The Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract to replenish the Virginia Beach oceanfront.
The $11.92 million renourishment project, which will begin Dec. 1, includes the placement of 1,250,000 cubic yards of sand from 17th Street to 70th Street.
“ These sand replenishment projects are vital to our coastline in terms of tide and erosion protection, ” said Virginia Beach Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr . “ We owe a special thanks to U.S. Senator Mark Warner and Congressman Scott Rigell for their persistent efforts in helping us time and again with these important projects. Without their help, the timeline that is so crucial in these types of projects would have been seriously jeopardized.”
The project consists of renourishment of the beach berm to provide a minimum elevation of 8.5 feet, and a minimum crest width of 100 feet. Renourishment material will come from areas that include the Thimble Shoal Channel and the Atlantic Ocean Channel, which are adjacent to the project area. The contract, awarded to Weeks Marine of Camden, N.J., will be administered by the Norfolk District, in partnership with the city of Virginia Beach.
Officials expect beach replenishment to begin at the south end of the beach at 15th Street and move northward as the project progresses. Access to the entire beach from 15th Street to 70th Street will not be restricted during of the project. Virginia Beach Public Works Department expects the contractor to complete the project by May 15, 2013.
This will be the first beach replenishment contract since the initial construction of the Hurricane Protection System was completed in 2001.
Weeks Marine performed the initial restoration of four million cubic yards at the resort beaches and was the replenishment contractor at Sandbridge Beach for three previous restoration projects.
The federal investment for this renourishment cycle is $8.9 million, or 65 percent of the total project cost, which includes design, construction and administration costs.
People can expect to see heavy equipment and contractor personnel in placement areas. Beach access will be restricted where work is ongoing to ensure the safety of the public as well as the contractor.
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Press Release, November 23, 2012