Posted on April 25, 2019
The work, which took years, made the shoreline more storm-resilient and repaired the massive damage that Hurricane Sandy caused.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the official completion of construction on the Long Beach Coastal Storm Risk Reduction Project.
The $130 million project was performed in two phases over three years that included construction of four new groins and the rehabilitation of 18 existing ones, as well as installing 284,000 tons of rock. The Corps also used 3.2 million cubic yards of sand to widen the beach and reinforce sand dunes, which play a crucial role in flood risk reduction. The Corps was also able to expand the beach approximately 150 feet from Long Beach to Point Lookout.
“This is a great day for the citizens of Long Beach, Lido Beach and Point Lookout, and represents the culmination of hard work and sacrifice over multiple years,” said New York District Commander Col. Thomas D. Asbery. “The residents of this community are now safer from the impacts of violent storms and coastal flooding.”
The work stretched for nine miles along the coast of the Barrier Island, from Jones Inlet to East Rockaway Inlet. The shore is routinely battered during storms, which causes damages to homes and businesses along the waterfront. The Corps said that the beach had reached historically low heights and narrow widths, making damage from storms more likely.
The projected was completely funded by the federal government. the Corps said it will continue to perform dune crossover and planting work in Long Beach, which is expected to be completed by this fall.
“The completion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beach renourishment signifies a monumental milestone in the city’s history,” said Long Beach City Council President Anthony Eramo. “For the first time ever, we have an engineered beach, designed to withstand future storms. I am proud of signing on to the agreement that authorized this project several years ago and voting to enable the Army Corps to work around-the-clock to expedite its completion. It is truly rewarding to see our long-term planning come to fruition. On behalf of the city, I would like to sincerely thank Senator Schumer for ensuring that this essential project would be fully federally funded with no additional cost to local taxpayers.”
“Countless homeowners and businesses in Long Beach, Lido Beach and Point Lookout were hammered by Superstorm Sandy and required a massive federal investment to both recover and to rebuild the island’s defenses against the next storms,” said Sen. Charles Schumer. “That’s why I fought so hard to deliver billions in federal investments, including this Long Beach Coastal Storm Risk Reduction Project… I am proud we worked so hard to deliver these vital resources to make our communities and infrastructure more resilient, greener and stronger with no cost to the local taxpayer.”
Source: patch.com
