Posted on August 18, 2016
By Rick Adams, MySuncoast
The next phase of a beach renourishment project is getting ready to begin.
Some equipment has found a nice spot on the white silky beach near the Resort at Longboat Key Club. It’s machinery that’ll transform eroded beaches on both ends of Longboat Key.
Jane and John Rayhack of Tampa are happy to see this work being done on what they say is one of their favorite beaches in the world.
“It’s something that really brings a lot of tourists here, ” said John. “I think people still enjoy the beach, but I think that they will enjoy it more when the beach is replenished.”
About 200,000 cubic yards of sand will be dredged from New Pass to fix nearly a mile of the beaches at the southern tip for the next month, then dredging of 220,000 cubic yards of sand will begin next month at Longboat Pass to repair more than a half mile of beaches at the northern tip.
“We have lost over a hundred feet of beach, not only the width of the beach but the height of the beach,” said Juan Florensa, a public works director for Longboat Key. “And that is what provides storm protection, so it’s imperative that we restore these beaches.”
The first phase of the project where dump trucks brought in sand finished two months ahead of schedule, costing Longboat Key residents $10 million. This current dredging phase will cost around $6 million.
Aron and Lee are a couple who are visiting from England. They tell us it’s important to do whatever it takes to keep these beaches in tip-top shape.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Aron. “The beach already is amazing, to make it perfect just would be so awesome.”
In addition to the dredging, another 40,000 cubic yards of sand will be trucked in to help with the New Pass part of the project.
The dredging will get underway within the next couple of days. Officials say this entire beach nourishment project is expected to wrap up in mid-October.
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