Southend Beach Replenishment Project Underway in Ocean City

The long anticipate southend beach replenishment project began on Thursday in Ocean City.

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, the contractor for the project, started pumping sand around 1:45 Thursday afternoon, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said.

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin will join U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials, U.S. legislators and local officials in celebrating the start of the project at a press conference at 10 a.m. Friday morning at the beach on 42nd Street in southern Ocean City.

Martin and Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) will be in attendance for the launch of the project to build beaches and dunes in southern Ocean City, the Strathmere section of Upper Township, and Sea Isle City in Cape May County.

The Ocean City portion of the project is scheduled to last through July 15.

“We are thankful to the Federal government and the State of New Jersey for their support of this project,” Gillian said in a statement posted on the City’s website.. “Replenishing our beaches is essential for the protection of public and private property as well as vital to our tourism based economy.”

Ocean City will receive approximately 1.6 million cubic yards of sand on approximately 2.6 miles of beach between 36th and 59th Streets. The project is being overseen by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and is being funded completely by the federal government.

Martin and U.S. Army Corps officials will provide project details, timelines and updates on Sandy recovery efforts.

The attached images were posted on ocnj.us.