USA: Corps Proposes Repair to Rockport’s Bearskin Neck Jetty

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, plans to repair the Bearskin Neck Jetty in Rockport Harbor in Rockport, Massachusetts, beginning in October 2014 and extending over a 5 to 6 month period. The work of this project consists of repairing the 540-foot-long jetty that was damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

In anticipation of this work, the Corps of Engineers and the town of Rockport will hold a public meeting to discuss the upcoming project on Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 7 p.m. in the Rockport Public Library, Brenner Room, in Rockport, Mass.

The Bearskin Neck Jetty is located at the northern most end of Bearskin Neck Road in Rockport, Massachusetts, approximately 35 miles north of Boston, Mass., and 20 miles south of the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border. The jetty extends into the ocean from the end of Bearskin Neck Road to the east and provides protection to Rockport Harbor. The existing jetty consists primarily of 3-5 ton armor stone. The ocean side of the jetty has retained its shape/authorized dimension while 400 feet of the jetty contains voids 5 feet deep along the crest profile and voids 5-10 feet deep along the harbor side slope.

Approximately 3,500 tons of 14-19 ton armor stone and 4,500 tons of 4-8 ton armor stone will be required to repair the jetty to authorized dimensions. The completed repairs will provide a crest width of 18 feet for the first 400 feet, widening for the next 70 feet to a fixed width of 28 feet for the last 30 feet, at the head of the breakwater. Crest elevation is +18.8 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) and side slopes are 1 vertical: 2.5 horizontal for the entire length of the jetty. The work includes replacing displaced armor stone to fill in existing gaps in the jetty. A majority of the 14-19 ton stone will be used to reconstruct the last 30 feet, which is the head of the jetty. Repairs will require substantial moving and rehandling of existing stones to obtain the required interlocking placement.

It is expected that a crane and barge, anchored on the harbor side of the jetty, will be required to handle the 14-19 ton stone. Some of the rework/handling of the smaller 4-8 ton stone can be performed by equipment on the jetty. That equipment can access the jetty via a temporary ramp from the culdesac at the landside end of the jetty, or by placing the equipment on the jetty with the crane. Some 10,500 SF of staging area will be provided at the culdesac on the land side end of the jetty.

An additional 48,000 SF of staging/storage area will be provided at the Town-owned Granite Pier, 0.5 nautical miles north of the jetty. This larger area includes bulkhead space and access to the Town boat ramp. It’s expected that delivered stone will be stockpiled at Granite Pier and delivered to the jetty for placement via partially loaded barges based on the required draft of the barge.

[mappress]

Press Release, May 15, 2014