Posted on May 13, 2024
Toms River officials this week announced that beach repairs in the Ortley Beach section were beginning, with crews from Earle Asphalt seen restoring beach entrances and trucking sand onto the beach berm.
Last month, the township council awarded the construction company a $314,813 contract to provide sand and serve as an on-call contractor for dune crossover repairs prior to the start of the summer bathing season. Last year, the township awarded a similar $304,913 contract to Earle for the repair of beaches and crossovers.
Mayor Dan Rodrick said the repairs are expected to take seven days to complete, and Earle will remain on call in case of any storms that further erode the coastline as the unofficial start of summer approaches in just two weeks. Notably, in 2021, an unusually late-season nor’easter occurred on Memorial Day weekend, requiring a second round of repairs.
In the past, some residents have criticized the repairs, citing concerns over steep inclines at dune crossovers.
Rodrick said there was “a new sheriff in town” and his administration would closely monitor the project to ensure it was completed to the township’s satisfaction, however major repair work on the beaches – especially work that directly affects dune crossovers – is under federal jurisdiction. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing a new bid solicitation to re-engineer Ortley Beach’s oceanfront after years of delays and bidding disputes under the defense procurement code.
After a significant number of nor’easters – including four in a matter of ten days in March – “cliffs” have formed along the beachfront at a height surpassing 10-feet in some locations. The worst-affected areas are those just south of the former site of Joey Harrison’s Surf Club, which is now owned by the state and maintained by Toms River Township.
Dune erosion ‘cliffs’ following multiple nor’easters in a week, Ortley Beach, N.J., March 12, 2024.
Dune ‘cliffs’ return in Ortley Beach following the Jan. 9-10, 2024 coastal storm.
‘Cliffs’ formed after the Dec. 10-11, 2023 storm in Ortley Beach.
The repairs are being performed south-to-north. Shorebeat will feature updated photos and video footage of the repairs once they are completed.
