Posted on February 25, 2020
According to a recent Press Release from Collier County, Marco Island will soon be able to enjoy a wider, more robust section of South Beach between the Belize at Cape Marco Condominium and the Marbelle Club Condominiums.
The beach in that section will soon be refurbished with approximately 80,000 cubic yards of sand.Equipment is now in the process of mobilizing to begin work the week of February 18that Caxambas Pass. Sand dredged from Caxambas Pass will be placed in the upland area (beach berm) on South Marco Beach to help replenish that area.
Crews plan to work around the clock to complete the project as quickly as possible. The dredging work is required by the Department of Environmental Protection permit to be completed before sea turtle nesting season begins on May 1st.
There will be beach areas (300 ft sections) closed to the public while the operation is occurring.There will be vehicles and heavy equipment on the beach and the dredge and re–nourishment will be a 24/7 project and will start from South to North.
According to an email sent by Gary McAlpin, Manager of Coastal Zone Management to the Beach & Coastal Resources Advisory Committee on January 10th, Gary stated that the contractors will mobilize in mid-February and will take 6 weeks to re–nourish South Beach.Furthermore, he added that “we are re–nourishing during the heaviest period of time for tourism.Unfortunately, by permit, the re–nourishment cannot be done during sea turtle nesting season, which runs from May 1st to November 1st. “
The $2.35 million project is expected to be completed in spring 2020. The Board of County Commissioners awarded the contract to Florida Dredge and Dock, LLC at their November 12th, meeting back in 2019.Money for the project is allocated from two sources: Tourist Development funds are covering the Caxambas Pass dredge/South Marco re–nourishment work; there is also a plan to request partial reimbursement for the Caxambas Pass work through the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection’s Local Government Funding Program.?
For more information, contact Project Manager Clint Perrymanat?Clinton.Perryman@colliercountyfl.gov?or 239-252-4245.
Source: coastalbreezenews.com
