Posted on October 27, 2025
A massive beach upgrade has begun in Pinellas County, funded by $120 million in tourist dollars. The work started at Clearwater Beach and continues southward along the coast. Sand placement…
A massive beach upgrade has begun in Pinellas County, funded by $120 million in tourist dollars. The work started at Clearwater Beach and continues southward along the coast.
Sand placement at Clearwater Beach is now complete. Crews have moved to Belleair and Upham beaches as part of the critical shoreline restoration. The work aims to shield beachfront properties from storm damage.
“When we take sand out of those inlets and put them on the beaches, we call that regional sediment management. So, what we’re doing is we’re clearing out inlets and allowing that sand as a resource and putting it back on the beaches where it actually came from,” Zach Westfall, a coastal scientist with the county, said per WTSP.
Changes at Clearwater Beach show clear results. Areas once submerged now boast fresh sand stretching several feet out, creating stronger storm protection. The new buffer helps stop beach erosion.
Local views on the project vary. Vincent Tormenia, who saw losses in Hurricane Helene, wants different fixes. “They need to dredge the intercoastal,” said Tormenia.
Yet some residents back the work. “If you don’t replenish the beach, if you’re not good stewards of this incredible landscape that God’s given us, then we can’t complain when things are destroyed and economies are ruined and people move away and there’s no tourists to stay in our hotels,” said Diane Pemelton, who lives in St. Pete Beach.
Work should finish by March 2026. Indian Rocks Beach sits last on the schedule, with time left for property owners to join in.
The Jacksonville branch of the U.S. Army Corps handles Intracoastal Waterway dredging. They haven’t yet spoken about future waterway work.
