Posted on July 12, 2016
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Jacksonville awarded a contract for shore protection to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock company, of Oak Brook, Illinois, for $13.6 million.
The construction will involve placing 650,000 cubic yards of sand over seven miles of eroded beaches — including Jacksonville, Neptune and part of Atlantic Beach.
The goal is to reduce risk and promote coastal resilience. Such a shore project reduces economic, environmental and infrastructure damages during the summer storm season, the Army Corps stated.
“Thousands of residents and businesses in Duval County benefit from this shore project because storm events erode the beach rather than destroying coastal infrastructure,” the agency wrote in a statement. “Coastal communities with engineered beaches have historically fared much better than other communities as proven by numerous studies.”
The berm will be widened by between 20 and 60 feet, and the elevation will raised by three to five feet. The sand will be excavated from four offshore borrow areas in federal waters.
The project is expected to be complete this fall.
Source: JBJ
