Posted on September 15, 2020
EMERALD ISLE — Town commissioners Tuesday night adopted two resolutions necessary to proceed with a major beach nourishment project in early 2021.
The 5-0 vote came during the Emerald Isle board’s monthly meeting in town hall and via GoToWebinar.
The project will put 2,012,850 cubic yards of sand on the beaches of extreme western Emerald Isle, all of central Emerald Isle and a portion of eastern Emerald Isle that’s considered an erosion “hot spot.”
Commissioner Jim Normile, who is also vice chairperson of the Carteret County Beach Commission, thanked the state’s legislative delegation, including Rep. Pat McElraft, R-Carteret, for support of beach nourishment, and Carteret County Shore Protection Office Manager Greg Rudolph for making the $33.2 million project a reality.
“Rudi (Mr. Rudolph) does the heavy-lifting,” he said.
Commissioner Floyd Messer made the motion to approve the resolutions.
“It’s a great day for Emerald Isle,” Mayor Eddie Barber said.
The project will place 166,350 cubic yards of sand on the beach from Inlet Court to Land’s End, 708,750 cubic yards from Sound of the Sea to Riptide Court, 537,750 cubic yards from Riptide Court to the vehicle access ramp at the “dogleg” on Ocean Drive and 600,000 cubic yards from the ramp to the Emerald Isle-Indian Beach line.
Although Mr. Rudolph’s office coordinates the bidding and awarding of contracts for nourishment projects, the towns involved must sign individual contracts with the contractor, in this case Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. of Illinois. One of the resolutions Tuesday night authorized the signing of that contract.
The county will pass the money for the project – mostly from the Federal Emergency Management Agency – through the town to the contractor.
The second resolution the board approved Tuesday adopted the town’s capital projects budget for the work.
Contact Brad Rich at 252-864-1532; email Brad@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @brichccnt.
Source: carolinacoastonline
