Jersey Shore: Critical beach replenishment about to begin

Critical beach replenishment work for Jersey Shore towns in the Fourth Congressional District is scheduled to begin this month, said Representative Chris Smith.

 “I am pleased that after several contracting delays, this long-awaited project to restore our beaches that have suffered considerable erosion over the past years is finally moving forward,” said Smith, who secured $30.2 million in federal funding for the project.

“We have never let up on securing this long-overdue, unjustly delayed project,” he added. “That we have at last received a schedule with real target dates on it gives us great confidence that the desperately needed beach replenishment will finally take place and better protect our beach towns.

“Our shore communities will benefit greatly from the federal assistance and partnership to address significant safety concerns from beach erosion and help blunt damaging effects of major storms,” he said.

The tentative schedule, which could vary slightly based on weather and sea conditions, entails the following six-to-seven-month construction estimate:

· Seaside Heights with taper into Seaside Park: work is estimated to take place in January and February and include 241,000 cubic yards of sand;

· Toms River (South): work is set to take place in February/March and include 426,000 cubic yards of sand;

· Lavallette: work is estimated to take place in March and include 184,000 cubic yards of sand;
· Bay Head with taper into Point Pleasant Beach: work is estimated to take place in Spring and include 495,000 cubic yards of sand;
· Mantoloking: work will start in Spring and include 392,000 cubic yards of sand;
· Brick Township: work is estimated to take place in early Summer and include 227,000 cubic yards of sand; and
· Toms River (North): work will take place in Summer and include 135,000 cubic yards of sand.

In October, the Army Corps of Engineers awarded the contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company of Houston, TX.