North end beaches to be nourished to complete historic beach fill project
(Stone Harbor, NJ)—Stone Harbor’s spring beach fill project will enter its final stages during the evening hours of Thursday, May 18th. Mayor Judy Davies-Dunhour and other Borough officials attended a progress meeting at the Stone Harbor Volunteer Fire Department earlier in the day.
“We are excited that our community will have a fully restored protective and recreational beach in advance of the summer season”, Mayor Davies-Dunhour said. “This beach fill project has made significant progress and despite unanticipated and unnecessary delays, I can report that this project will be completed ahead of schedule”.
The dredge “Texas” operated by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company will remain in Townsend’s Inlet between Avalon and Sea Isle City for this final phase of the project. Approximately 320,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed on the north end beaches in Stone Harbor starting at 80th Street on or about May 21st. This project will operate 24 hours a day with an anticipated completion date on or about June 10th. Beach fill projects are suspended only for unsafe weather conditions or mechanical issues with the dredge.
Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company has placed 24,000 feet of submerged pipeline that runs in the Atlantic Ocean from Townsend’s Inlet to the landing zone on the 84th Street beach. This is necessary because of an application of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act by the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife that both Stone Harbor and Avalon believe was misapplied for this project. Ample sand exists in the Hereford Inlet borrow zone but cannot be used since this portion of the beach fill is financed with federal dollars.
The project will not be suspended during Memorial Day weekend. All beaches in Stone Harbor remain open for the summer kickoff weekend with the exception of approximately two blocks of beach immediately north and south of the construction zone, which will move in a southerly direction. It is possible the beach fill project will be in the vicinity of 95th Street on Memorial Day, May 29th.
“Stone Harbor residents and visitors are so deeply appreciative of the value of beach fill projects and the resiliency they provide to protect our special community”, Mayor Davies-Dunhour said. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding of how important this project is to a community that may be exposed to the very worst storms in the North Atlantic. As the project moves south, the small number of beaches that are inaccessible in the construction zone are re-opened to the public”.
Stone Harbor will continue to provide updates on the final stage of this project on its municipal website, www.shnj.org.
