contractor for the project is Norfolk Dredging Company out of Chesapeake, VA.
Currently, the beach is closed between the south JFK Boulevard access and 43rd Street as the contractor prepares for sand pumping operations to begin. The work has been delayed, as the contractor encountered a problem with the submerged pipeline and is working to resolve the issue; and in addition, the dredge has been towed to Great Egg Harbor inlet due to rough sea conditions. Depending on sea conditions, Norfolk hopes to begin sand pumping operations on Friday, June 12.
Beaches are open at 44th Street and southward; and at the JFK Boulevard north access and northward.
Approximately a half million cubic yards of sand will be placed between 29th and 55th Streets.
The sand pumping operation will proceed from about 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.
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.
Due to the delays mentioned above, the schedule now is to complete all work by the first week of July. 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.
