Posted on June 29, 2026
The start of the long-awaited Buxton beach nourishment project has been pushed back slightly, with sand placement now expected to begin in mid- to late July, according to an update from Dare County and its contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company.
The revised timeline reflects adjustments to the contractor’s construction schedule as the hopper dredge Liberty Island completes repairs and scheduled maintenance before arriving in Buxton.
While sand placement has not yet begun, residents and visitors are expected to see project-related activity in the coming weeks. Mobilization efforts will include the staging and stockpiling of equipment on private properties along Cottage Avenue, Cape Court and Old Lighthouse Road.
Once the Liberty Island arrives in Buxton, approximately 2 million cubic yards of sand are expected to be placed along the oceanfront over an estimated 95-day construction period, although the schedule remains dependent on weather and ocean conditions.
The Buxton project is the larger of Dare County’s two beach nourishment efforts scheduled for 2026. The work follows the completion of nourishment in Avon, where crews will place 375,000 cubic yards of sand along roughly one mile of shoreline.
County officials have previously stated that the Avon and Buxton projects are intended to help protect N.C. Highway 12 from chronic erosion and ocean overwash. Officials have emphasized that beach nourishment projects are undertaken to protect public infrastructure and are not designed or funded for the purpose of protecting private oceanfront homes.
The nourishment project is also expected to complement planned repairs to Buxton’s southernmost groin, a structure that helps retain sand along a portion of the village’s oceanfront.
Earlier this month, the Dare County Board of Commissioners approved a contract for the groin repair project after selecting a contractor that could begin work earlier than other bidders. Construction is tentatively expected to start in August.
The project will rehabilitate approximately 640 feet of the existing groin using a steel sheet-pile core and additional stone scour protection. County officials have said completing the groin repairs alongside the nourishment project will help maximize the retention of newly placed sand.
The southernmost groin is one of three groins originally constructed by the U.S. Navy between 1969 and 1970. It is the only one considered sufficiently intact to qualify for major repairs under current state permitting requirements.
