The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, awarded a $92 million contract late yesterday (January 10) to Weeks Marine Inc. to construct a dune and berm project between the Manasquan and Barnegat Inlet in Ocean County, New Jersey.
The total cost of the contract could be $128 million if options are awarded, reported USACE.
According to the Corps, the project, once fully completed, will cover approximately 14 miles of coastline along the Barnegat Peninsula and will reduce the risk of storm damages for the communities of Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Brick Township, Toms River Township, Lavallette, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, and Berkeley Township.
More than 11 million cubic yards of sand will be dredged from approved borrow areas and pumped through a series of pipes onto the beaches of the municipalities.
For most of the project area, dunes will be built to an elevation of 22 feet. Beaches will be constructed from 100 feet to 300 feet wide and to an elevation of 8.5 feet.
The project area will be eligible to receive periodic nourishment over the course of 50 years to replace sand lost through erosion. In addition, the contract includes the construction of dune crossovers, placement of sand fencing, and dune grass plantings.
“ This represents one of the largest beachfill contracts in the history of the United States Army Corps of Engineers ,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District Commander Lt. Col. Michael Bliss.
The project is one of eleven coastal storm damage reduction projects within the Philadelphia District’s area of responsibility in New Jersey.
USACE also reported that it expects to issue a Notice to Proceed for construction to Weeks Marine Inc. sometime in the next month with physical construction expected to begin by spring of 2017. The construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
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