Posted on January 6, 2025
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works have begun replenishing the Oceanfront’s coastline, which has been eroded over time from severe storms, wind, flooding and waves.
Starting Monday, crews began establishing a work center at the 37th Street beach access to store heavy machinery, support equipment and the crews’ work trailer. The actual beach replenishment work will take place in January with crews placing 950,000 cubic yards of sand between 15th and 45th Streets, in the Resort Area. Then, crews will move to Croatan.
Visitors to the beach are asked to remain on the boardwalk when near the 37th Street access or outside of the safety fencing as crews store equipment, place orange safety fencing, and install signs. After that, the beach access will reopen to the public and will stay open while the replenishment effort lasts, outside of the orange fencing areas.
USACE have contributed $13.13 million, or about two-thirds of the total cost of the replenishment project, so far while the City has invested a little over $7 million. The city says tax dollars are being saved because the sand used to replenish the beaches comes from another USACE project, the Norfolk Harbor Deepening Project, being completed with the Virginia Port Authority.
The city says beach replenishment “provides storm damage reduction protection to safeguard the City’s pump stations, seawall, and commercial and residential property, along with other infrastructure that would be subject to flooding without such an environmental measure. Additional benefits include protecting the beach’s coastline and longevity; defending the coastline against storms; improving the beach environment for recreational activity, attracting vacationers and economic development; and increasing land value of adjacent properties.”
The city estimates that the $20.2 million invested in beach replenishment since 2002 have saved more than $1 billion in storm-related damages. The last replenishment project was in 2019, and it continues to occur every five to seven years.
