Long Branch May Get Beach Replenishment This Winter

LONG BRANCH, NJ — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin a sand-replenishment project in Monmouth County this winter, at sections of Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright, and possibly also Long Branch.

The base contract only includes Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright. A bigger stretch of Sea Bright and Long Branch are optional add-ons if the U.S. Army Corps. chooses, said Congressman Frank Pallone, who asked for the federal funding for the project.

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In Monmouth Beach, sand will be added starting at the Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion and continue north to the Monmouth Beach Bath and Tennis Club. In Sea Bright, sand will be added from the Ship Ahoy beach club north. These were areas that have experienced the worst sand erosion.

It includes an option to continue the sand replenishment from Ship Ahoy south to the Sea Bright Public Beach, as well as to add sand to the beach north of Pier Village in Long Branch.

The precise areas that will receive replenishment will be determined once the bids are submitted.

This was announced this week by Pallone, the congressman who represents this area in Washington, D.C. Pallone said he secured $37 million in federal funding for the beach replenishment, which will be matched with a combination of state and local funds.

The project solicitation was made public on July 22 and contractor bids are due by August 25. All the work is expected to begin in late fall, finishing by March 2027.

"Over the last year, Sea Bright has seen alarming erosion of its beaches with the ocean in some places rising all the way to the sea wall," said Sea Bright Mayor Brian Kelly. "I want to thank Congressman Pallone for his efforts to secure funding for this critical beach replenishment project to protect our residents, their homes and our businesses."

"Beach replenishment is critical for a town like Monmouth Beach to protect our residents and their property," said Monmouth Beach Mayor Tim Somers. "Over the last year, residents delivered hundreds of letters to Congressman Pallone asking for assistance to help replenish our beach sand that we have seen erode with each storm. We are grateful to Congressman Pallone for listening."